Asda wins cheapest supermarket – but is just 3p cheaper than Morrisons | Grocer 33

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Asda

Asda has scraped another victory in our weekly price comparison survey. But the winning margin was the tightest yet – it beat Morrisons by 3p and was less than 1% cheaper than Tesco.

Asda was the only retailer where our basket cost more than last week (by 1.9%) or last month (by 3%) while others leaned into promotions to lower their totals.

Asda’s £74.90 basket had just two price cut promotions, on the John West tuna pot and Paxo stuffing mix, which discounted £1.24 (or 1.7%) from its total. At the other retailers price cuts shaved at least £3.80 (or 5%) from their baskets.

What won it for Asda was being consistently cheaper without promotions. Its gluten-free spaghetti, for instance, is 7p cheaper than anywhere else. Edamame beans are 19p and chocolate chip cookies 3p cheaper. Across the basket it was cheapest on 15 products, and exclusively for 12 of those.

Morrisons’ £74.93 basket cost 3.7% less than a week ago. Its six exclusively cheapest items included discounts on the Ginsters slice and Knorr stock cubes. Tesco’s £75.62 basket featured five Clubcard promotions including the cheapest Yorkshire Tea teabags and cost 0.5% less than a week ago.

Asda was 5.0% cheaper than Sainsbury’s (£78.87). Sainsbury’s was exclusively cheapest for the Trip adult soft drink, thanks to a Nectar deal, and Febreze air freshener and the soup without the aid of promotions.

Waitrose ran eight price promotions, more than any other retailer this week, which meant it sold the cheapest gnocchi and soya yoghurt. But at £87.94, Asda was 14.8% cheaper.

As promotions continue to ramp up, our basket cost an average of 1.4% less month on month and only 1.7% more year on year. This is less than the latest ONS inflation figures, which exclude loyalty pricing. John West’s tuna pot was the biggest price fall, with promos meaning it cost 15% less than a month ago and 19% less year on year.