ASDA 1 (1)

Asda picked up its second consecutive Grocer 33 pricing win despite the biggest year-on-year price increases of any of the retailers.

At £66.84, the Leeds-based supermarket came in just 3p cheaper than Tesco (if you factor in its Clubcard prices) and 56p cheaper than Sainsbury’s.

Asda ran the lowest price for 13 items and was exclusively cheapest for seven, including the Comfort conditioner, pears, parmesan cheese and parsley.

However Asda’s total was 7.5% more expensive year on year. Morrisons was 7% higher and Sainsbury’s 5.9%. Tesco and Waitrose were most successful in keeping a lid on inflation, with increases of just 1.3% and 1% respectively. Overall this meant inflation was 4.5% versus a year ago.

Sainsbury’s second consecutive runner-up spot backs its statement this week that the retailer is “more competitive than it has ever been”.

It offered the lowest price on 12 products and was exclusively cheapest for the Centrum, mini poppadoms, roast chicken slices and tempura prawns.

As with last week, factoring in Tesco’s Clubcard Prices initiative would have had a significant impact (£2.45) on its performance. The 3p gap this time was even closer than Tesco’s 6p difference last week.

Tesco offered the lowest price for 16 lines and was exclusively cheapest for six, including the jam tarts, rice noodles   and Tilda basmati rice.

Morrisons came in £4.42 more expensive than Asda at £71.26. It offered the lowest price for five lines, exclusively so on the lamb chops, mashed potato and passion fruit.

At £77.66 Waitrose was £10.82 more expensive than Asda. The upmarket retailer had no exclusively cheapest items and its highlights were matching the lowest price on the BrewDog Punk IPA, Innocent smoothie and Schweppes tonic.