Tesco provided the cheapest basket for the second week in a row, shrugging off additional competition from Amazon and Ocado in an online Grocer 33 special.
In an extremely close week and a brand-heavy basket, just £1.95 separated Tesco and sixth-placed Ocado.
Tesco was the only retailer to reduce prices weekly (–4.0%), monthly (–4.7%) and annually (–1.3%) as the battle for market share intensifies. Its £98.96 basket had the edge – partly thanks to the cheapest Weetabix and a deep Clubcard promo on Nescafé Azera.
In second place, Sainsbury’s had the highest week-on-week reduction. Its £99.78 basket came in 8.1% less than the same items cost last week. With Nectar promotions, it was cheapest for Oatly, Lotus Biscoff spread and Bear Fruit Splits. They narrowed the gap with Tesco to just 0.8%.
Slipping to third place, Asda had the highest number of cheapest (13) and exclusively cheapest (11) items – but most of the time its winning margin was pennies.
Morrisons came in fourth (£100.42), but pro-rating for its three multibuys would have reduced its total to £95.55 and catapulted it to first position.
Tesco was 1.7% cheaper than guest retailer Amazon Fresh. Amazon offered just four cheapest items and was exclusively cheapest on Red Bull and Cadbury Animals biscuits.
Ocado had the cheapest celery, Hovis loaf and Gü desserts. Its basket totalled £100.91, making Tesco 1.9% cheaper.
Waitrose trailed behind. Its discounts were the deepest this week, with savings of £10.32 (9.8%). That’s easier to achieve from a higher base, of course.
Overall, our basket cost 3.7% more than a year ago, and 0.5% more than last month. The price of beef continues to run ahead of inflation – mince cost 38% more than a year ago.
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