SHOPPERS could get a basket of essential goods for just £24.21 at the UK’s cheapest supermarket last month.
Which? has revealed the grocer that was the best for bargains in February.
Brits are trying to cut back on spending as the cost of living soars.
The latest research showed that shop prices rocketed at the fastest rate in a decade last month.
The consumer group compared the cost of 23 essential items at the most popular supermarkets every day throughout February.
It found that Lidl was the cheapest, with the items – including apples, eggs, bread, teabags and grapes – costing £24.21.
Next up was discount rival Aldi, which cost 62p more for the same items.
Asda was the cheapest of the major UK supermarkets, costing £27.35 for the essentials shop, which was £3.14 more than Lidl.
The rest of the “big four” grocers – Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – recorded average prices of £27.40, £27.68 and £29.19 respectively.
Online supermarket Ocado, which sells M&S food, was next up at £31.28.
The most expensive place to get a basket of essentials was Waitrose, where it cost £33.71.
That’s £9.50 pricier than the same items at Lidl, or a whopping 39% extra.
The research is a comparison of prices and does not take into account quality, customer service, shopping experience or online delivery services.
Lidl has taken the best value crown for the second month in a row after it was also the cheapest supermarket in January.
However, according to Which?, Aldi was the cheapest supermarket overall last year, winning the monthly contest six times to Lidl’s five.
If you’re worried about the cost of supermarket shopping, there are ways you can reduce your spending.
One tip is to try out cheaper shops, but there are other techniques that could come in handy when it comes to cutting costs.
Supermarkets often slash prices to shift stock when food is almost at its use by date.
You can spot the discounted goods easily as they usually have yellow stickers on them.
Sometimes you can get up to 75% off – a big saving on your weekly shop.
Most UK supermarkets have loyalty schemes to keep customers coming back.
For example, you can get vouchers, exclusive money-saving deals and lower prices on grub by signing up.
Throwing out food that has gone out of date could cost your family hundreds of pounds a year.
There are apps you can use to avoid food waste, and help you reduce your shopping bill by buying food nearly past its best.
For example, Kitche keeps track of the food you bought at the supermarket and lets you know when items are getting close to their sell by date.
This could stop you wasting cash on food.
Too Good To Go means you can buy food that’s soon to go off from shops including Morrisons, Greggs and Pret at a big discount.
Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team?
Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk
