Lidl is cheapest supermarket in UK

  • ​​​​​​Lidl has officially been named the cheapest supermarket in the UK, beating all major retailers, and undercutting Aldi, in latest price comparison survey
  • The analysis, conducted by The Grocer, found a basket of everyday items at Lidl cost just £50.27, making it cheaper than competitors even with their discount schemes applied
  • Lidl’s everyday grocery items clocked in more than 10% cheaper than Tesco, and a whopping £19.91 cheaper than the most expensive retailer, Waitrose

Lidl has once again been named cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’, beating all major supermarkets, including Aldi.

The price index, which compares the price of 33 everyday grocery items across the UK’s seven major supermarkets, found Lidl to be £19.91 cheaper than Waitrose, the most expensive retailer. This win comes as Lidl’s fourth accolade, out of five surveys since the Grocer 33’s inception.

The survey also found Lidl came out cheapest even after other supermarkets’ discount schemes were applied. Overall, the discounter was found to be ten per cent (£6.17) cheaper than Tesco – and still £5.13 after Clubcard discounts were applied. Similarly, the same products at Sainsburys cost £6.80 more, with no benefit from the supermarket’s Nectar Prices.

The accolade also comes despite traditional supermarkets recently announcing an array of price drops, demonstrating that the discounter still offers better value.

The Grocer compares prices of items on shopping lists across the nation as part of the monthly analysis – from fresh produce, such as milk and grapes, to deodorant, and branded items including Hovis Bread and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. 

Lidl offered the cheapest price on 26 products – and exclusively the lowest price for five products across a range of categories, including:

  • Baby corn at £2.79 (76p cheaper than the most expensive and 4p cheaper than the next cheapest)
  • Kellogg’s Corn Flakes at £2.05 (25p cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)
  • Domestos bleach at £1.39 (21p cheaper than the most expensive and 10p cheaper than the next cheapest retailer)
  • Prawns at £1.99 (£1.76 cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)
  • Custard creams at 54p (26p cheaper than the most expensive and 1p cheaper than the next cheapest)

It’s not just the Super Grocer 33 basket proving this – for the past fourteen weeks Lidl has also been cheapest in a weekly price comparison conducted by the Manchester Evening News on essential groceries.

Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer at Lidl GB, said: “Every week, independent analysis shows we are consistently the UK’s cheapest supermarket. As a result, we are seeing more customers coming through our doors and switching their weekly shop to Lidl from the traditional supermarkets.

“We know people switch to us make savings, but then stay with us when they realise that they’re not having to compromise on quality.”

SupermarketRatio Price SummaryPrice compared to Lidl
Lidl£50.27– 
Aldi£50.46+19p
Asda£54.42+£4.15
Tesco£56.44+£6.17
Sainsbury’s£57.07+£7.30
Morrisons£60.05+£9.78
Waitrose£70.18+£19.91

Call for apprentices as Council increases investment in homes

Adverts are now live for over 30 jobs and apprenticeships across a variety of roles as part of the council’s plan to hire over 80 recruits in the housing service in the coming weeks.

Designed to boost inhouse capacity to maintain, improve and repair tenants’ homes, the raft of positions will cover everything from plastering, painting and plumbing to carrying out emergency repairs. Opportunities are available to develop skills in joinery, gas engineering and to join the capital investment team.

Craft apprenticeships are available which will provide budding tradespeople with the opportunity to earn a qualification and learn new skills while being paid. Every role forms part of a team with lots of support and mentoring and a college place to become fully qualified.

Graduate apprenticeships have also been created which will involve working within the council’s surveying team and attending university to gain a BSc (Hons) in Construction and the Built Environment. Successful applicants will learn design skills, contract and risk management and financial costings. 

Further posts will be advertised soon, with details of all positions to be found on Myjobscotland.

Kerr Williamson, Empty Homes Team Leader at the City of Edinburgh Council and a former apprentice, said: “Sending in my apprenticeship application was the greatest thing I ever did.

“Nine years on, I’ve progressed to become an empty homes team leader. I worked as an apprentice for four years, worked on the tools then shadowed my boss to gain the knowledge I needed to do the job I’m in now.

“Working for the council’s housing service means working as part of a team where we are all trying to provide a good standard of work, repair homes quickly and see tenants able to move back in to them.

“The perks are building good relationships with a team of people, a guaranteed monthly wage and being able to arrange jobs in advance so that you can plan your day and your week. There is a good holiday allowance, sick pay and discount scheme available. Plus, there is room for progression.”

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “With over 80 in-house roles being advertised in the coming weeks, this is one of the biggest recruitment drives we’ve ever carried out within the council’s housing service.

“It comes at a time of big challenges with demand for affordable and energy efficient housing in Edinburgh at an all time high. Our stock of council homes is aging and we are in the process of investing millions of pounds into improving older homes. We are cracking down on issues like damp and by boosting our workforce we’ll be able to increase our ability to carry out repairs to tenants’ homes and do this quickly. 

“We also have a big housebuilding programme which means recruits can develop skills and expertise in-house to maintain people’s homes with solar panels and new technology.  

“With apprentices forming such a valuable part of our workforce I’m pleased that we’re able to offer a variety of posts to support young people and graduates into careers. We’re committed to be being a fair Living Wage employer with a diverse workforce and these are excellent paid opportunities to learn new skills and gain qualifications.”

Apply for a role through Myjobscotland