Families in towns across Scotland are paying up to £2,437 more per year on their grocery shopping simply because they lack access to a discount supermarket, new analysis from Aldi reveals.
The findings form part of Aldi’s national review of towns facing the steepest postcode penalty, with shoppers in places such as Cathcart in Glasgow missing out on the savings enjoyed by those with access to Aldi.
The analysis shows that households without access to Aldi – which has been named the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket by consumer champion Which? for the past five years – pay £826 more on average, rising to £2,437 in areas dominated by the highest-priced supermarkets.
These figures are based on the average monthly cost difference between Aldi and either the average major UK supermarkets, or the most expensive UK supermarket, using the prices of a typical 68-item shopping basket tracked by Which?*.
Across the UK, Aldi has mapped 220 locations where shoppers are disproportionately affected by this postcode penalty.
In Scotland, this includes towns such as Cathcart, Bonnyrigg, Clarkston, Barnton (? – Ed.) and Largs where residents are paying more for identical groceries because no discount supermarket is available locally.
Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “No one should pay more for their weekly shop simply because of where they live. We believe every household should have access to high-quality, affordable food.
“With household budgets under intense pressure, local access to a discounter isn’t just convenient – it can save families hundreds of pounds a year. These findings show that expanding access to Aldi is one of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of living for many.”
Aldi has invested £650 million across Britain through its store opening and refurbishment programme in 2025, with each new site creating around 40 jobs.
The discounter also recently announced it would be doubling down on its investment in Britain with a £1.6 billion commitment over the next two years, opening 40 stores each year as it moves towards its ambition to have 1,500 UK stores.