Image copyright
Getty Images
Sainsbury’s has beaten rivals Morrisons and Asda to be named the cheapest supermarket of 2019, according to a survey by Which?.
Throughout the year, the consumer group tracked the prices of 53 branded items on a typical shopping list.
The list included goods like Andrex toilet roll and Weetabix cereal.
Each month Which? went to supermarket websites to compare the cost of the basket, which carried an average price tag of £107.01 at Sainsbury’s.
That stood in contrast to the average monthly cost of buying the goods at Waitrose – the most expensive supermarket according to the survey – where the price came to £117.81, 10% more.
Sainsbury’s, which was only the third-cheapest supermarket in 2018, stole the title from Morrisons, where the basket would have cost £109.13 last year.
This year, Morrisons was relegated to third place, behind Asda, where the basket of branded goods carried an average price tag of £107.65.
At Tesco, Which? recorded a £112.40 average bill when it reached the checkout. Meanwhile, the receipt was for £116.40 at Ocado.
Because the consumer group only tracked supermarkets that sell their full range online, discounters Lidl and Aldi were not included in the study.
“Your weekly supermarket shop can have a significant impact on your wallet, and the start of a new year is a good time to look at your household spending to see if there are areas where you can save money,” said Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which?.
“Our analysis shows how important it can be to shop around to ensure you get the best price for your groceries.”
Other items in the basket included Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream and Mr Kipling’s cherry bakewells.