It pays to keep an eye on rising prices at the nation's biggest supermarkets - as we've discovered this week. Prices have risen on minced beef at Aldi - and that has had an unexpected knock-on effect over at Sainsbury's.
For Sainsbury's promotes the "Aldi Price Match" system, as does rival Tesco, which sees them vow to track the price of a range of items at budget supermarket Aldi.
The aim is to keep prices as low as possible to create a level playing field for shoppers. But this week the Aldi Price Match system has seen Sainsbury's INCREASE the price of beef mince to reflect Aldi's price increase of 10p made on its 20 per cent fat mince.
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However Tesco, who also promote the Aldi Price Match on a range of products, has so far stuck with last week's price of £1.69 for the minced beef, as has Aldi rival Lidl. Both Sainsbury's and Tesco state that Aldi Price Match items can change week-on-week and items are removed or added at their own discretion.
But it does go to show that it's worth keeping an eye on prices at the big supermarkets, with food prices continuing to rise amid spiralling inflation and the cost of living crisis. We have been doing our weekly comparison of the same basics, like milk and bread, monitoring the prices at supermarkets since March.
Since then we have seen prices rise and rise, with the most expensive basket now at Morrisons - where it costs £12.02 (unchanged from last week) - but up from £9.78 at the end of May. We will continue to do this comparison to help shoppers see where the cheapest deals on basics can be found.
Sainsbury's says in a statement about its Aldi Price Match promotion on its website: "We've Aldi Price Matched on 150 fresh Sainsbury's own-label and branded products plus other grocery and frozen products in our larger stores. Find the Aldi Price Matched products by looking for the Aldi Price Match icon in-store and online.
It adds: "Products matched vary by week. Aldi Price Matched items will be the same price (or cheaper) than Aldi.
"Products are matched by comparable eating or usage occasion. We check prices in Aldi online and/or stores twice weekly. We reserve the right to amend or remove individual Price Matched items or remove or amend the Aldi Price Match offer at any time."
Sainsbury's Aldi Price Match policy has worked out well for shoppers on another product though this week - as it has reduced its salted butter by a whopping 40p to match Aldi's price. This means that overall, the sample basket has DROPPED in price at Sainsbury's this week by an impressive 30p.
The full shopping list for our price comparison is made up of an 800g loaf of bread, two pints of milk, 200g of coffee, 160 teabags, a 250g block of butter, a tin of beans, 300g of chicken and 500g of mince.
This week Lidl remains the cheapest supermarket basket with a total price of £9.91, after a further reduction on last week of 6p off its chicken breasts. Aldi remains the second cheapest at £10.40, despite the 10p rise on beef mince this week.
They are followed by Tesco at £10.45 - which has also added 5p to its chicken breasts. Then Asda at £10.54 and Sainsbury's at £10.74.
It leaves Morrisons as the most expensive of our baskets at £12.02. Here's the full list:-
Lidl
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g - £1.69
Teabags 160 - 99p
Salted butter 250g - £1.72
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.09 - reduced from £2.15
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.69
Total £9.91
Aldi
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g - £1.69
Teabags 160 - £1.29
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.15
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.79 - up from £1.69
Total £10.40
Tesco
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £1.70
Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) - £1.30
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 420g tin - 22p
Chicken 300g - £2.30 - up from £2.25 last week
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.69
Total £10.45
Asda
Loaf of white bread 800g (Just Essentials) - 39p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g Just Essentials) - £1.66
Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack Just Essentials) - £1.24
Salted butter 250g - £1.75
Beans 410g tin (Just Essentials) - 25p
Chicken (bigger 350g pack for £2.70) - equates to £2.31
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.79
Total £10.54
Sainsbury's
Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p
Milk 2 pints - £1.15
Coffee 200g £1.69
Teabags 160 - £1.29
Salted butter 250g - £1.75 reduced from £2.15 in Aldi Price Match
Beans 400g tin - 21p
Chicken 300g - £2.50
Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.79 up 10p from £1.69 in Aldi Price Match
Total £10.74
Morrisons
Loaf of white bread 800g - 85p
Milk 2 pints - £1.25
Coffee (2 x 100g) - £1.70
Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) - £1.30
Savers Salted butter 250g - £1.95
Beans 410g tin - 29p
Chicken 300g - £2.49
Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.19
Total: £12.02
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