Asda has been named the cheapest supermarket in the UK for branded groceries, outperforming both Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar card prices, according to a new study by Which?. The consumer watchdog found that shoppers without loyalty cards could pay up to 15 per cent more for the same products.
Which? Investigation Reveals Major Price Differences
Which? tracked the prices of 241 branded grocery items throughout March 2026. The total cost of the basket at Asda came to £813.16, making it the most affordable option for popular brands from companies including Heinz, Cadbury, Kellogg's and Nescafé.
In comparison, the same basket cost £824.62 at Tesco using a Clubcard and £849.08 at Sainsbury's with a Nectar card. This means Asda was around one per cent cheaper than Tesco's loyalty prices and four per cent cheaper than Sainsbury's member deals.
Loyalty Cards Not Always the Best Deal
The research also highlighted that shoppers without loyalty cards could end up paying significantly more. Which? explained: "Sainsbury's with Nectar was slightly more expensive than Morrisons, at £590.74, while Sainsbury's without a loyalty card was the second most expensive supermarket for our longer list."
Waitrose was the most expensive overall, with the big shop costing £659.58 on average, which is £92.02 more than Asda.
Expert Comments on Supermarket Pricing
Reena Sewraz, retail editor at Which?, said: "Our latest analysis shows Asda beats the UK's biggest loyalty schemes to be the cheapest for branded goods for the second month running."
Ms Sewraz added: "If you're loyal to specific brands, the current market is a bit of a lottery. You could easily end up paying double for the same jar of coffee or bag of rice, depending on where you shop."
Sainsbury's Responds
A spokesperson for Sainsbury's said in a statement: "More than four in five of the items flagged in this report were cheaper on Nectar Prices, and our customers know a good deal when they see one."
