Aldi has been named the UK's cheapest supermarket for the month of March, according to a survey conducted by consumer watchdog Which?. The survey revealed that a basket of 41 grocery

items at Aldi cost an average of £72.54, which was £20 cheaper than Waitrose, and just 25p cheaper than Lidl, which came in at £72.79.

The survey compared prices of 137 items, including branded products such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese, at different supermarkets. Asda was found to be the cheapest supermarket, costing £343.91, followed by Sainsbury's, which was £9.25 more expensive. Waitrose was the most expensive, costing £41.83 more than Asda.

According to Which?, the survey highlights that consumers can make considerable savings on their grocery bills depending on where they shop. However, the watchdog also found that many major supermarkets are not doing enough to support their customers during the cost-of-living crisis.

Which? called on retailers to ensure affordable basic ranges are available in all branches, including smaller convenience stores, and to improve unit pricing on all products to allow customers to easily work out the best value. The watchdog also believes that big retailers have a responsibility to provide transparent pricing, so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.

The UK is currently experiencing the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades, with the price of food and drink skyrocketing no matter where people shop. The Office for National Statistics recently reported that UK inflation shot up unexpectedly to 10.4% in February, as vegetable shortages pushed food prices to their highest rate in more than 45 years.

Which? Retail Editor Ele Clark said, "Supermarkets aren’t currently doing enough to help customers. Which? believes the big retailers have a responsibility to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, and to provide transparent pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value."

In conclusion, the survey conducted by Which? has revealed that Aldi is the UK's cheapest supermarket for the month of March, with a basket of 41 grocery items costing £72.54. The survey highlights that consumers can make significant savings on their grocery bills by shopping at different supermarkets, but major retailers need to do more to support their customers during the cost-of-living crisis. Which? has called on supermarkets to ensure affordable basic ranges are available in all branches and to provide transparent pricing, so people can easily work out which products offer the best value. Photo by Oxyman, Wikimedia commons.