Bad news for shoppers as three supermarkets hike price of grocery essential 10% in just a week

Price rises may not be happening at the speed they were, but shoppers are still faced with huge bills that show little sign of coming down.

While many of the prices remain stagnant in our weekly price comparison of shopping essentials, it’s bad news for shoppers this week as three supermarkets have hiked the price of one key staple by 10% since just last week.

Aldi has put the price of its 160-box of budget tea bags up from £1.59 to £1.75. And as part of their Aldi Price Match schemes, both Sainsbury’s and Tesco have done the same.

The increase means that Lidl, which has been cheapest for the majority of the time we’ve been tracking supermarket prices since March last year, has widened its lead on competitors.

Its bill for the eight items we track – butter, milk, bread, tea bags, coffee, beans, chicken and mince – comes to £11.54, which is almost 11% cheaper than the most expensive, Asda, at £12.79, which knocked Morrisons off the bottom spot last week. Morrisons has gone one better this week, after reducing its mince to £2.49 – the only other price change in this week’s comparison.

Sainsbury's has also increased the cost of its tea bags by 10%
Sainsbury’s has also increased the cost of its tea bags by 10%
(Image: Manchester Family/MEN)

Lidl works out at 5% cheaper than Sainsbury’s and Aldi this week, where the bills come to £12.13 and £12.14 respectively. In fourth place is Tesco with a bill of £12.43.

Aldi disputes the findings of our comparison, saying the items we are comparing each week are not necessarily like-for-like. And it says the only reason Sainsbury’s shows as cheaper is because the small sample of products is part of Sainsbury’s Aldi Price Match scheme and includes one Sainsbury’s product (beans) that is almost 5% smaller than the Aldi equivalent.

Asda also says the comparison is unfair and that the small sample of products doesn’t give the full picture of prices. It says that as far as supermarket value ranges go, its Just Essentials is the largest and cheapest available, alongside Aldi’s.

We have approached Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s about the price rises on tea bags.

Where are you finding is cheapest for your weekly shopping? Have you changed where you shop because of the prices? Let us know in the comments.

The full list is as follows:

Lidl

Loaf of white bread 800g – 45p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee 200g – £1.99

Teabags 160 – £1.19

Salted butter 250g – £1.69

Beans 420g tin – 28p

Chicken 300g – £2.29

Mince 500g 25% fat – £2.45

Total £11.54

Lidl has been cheapest in our weekly comparison since the end of January
Lidl has been cheapest in our weekly comparison since the end of January
(Image: Manchester Family/MEN)

Sainsbury’s

Loaf of white bread 800g – 45p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee 200g – £1.99

Teabags 160 – £1.75 (up from £1.59)

Salted butter 250g – £1.69

Beans 400g tin – 27p

Chicken 300g – £2.29

Mince 500g 20% fat – £2.49

Total £12.13 (up from £11.97)

Aldi

Loaf of white bread 800g – 45p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee 200g – £1.99

Teabags 160 – £1.75 (up from £1.59)

Salted butter 250g – £1.69

Beans 420g tin – 28p

Chicken 300g – £2.29

Mince 500g 20% fat -£2.49

Total £12.14 (up from £11.98)

Tesco

Loaf of white bread 800g – 45p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) – £1.98

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) – £1.74 (up from £1.58)

Salted butter 250g – £1.69

Beans 420g tin – 28p

Chicken 300g – £2.60

Mince 500g 20% fat – £2.49

Total £12.43 (up from £12.27)

Tesco's Stockwell tea bags have been increased too
Tesco’s Stockwell tea bags have been increased too
(Image: Manchester Family/MEN)

Morrisons

Loaf of white bread 800g – 75p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee (2 x 100g) – £1.98

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) – £1.58

Savers Salted butter 250g – £1.69

Beans 410g tin – 27p

Chicken 300g – £2.59

Mince 500g 20% fat – £2.49 (down from £2.69)

Total £12.55 (down from £12.75)

Asda

Loaf of white bread 800g (Just Essentials) – 45p

Milk 2 pints – £1.20

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g Just Essentials) – £1.98

Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack Just Essentials) – £1.60

Salted butter 250g – £1.79

Beans 410g tin (Just Essentials) – 28p

Chicken 300g – £3

Mince 500g 20% fat -£2.49

Total £12.79

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