Waitrose Cheaper Than Tesco, Sainsbury's Without Loyalty Cards

A consumer watchdog's analysis has revealed that shoppers at Tesco and Sainsbury's who forgo their loyalty cards pay more for a basket of popular branded groceries than those at Waitrose, in a finding that challenges perceptions of the upscale chain's pricing. The study, conducted in February, examined average prices for 245 branded items across major UK supermarkets, including products from Heinz, Nescafe, and Mr Kipling.

The research showed Sainsbury's as the most expensive option for customers without a Nectar card, with the total cost reaching 942.66 pounds, 14 percent higher than Asda's 823.58 pounds, the lowest in the comparison. Tesco followed closely for non-Clubcard users at 916.56 pounds, 11 percent above Asda. In contrast, Waitrose totaled 899.05 pounds, making it 4 percent cheaper than non-loyalty Tesco and 5 percent less than Sainsbury's, despite its reputation for premium pricing. Asda emerged as the overall cheapest for branded goods, while discounters Aldi and Lidl were excluded due to their limited stock of such items.

Specific products highlighted stark differences. Amoy Straight to Wok Noodles averaged 1.25 pounds at Waitrose and Morrisons but 2.15 pounds at...