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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Emma Gill & Amy Walker

Price hikes see 'cheapest supermarket' become most expensive in span of just three weeks

Shoppers continue to be dismayed by food price hikes as the supermarket that topped the list for cheapest essentials just three weeks ago is now the most expensive.

But while consumers are struggling to stretch their budget during the cost of living crisis, retailers are also reacting quickly to the economy.

Manchester Evening News has been comparing the prices of basics on a weekly basis to keep track of the cheapest places to stock up.

It has been looking at the cost of the same eight products - two-pints of milk, a loaf of bread, coffee, teabags, butter, beans, chicken breasts and mince - at Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.

Lidl is the cheapest for the eight basics for the second week running (Manchester Family/MEN)

Last week it reported that Lidl came out tops in the rankings, coming in at just £9.82 for all eight products.

Despite it putting up the price of milk and butter this week, it has still kept its bill lower than any of the other stores, at £9.91.

The biggest shock however is Morrisons, which just three weeks ago was wearing the cheapest crown itself, with a bill of £9.78 for the shopping basket.

Now it's coming in at £10.91 and working out as the most expensive of all - taking the unfortunate spot from Sainsbury's for the first time.

Asda's mince from its new Just Essentials range is the cheapest of them all (Manchester Family/MEN)

Three separate increases have put it there this week - its cheapest loaf of bread rising from 39p to 54p, chicken up to £2.49 for a 300g pack of two breasts and mince rising from £1.89 to £2.19.

Those meat prices are higher than any of the other supermarkets and the mince is 50p more expensive than the cheapest, which is Asda's new Just Essentials pack for £1.69.

It's not just Morrisons putting prices up though.

Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury's have joined the others in putting the cost of 2 pints of milk up to £1.05 from 99p, the latter two also increasing the cost of their chicken.

And Lidl has increased the cost of its butter from £1.69 to £1.72, albeit still selling it cheaper than elsewhere.

This week the overall shopping bill has risen at four supermarkets altogether - Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons.

The only slight difference in sizes among our shopping is the baked beans, which range from 400g in Sainsbury's and 410g in Asda and Morrisons, to the standard 420g in Aldi, Lidl and Tesco.

And where Asda's pack of chicken is larger, we've worked out the equivalent price for a fairer comparison.

Here's the shopping list and total for each supermarket (as o f Friday, June 17)

Morrisons has gone from the cheapest to most expensive in just three weeks (Manchester Family/MEN)

Lidl

Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p

Milk 2 pints - £1.05 (up from 99p)

Coffee 200g - £1.69

Teabags 160 - £99p

Salted butter 250g - £1.72 (up from £1.69)

Beans 420g tin - 22p

Chicken 300g - £1.99

Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89

Total £9.91 (up from £9.82)

Asda

Loaf of white bread 800g (Smart Price) - 39p

Milk 2 pints - £1.05

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g Just Essentials) - £1.50

Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack Smart Price) - £1.12

Salted butter 250g - £1.75

Beans 410g tin (Smart Price) - 25p

Chicken (bigger 350g pack for £2.65) - equates to £2.27

Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.69

Total £10.02

Aldi

Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p

Milk 2 pints - £1.05

Coffee 200g - £1.69

Teabags 160 - £1.09

Salted butter 250g - £1.75

Beans 420g tin - 22p

Chicken 300g - £1.99

Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89

Total £10.04

Tesco

Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p

Milk 2 pints - £1.05 (up from 99p)

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £1.70

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) - £1.10

Salted butter 250g - £1.75

Beans 420g tin - 22p

Chicken 300g - £2.25 (up from £2.20)

Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89

Total £10.32 (up from £10.21)

Sainsbury's

Loaf of white bread 800g - 36p

Milk 2 pints - £1.05 (up from 99p)

Coffee 200g £2 (up from £1.69)

Teabags 160 - £1.09

Salted butter 250g - £1.75 (down from £1.90)

Beans 400g tin - 21p

Chicken 300g - £2.40 (up from £2.30)

Mince 500g 20% fat - £1.89 (down from £2.10)

Total £10.75 (up from £10.64)

Morrisons

Loaf of white bread 800g - 54p (up from 39p)

Milk 2 pints - £1.05

Coffee (2 x 100g) - £1.50

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) - £1.18

Salted butter 250g - £1.75

Beans 410g tin - 21p

Chicken 300g - £2.49 (up from £2.05)

Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.19 (up from £1.89)

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