With costs on the rise and Christmas just around the corner, families across the nation will be on the lookout for the best supermarket deals.
And they'll especially want to look for the cheapest everyday essentials, as they can't be avoided and can often make our shopping bills add up.
We compared the most reached for supermarket items, including milk, bread and eggs to hunt down the best prices.
It comes after new research from Kantar showed the average annual supermarket bill is forecast to rise by £682 as the cost of living crisis continues to push up prices.
Grocery price inflation hit 14.7% over the four weeks to October 30 - a record high since the firm began tracking prices in this way in 2008.
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This figure is also up from 13.9% the previous month when the rise to average annual bills was expected to be £643.
It means households have seen their supermarket shop rise by around £40 in a month.
Here's what we found when we compared online prices:
Milk
As the staple that almost all households can’t go without, it helps to know where you can get your milk for less.
We compared the price of a two-pint of milk.
It costs £1.25 at Tesco, Aldi, Sainsburys and Morrisons.
But Asda’s milk is slightly more expensive, setting you back a further 5p at £1.30
Bread
The cheapest price for a standard 800g loaf of bread is 39p in most supermarkets, including Asda, Tesco, Aldi and Sainsburys.
At Morrisons though, you’ll have to fork out an extra 40p, as the supermarket’s cheapest own brand loaf is currently priced at 79p.
Morrison’s bread was priced at 85p, but is on sale at 79p online if ordered by December 4.
Pasta
Although it’s one of the most reached for cupboard staples offering quick, cheap and hearty meals in minutes, pasta prices vary across all supermarkets.
Comparing a 500g bag of penne, Tesco and Aldi came on top as the cheapest, with their pasta priced at 35p.
Asda was a close second at 41p, while shoppers will have to pay 89p at Morrisons, and 95p at Sainsburys.
Eggs
Compared with other supermarkets, Aldi’s pack of six eggs is the cheapest at just 99p.
Sainsburys own brand eggs cost £1.10, while Tesco’s own brand is slightly more at £1.15.
Asda and Morrisons pack of 6 eggs are the most expensive, both priced at £1.25
Washing up liquid
The cheapest washing up liquid we could find was from Asda’s Essentials range, costing 37p for a 500ml bottle.
A 500ml bottle at Tesco is 45p, while a slightly smaller 450ml bottle at Sainsburys is selling for the same price.
Aldi’s Magnum Original Washing Up Liquid costs 55p for a 500ml bottle.
At Morrisons, you can get a smaller 450ml size, but for 20p more at 75p.
Toilet roll
While we couldn’t find a 6 pack toilet roll at Sainsbury’s, there’s a smaller four-pack being sold for £1.75.
A 6 pack as part of Morrisons savers range costs £1.50, making it the cheapest option.
In comparison, Aldi, Asda and Tesco are all selling their 6 pack toilet rolls for £1.93.
Shower gel
Shower gel prices vary across all supermarkets.
The cheapest we could find was a basic 30p Tesco Essentials shower gel, measuring 250ml.
A shower gel of the same size costs 55p at Aldi, 60p at Asda, 85p at Sainsburys - and Morrisons is the most expensive at 95p.
Spread
The cheapest 500ml tub of spreads can be found for 95p at Aldi, Asda and Tesco.
Morrisons own brand of buttery spread will cost you £1.
While at Sainsburys, you’ll be set back a further 35p, as their own brand soft spread is selling for £1.35
Which supermarket is the cheapest?
Adding these items up, a shopping basket in each supermarket would cost (from cheapest):
- Tesco - £6.77
- Aldi - £6.96
- Asda - £7.20
- Sainsbury's - £8.09
- Morrisons - £8.38
It should be noted that we had to use Sainsbury's four-pack of loo roll in our calculations, as there wasn't a 6 pack available.
The Mirror has contacted each supermarket to comment on how their prices fare in comparison to others.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “With household budgets under increasing pressure we are absolutely committed to helping our customers, by keeping a laser focus on the cost of the weekly shop.
“So whether it’s price matching Aldi on the basics, locking the price of more than a thousand household staples until 2023, or offering exclusive deals and rewards through thousands of Clubcard Prices – we’re more committed than ever to providing our customers with great value.”
A spokesperson at Asda said: “We know how much the cost of living is worrying our customers right now and we’re doing everything we can to keep grocery prices in check.
“Asda continues to be the best value of the traditional supermarkets as shown by independent research carried out by the Grocer, and Which magazine recently crowned us the best value supermarket for a large shop for the 37th consecutive month.”
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, said: “As we get closer to Christmas, families across the nation will be looking for ways to cut costs.
“This can be a challenging period for many in the best of years, but never more so than right now, which is why we remain committed to supporting our customers in every way we can.
“We strive to provide the highest quality products at the best possible price and we’re thrilled that this dedication has been recognised yet again by consumer champion Which?, naming Aldi as the UK’s cheapest supermarket in October for the fifth consecutive month."
