Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper? We did the same shop at each supermarket to find out

Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper? Lots of families will be wanting to know the answer given how high food prices have been since the cost of living crisis hit. 

When it comes to the cheapest supermarkets, the German discounters, Aldi and Lidl, regularly top the tables. Even if you shop at a different supermarket, remembering to use your supermarket loyalty card whenever you shop, or buying the supermarket's own brand items rather than big-name brands can help you to keep your family's food costs low. 

Ed Fleming, managing director at money-saving website Savoo, says: "While you might not be able to find your favourite name brands, discount supermarkets produce their own versions of popular products, allowing them to offer a lower retail price.

"The warehouse-style supermarket approach in which produce is displayed on its original pallet might not appear as enticing, but this reduces shelf stacking time and allows it to offset staff costs and keep food prices down.” 

But the pressing question for bargain-hungry shoppers is which is cheapest – Aldi or Lidl? Back in the summer, we challenged our personal finance expert, Rachel Lacey to do a 'basic' shop at each supermarket to find out which was the cheapest for her family of four. Aldi reigned supreme, but is that still the case?

Here's how Rachel got on when we challenged her a second time.

My Aldi versus Lidl shopping list

My list is made up of 14 items that I regularly buy, including basics like bread, grated cheese (although I might be tempted to try this cheese hack next time), baked beans, eggs and yoghurt as well as breakfast cereal (which we go through boxes of each week!), bananas, bacon and squash. 

I’ve also thrown in some treats like ice cream and one of our favourite chocolate dupes for the kids (not me, honest).

Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper?

The first time I did this experiment, my Aldi shop worked out 77p cheaper than the Lidl shop, but this time, it was my Lidl basket that came in cheaper, but only by a smidge.

My shopping at Lidl cost £20.25 compared to £20.97 at Aldi – a difference of 72p.

I went to Aldi first, then the following week I went to Lidl to buy the same (wherever possible) basket of items. Here's how the prices compared:

Prices correct at the time of writing

The big supermarkets, Sainsbury’s and Tesco both price match Aldi on many of their essentials and it’s pretty clear that Aldi and Lidl price match each other too. The vast majority of the items cost the same at both Aldi and Lidl.

For my shopping, the price difference between the two really was too close to call. The loaf of bread was reduced by 30% at Lidl, and aside from that, the only prices that differed between like-for-like products were the squash, jam and yoghurt tubes.

There was a bigger price gap between the cost of the cereal – but that was because I couldn’t find anything like the cinnamon bites my 12-year-old devours in Lidl, so bought the cheaper chocolate crunch granola instead. This was my biggest gripe with Lidl. It didn’t seem to have as much choice as Aldi.

Had Lidl stocked that cereal – and priced it at £2.29 like Aldi – the cost of that basket of shopping would have gone up to £21.05. That would have made Aldi the cheapest supermarket for my shop, albeit only by 8p!

Savoo's Ed Fleming adds: "The years-old question of Aldi vs Lidl is not easily answered and, for most shoppers, the decision will be based on proximity to home. However, those looking to get more from their discount supermarket should know that Lidl runs a loyalty scheme, Lidl Plus, for coupons and discount rewards. Aldi does not currently have such a scheme, instead it says their focus is on ‘high quality food and everyday low prices’.”

Aldi versus Lidl taste test

With the majority of the items on the list, we weren't able to tell that we were enjoying budget options compared to our normal shop. But there were a few items that were either an absolute hit or a complete miss. 

We all really like Aldi’s own-brand chocolate and their Titan bars are more than a match for a Mars bar, if a bit smaller (but let’s face it, that’s not necessarily a bad thing!). The Lidl equivalent certainly isn’t bad, and would still hit the spot at 4pm with a cup of tea, but if I was going to be picky, I would say Aldi has the edge.

The ice cream wasn’t anything special at either supermarket though. The Lidl version won the family vote but neither was a patch on Ben and Jerry’s – both in terms of flavour and the amounts of chunks and swirls mixed in.

I didn't really like the baked beans from either supermarket as much as I like Heinz baked beans, but thankfully the kids didn’t seem to notice, or at least they didn’t complain.

Why are Aldi and Lidl so popular?

Both Aldi and Lidl have had a presence in the UK since the 1990s, but neither store made a huge impact on shoppers in the early years. It’s only since the Financial Crisis in 2008 – and the impact that had on purse strings – that customers have sat up and taken notice, and the pair have enjoyed huge growth.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, even more of us are turning to the discounters. In the 12 weeks to the 9 July 2023, the supermarkets’ combined market share reached 17.9% according to analyst Kantar, with both Aldi and Lidl reporting sales increases of over 22% over the previous month.

The business model of the stores has changed in recent years too. Initially, they only stocked a very limited range of discounted products, but now they both stock a much wider selection – including more chilled and fresh food – making it easier for people to do their full weekly shop there.

Would I make a permanent switch to Aldi or Lidl?

Even after conducting this experiment for a second time, I can’t see myself fully switching to a discounter like Aldi or Lidl - for a couple of important reasons. Firstly, I prefer to do my shopping online – it's super convenient, and I find it easier to stick to the shopping list. But Lidl is in-store only and while you can order Aldi food online, they only offer collection in-store.

Secondly, despite each supermarket having approximately 1,000 stores across the UK, neither is particularly local to me. Lidl is a good 20-minute drive away and while Aldi is in my hometown at least, it can still be a 15-minute slog in heavy traffic.

That said, I wouldn’t mind doing a monthly shop at Aldi, stocking up on things I know I can stockpile and save money on like loo rolls, drinks, crisps, and snacks for the kids. In fact my 14-year-old certainly loves a trip to Aldi - its soft drink, sweets, and chocolate dupes have certainly earned it the teen vote.

I’d also be happy to try more products and see how they stack up against Sainsbury’s. I might also be tempted to check out the Aisle of Aldi (also known as the Aisle of Shame by some customers), which is where all the Special Buy offers are located. Lidl also has an equivalent called the Middle of Lidl - a centre aisle which the retailer explains is 'for household kit you never knew you needed'. 

I am, however, on strict instructions from my carb-craving 12-year-old to, ‘never ever’ buy ‘knock-off’ cereal again. We’ll have to see about that…

If you are looking for ways to cut down how much you spend on food, you can try this app that helped one mum save £35 a week, or if you're partial to the odd takeaway, follow this hack to get free Deliveroo Plus for a year. We've also done an experiment to see if Waitrose is more expensive than M&S Food.