After being kept from the top spot for the past two weeks by Tesco, Asda struck back and regained its status as the cheapest retailer following several significant price cuts.

Beating its nearest rival by £2.01, and third-placed Morrisons by £2.37, Asda slashed the price of Nescafé by £1.13, four pints of semi-skimmed milk by 44p and Tropicana orange juice by 7p. The most significant price cut came via a promotion on Campo Viejo Crianza Rioja, which was £4.80 cheaper than last week. The retailer had just one price hike – white seedless grapes up £1 per kg to £3.98.

Despite nine cuts, Tesco still slid to second place. It increased the price of just one item, Parma ham, by 37p to £2.46. 

Its most significant cut was to white seedless grapes, which it reduced £1 to £2.98. It also reduced Quorn Chicken-style Pieces by 39p, Anadin Extra by 30p, organic cherry tomatoes by 25p, Birds Eye garden peas by 22p, McCain Lightly Spiced Wedges by 18p, Tropicana orange juice by 9p, brie by 4p and Wall’s Magnum Classic by 1p.

Morrisons slipped from second place to third this week with a basket that cost £2.37 more than the cheapest retailer’s, compared with just 4p last week, after upping the price of brie 50p to £4.20 and reducing only one item – white seedless grapes – by 2p to £1.37.

Sainsbury’s remained in fourth place, though the gap between its basket price and Asda’s was much wider at £5.56 compared with £1.34 last week. Its only price hike was on Toblerone, which was up 29p to £3.27. Two items were reduced: natural yoghurt by 28p to £1.12 and steak pie by 2p to £2.97.

After an impressive performance from Waitrose last week, in which there were no price rises, it was business as usual for the most expensive retailer. 

With 26 of the most expensive items, the retailer made no reductions this week and made three price hikes, raising fresh beef sirloin steak by 60p, white seedless grapes 59p and Birds Eye garden peas 17p. The retailer’s basket cost £15.45 more than Asda’s.