Asda is the cheapest supermarket for the fourth time in as many weeks, with a basket price of £55.08.

Our results also show that while Somerfield has fallen back down to sixth place on our table, Tesco has still not been able to claw its way back to second place.

A raft of promotional offers at Sainsbury's helped it to claim the position of second-cheapest supermarket behind Asda. The cost of Sainsbury's 33-item basket came in at £55.78, pipping Tesco, which presented a basket worth £55.96, to the post by just 18p.

This week's Sainsbury's mystery shopper was able to take advantage of eight deals on our 33 items.

Meanwhile, Somerfield found itself back in the position of sixth-cheapest supermarket this week after its triumphant rise to second place in our previous report. The retailer was sporting a basket price of £64.46, marginally more expensive than Waitrose.

There were several reasons why Somerfield fell from its triumphant number two position. Last week the retailer was running a deep-cut promotion on lamb chops at £6.49 compared with prices considerably over the £10 mark for all the other retailers.

This week, due to the rationale of The Grocer 33, the lamb chops have been replaced by pork chops. This is the primary factor affecting Somerfield's fall from grace. However, it should be noted the retailer's pork chops are the most expensive of the six retailers this week, with Waitrose close behind.

Somerfield was also considerably more expensive for its own label breaded cod, which came in at 8.77/kg, a product that Asda, for example, was selling for £6.41.

Somerfield could at least boast the advantage of a half-price offer on Ginsters Cornish pasties.

Our report also reveals several price changes to fresh loose and prepacked veg this week. Asda and Morrisons increased the price of fresh carrots by 5p per kg to £0.69, while carrots at Waitrose rose by 2p to the same level as Asda and Morrisons. Waitrose had, however, cut the price of its whole cucumbers by 3p to 65p.


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