The supermarket price war intensified this week as Asda, Tesco and Morrisons all entered the fray with price cuts. Asda has won the first battle since it became the cheapest supermarket for the 10th year in a row a fortnight ago, with a £48.28 basket. Its total would have been lower had it not raised the price of its Weetabix by 59p. This week white seedless grapes replaced red seedless on the list, a switch that benefited Asda, Tesco and Waitrose, which had all cut the price of white grapes. Last week red grapes were subject to across-the-board price rises except at Somerfield. Asda has lowered the price of its white seedless grapes by £1, making them the cheapest on the survey but only a penny less than Tesco's. Asda was also the only store to lower the price of its red grapes from last week. Tesco - the second-cheapest retailer with a £49.22 basket - tried to match Asda's prices but could not beat its rival on loose mushrooms. Nobody came close to Asda's £2.99 for the own-label pork chops either. Tesco's offering was 75p more, and its white seedless grapes were 99p less than last week. Morrisons' price freeze has been activated. It chose not to lower its white seedless grapes but offered the cheapest own-label antibacterial handwash for 49p. Sainsbury's is observing the price war from afar and provides a £52.85 basket this week. It has, however, dropped the price of bananas from 68p to 59p, bringing its price in line with the cheapest retailers. Waitrose has taken a break from the position of most expensive retailer after a host of price cuts across its traditionally pricy own-label food. Its large chicken was £2.65 last week but came in at £1.98 this time, and the pork chops were £1 less. Somerfield may have provided the cheapest large chicken but its £55.30 basket was enough to make it this week's most expensive retailer.
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