Asda has started the new year with its grip on the title of Britain's cheapest retailer showing no sign of weakening in what has been a quiet week for price changes. Although Morrisons and Tesco matched 26 and 27 of Asda's prices respectively, Asda had offers on its bagged potatoes and pears - the lowest-priced on the list - which helped make its £37.40 basket the cheapest. It would have been cheaper still had it not added 76p to the gammon. Morrisons followed suit by upping its own line by 77p. In the last survey before Christmas, Tesco's festive promotions saw it overtake Morrisons as the second-cheapest retailer but with its festive offers now over, it could only produce a £39.21 total - dropping it to third place once again behind Morrisons. Morrisons, which missed the top spot by 67p with its £38.07 basket, fared better than Tesco in matching Asda's low prices on vegetables with broccoli at £1.38 and carrots at 62p versus Tesco's £1.78 and 68p. It also matched Asda's price of £1 for Radox Foam Bath versus Tesco's £1.58. Unusually, all six retailers matched each other's prices for the pint of milk, loaf of Hovis bread and Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Normally there is at least a few pence fluctuation at one of the retailers. Sainsbury's matched a commendable 22 of Asda's prices and provided a £39.50 basket - just 29p more than Tesco's. It made no price changes at all on this week's shopping list but its basket price was boosted by spring water, which was more than double the price of similar offerings at the other retailers. The gap between our pricey pair and the other retailers resembled more of a gulf this week with fifth-placed Somerfield nearly £5 more expensive than Sainsbury's. Neither it nor Waitrose made any price hikes or cuts but Somerfield had 18 of the priciest items and Waitrose 11. Waitrose's prices for own label kitchen foil, kidney beans and table water were all more than double the prices at Asda, Morrisons and Tesco.

Topics