Aldi and Tesco reduce price of pasta and cooking oils

Aldi and Tesco have become the latest supermarkets to announce price cuts this week as the retailer deflation war on key lines gathers pace.

Tesco yesterday lowered the price of 30 own-label pasta, spaghetti and cooking oil lines.

Aldi followed within hours by announcing price cuts on seven types of pasta, spaghetti and oil.

Lidl then promised it would “continue to ensure” it offered “the best value across all products, including those announced today”, though it did not go further into specifics.

It follows a similar quick successions of price cuts last week by Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Lidl and Aldi on own-brand bread and butter.

Tesco’s latest move saw its own brand pasta come down by 15p, as did its vegetable and sunflower oil. The products cut included “dinnertime favourites like penne and spaghetti, down to 80p for 500g”, a spokesman said.

Tesco Group chief product officer Ashwin Prasad said: “As we see deflation coming through on key cupboard essentials such as pasta and cooking oil, we’re pleased to pass on these savings to customers.

“We hope that by reducing prices on these 30 products which are bought week in, week out, we can help customers spend less.

“So whether you’re buying a branded favourite covered by our price lock, stocking up on essentials from Aldi Price Match, or treating yourself to an exclusive deal with Clubcard Prices, you can be confident of finding great value at Tesco.”

Tesco’s price cuts

Aldi’s price cuts

Morrisons also announced a new wave of price cuts at the weekend.

“As a British foodmaker, we are on the front line of commodity prices – and we’ll look to pass on any easing to our customers quickly,” said Morrisons CEO David Potts.

“This week we’re launching our fourth wave of price cuts this year, including a number of products that we make or prepare ourselves. In particular bread rolls and cheese will be down very significantly in what we believe will be the first of many ‘deflation dividends’ for our customers.”

Morrisons cited 13 examples, and said it had offered butter priced at £1.89 since September.

Morrisons price cuts