The Cheapest Online Supermarkets in the UK for 2023
Written by, Bojana Atanasovska
Updated November, 21, 2022
Thinking of turning to online supermarkets for food shopping?
To help you make the most of your weekly budget, we listed the most inexpensive supermarket chains in the country.
From the UK’s cheapest online supermarket to the best offers on home delivery, our guide has them all.
Asda—The Cheapest Traditional Supermarket in the UK
- Minimum spend: £40
- Delivery costs: £1.00-£7.00
- Average basket cost: £83.22
Asda has been one of the cheapest supermarkets in the UK for over 24 years. This year, it retains its title as an analysis by Which? has found Asda to have the lowest average basket cost at £25.57.
Asda also has one of the cheapest grocery delivery prices in the UK—customers can get an Anytime Delivery Pass which costs £6 a month for 12 months, or a £72 one-off payment, saving you up to £125 a year. There is also a midweek 12-month pass which will set you back £35.
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Morrisons—Best Value Delivery Pass
- Minimum spend: £40
- Delivery costs: from £2.50
- Average basket cost: £91.14
In addition to cheap online grocery shopping prices, Morrisons also has low delivery costs. If you spend a minimum of £40, you can expect to pay as little as £2.50, although the actual delivery charge depends on your location.
Regular shoppers can enjoy the best perks by investing in a Delivery Pass that guarantees free deliveries at any time and savings up to £137 a year. As to prices, an Anytime Pass costs £65 annually, while a Midweek Pass is £5 a month.
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Amazon Fresh—Cheapest Same-Day Supermarket Delivery
- Minimum spend: £15.00
- Delivery costs: £0-£6.99
- Average basket cost: N/A
Amazon Fresh specialises in delivering a diverse selection of food and local products from their own stock or their partners, Co-op and Morrisons.
Provided you are an Amazon Prime member and live in an eligible postcode, you could end up paying as little as £3.99 for same or next-day delivery on orders over 40 pounds. Alternatively, you could opt for the two-hour window and have your goods delivered for free.
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Tesco—Low Rise in Prices in 2021
- Minimum spend: £40
- Delivery costs: £3.00 – £4.50
- Average basket cost: £86.77
Due to high demand, Tesco only has one Delivery Saver Plan in place. Coming in at £7.99 a month or as a single payment of £47.94, the plan offers free home delivery (provided your bill is over 40 pounds).
Standard delivery charges, though, range from £3 for a 4-hour time slot to £4.50 for a fixed one-hour time slot. It may not be the cheapest supermarket that delivers to your address, but Tesco prices rose by only 0.89% in 2021, second to Sainsbury’s, where prices jumped by 0.59%.
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Sainsbury’s—The Cheapest Home Delivery Supermarket
- Minimum spend: £25
- Delivery costs: £1.00-£7.00
- Average basket cost: £86.27
Sainsbury’s is the best value for money for your weekly shopping as it charges between one pound and 4.50 for deliveries over £40.
Regular customers can get even more savings by signing up for a Delivery Pass. You can choose from Anytime Delivery Pass (£80 for 12 months) or Midweek Delivery Pass (£40 for 12 months).
What’s more, Sainsbury’s lets you do your bit for the environment by choosing a green delivery time slot, i.e. when a van is already making a delivery in your area.
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Iceland—Free Next Day Home Delivery
- Minimum spend: £25
- Delivery costs: £0-£3.00
- Average basket cost: N/A
Iceland offers free next-day delivery on all orders over £40—no passes or codes needed.
There is also an option to spend at least £25 in-store and have the items delivered to your home the next day. Keep in mind, though, that orders under £25 entail a £3 delivery charge. In addition to free delivery, Iceland offers a Bonus Card that gives customers 20 quid on every 1 pound spent as well as seasonal savings and deals.
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Ocado—Best for Extra Perks with Smart Pass
- Minimum spend: £40
- Delivery costs: £0 – £6.99
- Average basket cost: £95.33
Ocado offers free grocery delivery across the UK for all orders exceeding £75. If your order comes to less than 75 quid, Ocado delivery charges fall between £2.99 and £6.99.
However, to get huge savings on delivery and more, we recommend getting the Ocado Smart Pass. This service not only eliminates delivery charges but also lets you book the slots you want, gives 10% discounts on big brands, priority access to Christmas deliveries and almost 50% off sales.
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Waitrose—Cheapest Supermarket for Click and Collect
- Minimum spend: £40
- Delivery costs: £3
- Average basket cost: £99.46
Even though Waitrose is one of the priciest retailers, it offers some of the highest-quality items attracting millions of customers, including the Duchess of Cambridge.
Waitrose recently introduced a £3 charge on home deliveries, but it still has free Click and Collect services when you spend at least £30 on grocery items. If you want to cut down on supermarket delivery charges, consider getting a MyWaitrose card which can get you some nice shopping deals.
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Honourable Mentions
Aldi—The Cheapest Online Supermarket in the UK
Aldi has been named the cheapest online supermarket in the UK for 2021.
Based on Which? analysis, an average basket at Aldi costs £74.23, which is 25 pounds lower than Waitrose, positioned on the other end of the spectrum. However, when taking into account the variety of branded products and online shopping, Aldi ranks much lower.
In fact, the supermarket chain ended its cooperation with the rapid delivery service Deliveroo in January 2022, so at the moment, Aldi only offers a Click and Collect service for a fee of £4.99.
Lidl—The Cheapest Online Supermarket in December 2021
Like its biggest rival, Aldi, Lidl does not offer home delivery in the UK. But it does provide some of the cheapest prices on the market. In fact, Which? puts Lidl prices at just 87p above Aldi, giving customers all over the country great value for money.
Moreover, the German retailer chain was the cheapest supermarket in the UK just in time for Christmas, when a bag of 22 groceries cost just £23.29.
Bottom Line
Online shopping has taken off since the Covid-19 pandemic, with supermarkets attempting to outdo each other with discounts and low delivery costs.
Will Aldi retain its title, or will one of its rivals take the crown by offering the cheapest online food shopping in the UK? We will have to wait and see what 2022 brings.
FAQ
What is the cheapest online supermarket in the UK?
Asda has been named the cheapest grocery delivery UK—beating its closest rival by more than £6.
Is it cheaper to grocery shop online?
Depends on how you handle your online shopping. Sometimes the delivery fee is the biggest downside, but you can find plenty of cheap online supermarkets which offer discounts or have a loyalty card scheme. And since you have to choose the items from the list, you can control impulsive groceries shopping, which can lead to saving more money.
Is Sainsbury's cheaper than Morrisons?
Yes, price comparison shows that Sainsbury’s is cheaper than Morrisons. The average basket cost at Sainsbury’s is £140.96, while at Morrisons, it’s £147.28. However, Asda has beaten Sainsbury’s to the top as the cheapest online supermarket in the country.