Supermarket Value Ranges: What can you get for £20?

A recent study from Kantar found that despite the fall in inflation, shoppers still buy supermarket own-brands to save money. Kantar went on to say... 

I decided to look at the growing range of ‘value’ brands that supermarkets offer. With £20 quid in my hand, I went to the UK’s 4 major supermarkets to see how many products from the value ranges I could get. I chose the top 4 because one or more of them are accessible to most people wherever you live in the UK and they all offer delivery. 

I focused on products that I buy most weeks. Each of my baskets contained the same/or similar items. Some variants exist, as not all supermarket value ranges have the same products. 

Shopping this way gave me a better understanding of how ‘value’ brands look these days. Often hidden behind what looks like a brand name, I suppose this is to ease the burden of being a ‘value’ shopper. This meant that I spent a lot of time figuring out the ‘value brands’. From a shopping perspective, I would have preferred them to be labelled as ‘value’. 

Which supermarket offered the most value products for £20?

Asda and Tesco gave me 18 items for my money. Both baskets were very similar in products too. The total cost of my shop with Tesco was £19.91, whilst my Asda shop was £19.83.  

Which supermarket has the smallest value product range?

Morrisons, whose value range is named Savers, has the smallest product range. With just 137 products available. I found that there were some everyday essential products that I couldn’t add to my basket; like rice and bread.  

Which supermarket has the largest value product range?

Out of the big four supermarkets, ASDA had the largest number of ‘Just Essential’ range. 269 products were available, and I found it easy to buy a value version of most of my weekly favourites.  

Which supermarket had the most expensive value products?

When it came to the priciest items, Sainsbury's was on top. This meant I couldn’t get much for my money compared to the other supermarkets. Sainsbury’s value ranges include Sainsbury’s Basics, Stamford Steet, Mary Anns, and J James.  

Which supermarket is the UK’s Cheapest?

According to Which? As of March 2024, Aldi is currently the cheapest supermarket in the UK. Lidl was the runner-up, closely followed by Asda. With this in mind, I made my way to Aldi to see what I could get there for my £20. I managed to bag 17 items totalling £19.57. I chose the cheapest versions of each product they had to offer. Some aren’t labelled as ‘value’, but I’m guessing they are. I wouldn’t be able to have my groceries delivered by Aldi either, which can be a deciding factor when choosing where to shop.  

Which supermarket is the UK’s favourite?

Despite the value that the top 4 offer along with discount supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl it’s M&S that is the nation's favourite. Which? Revealed that even though M&S wasn’t the cheapest, it gave customers the best shopping experience.  

The UK’s cheapest supermarket compared to the UK’s favourite supermarket.

I wanted to see what I could get for my twenty quid in M&S. I bought my items through Ocado, as this meant they could be delivered. I got just 10 M&S items for £19.80. Confirming that, whether you shop in-store for a better shopping experience or online - you will pay a premium.  

The Pro's and Con's of Choosing Supermarket Value Brands

Obviously, picking up these value products saved me money! And that's the pro point here. However, finding fresh foods in value ranges was challenging, they are available, but it's slim pickings. 

It's also worth considering the cost of other items that you buy regularly that aren't in a value range. Because even if a supermarket has a value range, it can be the case that other products are higher in price. It left me questioning if I would still save each week, overall, on a full trolleys worth of good. 

When it comes to supermarket own brand products (not value) there are huge savings to be made. This is explains why, despite the rate of inflation dropping, shoppers are still ditching branded goods. We are more savvy now, than ever before.