The cost of living crisis in the UK has seen prices rise across the board – including the weekly shop.
Prices for a number of essential items have gone up – from fruit and veg to toiletries and even butter with Lurpak enraging shoppers as it was found to be 20% smaller but cost more.
Supermarkets have introduced a number of measures to help tackle the issue and help shoppers save where they can, including essential ranges at low prices.
Sainsbury’s has become the latest retail giant to introduce its own value range that shoppers can take advantage of.
The supermarket discontinued its Basics range in 2019, launching a number of budget ranges in its place including Greengrocer, J James, Mary Ann’s, and Imperfectly Tasty.
Rhian Bartlett, food commercial director at Sainsbury’s, said: ‘Our own brand products are becoming more and more important to our customers as the cost of living crisis continues to impact so many households up and down the country.’
You may be wondering which supermarkets have essential and budget ranges to help you keep the shopping bill at an all-time low – and we’re here to help.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has launched a brand new essentials range called Stamford Street.
The range contains 200 products and has already begun hitting the shelves of stores across the UK, with more items said to be introduced in the coming months.
The range will also have its own custom page on Sainsbury’s website for people who prefer to buy online.
Stamford Street includes a number of essential products at low prices, including ready meals, fruit, vegetables, meat, pastries, and more.
Shoppers looking out for the products will be able to identify them by looking out for a white, red and orange label.
Tesco
The shopping giant first introduced its value range, Tesco Value, in 1993, which was easily identifiable by its blue and white striped packaging.
This was changed in 2012 and rebranded to Everyday Value before multiple ‘tertiary brands’ were introduced from 2018 onwards.
These brands include:
Value ranges available at Tesco
- Bay fishmongers – fresh fish
- Boswell Farms – fresh beef products
- Butcher’s Choice – frozen meat
- Creamfields – dairy products such as much and cheese
- Eastman’s – pastry products, cooked meats, coleslaw, potato salad, and dips
- Hearty Food Co. – fresh and frozen ready meals, pasta, pizza, and fresh foods
- H.W. Nevill – bread and morning goods
- Ms Molly’s – desserts, sweet biscuits, chocolate, and cakes
- Nightingale Farms – fresh vegetables
- Redmere Farms – fresh vegetables
- Rosedene Farms – fresh fruits
- Springforce – household products
- Suntrail Farms – fresh fruits
- Stockwell & Co – kitchen cupboard essentials
- The Growers Harvest – packaged fruit, vegetables, and pulses
- Willow Farms – fresh poultry products
- Woodside Farms – fresh pork products
- Tesco Essentials – health and beauty products.
There are a number of products from the store that work out cheaper than other supermarkets, including Tesco’s own bar soap at 25p, and washing up liquid at 45p.
Asda
Last year, Asda replaced its cheap Smart Price range with Just Essentials.
The line caused a stir among shoppers due to its bright yellow packaging many were concerned could embarrass shoppers as it is easily noticeable.
The range of budget food includes fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, bakery, and frozen goods, as cupboard staple items.
Just Essentials also boasts a number of household products such as shampoo, toilet cleaner, and non-bio washing powder.
Most items come in at under £1.70, with the most expensive item, a beef roasting joint, coming in at £11.49.
The Just Essentials Yorkshire Puddings come in at 50p and are a great dupe for Aunt Bessie’s puds priced at £2.
Morrisons
Much like Tesco, Morrisons has a number of its own value ranges to help shoppers bag a bargain.
Predominantly, the store has Morrisons Savers, which sells a number of economy items from fresh food and veg to toiletries and cupboard staples.
The range covers a whopping 240 products, with the website even listing a number of recipes that you can whip up with help from the Savers range.
Morrisons also has other, more discrete value ranges covering fresh fish, meats, fruit and veg, and more such as Woodheads Brothers, International Seafood Company, Chippindales, Wonky, Stephensons Bakery, and Greenside Deli.
The supermarket offers products from as low as 35p for still and spring water, and even offers its own Lurpak dupe, Spreadable, priced at £2.49.
Aldi
Aldi is well known as a budget supermarket that doesn’t sacrifice quality for price – but did you know it offers its own essentials range?
The supermarket rolled out the range in 2012, covering everything from meat to fruit and veg, ready meals, and cupboard items.
Shoppers can grab pasta for as low as 35p to feed the family or indulge in a packet of bourbon biscuits for 25p.
Aldi also has its own Lurpak dupe, Nordpak, which costs £2.19.
It also boasts a substitute for Marmite, Mighty Yeast Extract, which costs just £1.89.
Lidl
Much like Aldi, Lidl is known for its cut-price offerings, and it also has its own budget range.
Simply covers all your essentials, covering fresh, chilled, and frozen products in a bid to compete with other supermarkets.
You could make a sandwich for less than £2 with bread at just 36p to cooked ham slices at £1.59.
Lidl also wades into the Lurpak dupe competition with Danpak, which will set you back £2.19.
Waitrose
The products are identifiable by their simple white packaging, covering foodstuffs as well as household essentials and even items for pets.
Essential Waitrose items are also regularly subject to flash deals, such as lower prices for bulk buying items and further price cuts.
Marks & Spencer
In response to Waitrose’s Essential range, Marks & Spencer launched its own value brand, Simply M&S, in 2012.
The supermarket now offers ‘Remarksable Value’ items, promising ‘high welfare, low prices’ on items such as meat, dairy, and eggs.
The M&S website reads: ‘Try our 100% British free-range eggs, just £1 for 6, and our 100% British beef mince – fully traceable back to every farm, and just £2.20 for 500g. Plus, our RSPCA Assured milk is just 90p for two pints. Great for your wallet, and a guaranteed fair price for farmers – it’s a win-win.’
The savings also cover fresh fruit and veg, cupboard items, and more to create a whole meal.
Co-Op
Co-Op boasts its Honest Value range, assuring shoppers that the cheap price of the products doesn’t mean quality suffers.
The range, launched in 2021, is ‘value range that has real values’ that covers fresh produce, sweet treats, breads, meats, and more.
The Co-Op website reads: ‘You won’t find any artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives.
‘From 100% British meat to Fairtrade coffee and responsibly sourced loo roll, we believe that everyone should be able to buy good quality everyday items, whatever their budget. Here’s what you can expect to find instore.’
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