Aldi crowned cheapest supermarket for July

For the second consecutive month, Aldi has been named the cheapest supermarket in the UK.

Which? Undertakes a monthly comparison of leading stores - for seven months Lidl topped the table until being knocked off its perch by Aldi in June.

Given that we have no local Lidls - but branches of Aldi here in Heswall and West Kirby - that's some good news for any hard pressed shoppers.

The cost of a basket of 47 items, including groceries and household essentials, was compared by Which? - and it found that the Aldi total came in at £74.23, with the same basket from Lidl slightly higher at £75.61.

The Tesco total was £86.77, Morrisons £91.14 and Sainsbury's £86.27.

Meanwhile, at Asda, the barcodes added up to £83.22.

At the other end of the supermarket spectrum, the basket at Waitrose, the most expensive, cost £99.46.

At £95.33, Ocado was the next most expensive.

Food prices are soaring as the cost of living crisis unfolds, with food inflation accelerating to 7 per cent in July, up from 5.6 per cent in June.

The British Retail Consortium says this is the highest food inflation rate since May 2009, explaining that the cost of fresh food is being forced upwards by rising costs for fertiliser, animal feed, energy and transport.

Helen Dickinson, the Consortium's chief executive, said: "Retailers are doing all they can to absorb as much of these rising costs as possible and to look for efficiencies in their businesses and supply chain.

"Nevertheless, households and businesses must prepare for a difficult period as inflationary pressures hit home."