Supermarket giant launches new promise to price match both Aldi and Lidl on hundreds of staples

A SUPERMARKET giant has launched a new price match scheme that cuts the cost of hundreds of products.

Asda has announced it will price match both Aldi and Lidl on a broad range of popular everyday products.

Today, the supermarket is price-matching Aldi and Lidl on 287 comparable grocery products and has reduced costs by an average of 17%.

Asda shoppers will benefit from price cuts across core household staples, such as milk, bread, cheese, tea, coffee, fresh meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, baked beans, pasta, rice and breakfast cereals.

The prices of comparable products sold in both Aldi and Lidl stores will be checked twice a week and matched to whichever discount brand offers the cheapest price.

If comparable products are unavailable due to size or weight differences, Asda said prices are matched on a pro-rata basis.

The supermarket said the plan excludes multi-buy offers and prices that are only available for members.

For example, customers can now get Asda's mini chicken breast fillets (650g) for just £4.32 - down £1.08 from £5.40.

Asda salmon fillets are also down £1.01 - reduced from £4.80 to £3.79.

Shoppers can now pick up Asda straight-cut chips for £1.65 - down 80p from £2.45.

David Hills, Asda's chief customer officer, said: "Asda has over 50 years of heritage as the customer champion, and we understand we have an important role to play in local communities to help families get the most from their budgets.

"We have launched Aldi and Lidl Price Match to help them save both time and money.

"Our customers can trust that they will get uncompromising value every day at Asda and George – on everything from food and clothing to homeware and Cashpot rewards, as well as the lowest prices on supermarket fuel.

"And because we know their time is as stretched as their budget, we’re making shopping with us as easy as possible – whether that’s in our large stores, our growing Asda Express convenience stores or online."

It comes as grocery prices fall after years of rises.

As prices across the economy increased, food was one of the highest risers, so while companies are reducing prices, this is often only from a higher baseline over the last two years.

The traditional supermarkets have in recent years felt the heat from German discounters Aldi and Lidl which tend to offer products at lower prices.

The rise of the two chains has taken significant numbers of customers away from the largest supermarkets.

Asda still has the third largest share of the grocery market, at 13.6%, according to the most recent 12-week data from Kantar. Aldi had 9.3% and Lidl had 7.7%.

Ten years ago, Asda had a 16.9% share of the market while Aldi had 4% and Lidl had 3.1%, the data shows.

Rivals Tesco and Sainsbury's already have schemes that match Aldi's prices.