Why Aldi price matches aren’t always what they seem

Supermarkets regularly promise price matches with their cheapest rival, Aldi.

Sainsbury’s offers 898 matches, Tesco offers 761 and Morrisons offers 504.

But match schemes are not always as they seem, according to consumer champion Which?

Quality

They found you’re not getting the exact same product, and sometimes this means compromising on quality.

While Aldi pork pies contain 28% pork, matches at Morrisons and Sainsbury’s contain 20% and 26% respectively.

Aldi chopped tomatoes contain 70% tomatoes, while Sainsbury’s contain 60%

Sainsbury’s scored a victory in coconut milk, though, with 68% coconut extract compared to Aldi’s 56%.

Brand

If you want branded items rather than own-brand, some match schemes will be more appealing than others.

Tesco has the highest proportion (19%) and Sainsbury’s the least (4%). 

Variety

Some supermarkets match different flavours to an Aldi product that don’t exactly feel like-for-like.

There are 14 matches with Aldi’s Cucina pasta sauce bolognese at other supermarkets, but this includes chunky veg, tomato and chilli, and no-added-sugar versions.

Size

While the schemes always match the price per 100g or 100ml, the total size of the pack at a competitor may be larger than Aldi.

For example, Aldi’s Cucina spaghetti has been price-matched by four other supermarkets in several different sizes – a total of 12 matches. 

By keeping the unit price the same, these packs arguably offer worse value for money than you would expect if economies of scale were taken into account.