The cheaper store this week depends on your actual list, the Aldi and Lidl offers available near, and whether a second stop saves enough to justify the trip. Compare the full basket, including quantities and any items you will not substitute, before choosing a winner.
Start with the groceries you will actually buy
A practical basket is more useful than a list of whichever items happen to be promoted. Write down the food and household basics you need for the next five to seven days: milk, bread, eggs, fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, protein, lunch items, coffee, cleaning supplies, and toiletries if they are on the same trip.
Add quantities. “Bananas” can mean a small bunch or several kilograms. “Chicken” can mean one dinner portion or enough for lunches too. The total changes quickly when one store has the lower unit price but the other has the better pack size for what you need.
Keep branded or dietary-specific items on the list exactly as you buy them. A cheaper own-brand alternative only counts as a saving if you would genuinely choose it. [The one branded item you cannot swap](\/blog\/the-one-branded-item-you-cannot-swap-and-what-it-can-cost-your-basket-53479fb5\/) can easily determine which store wins a small basket.
Check this week’s offers, then check unit prices
Aldi and Lidl both rotate weekly offers, so a store that was cheaper last week may lose on your list today. Start with the current offers for the locations you would realistically visit, then look beyond the large promotional price.
Use the shelf or catalogue unit price to compare different sizes:
- Compare price per kilogram for produce, meat, cheese, and large packs.
- Compare price per litre for milk, juice, detergent, and cooking oil.
- Compare price per 100 grams for snacks, deli items, and smaller convenience packs.
- Check the offer dates. A deal ending before your shopping day does not belong in the comparison.
For example, a lower sticker price on a 400 g pack does not beat a larger pack automatically. Multiply the unit price by the amount you need, or buy the size that avoids waste. Food thrown away is part of the basket cost.
Build two complete one-store totals
Price the whole list at Aldi, then price the same list at Lidl. Do not compare only the five strongest promotions. A basket can swing because of ordinary items such as oats, yogurt, tomatoes, coffee, or laundry detergent.
Mark each item as one of three things: available at the exact size you need, available with an acceptable substitute, or unavailable. If a store lacks three essentials, its lower subtotal may create a second trip anyway.
A simple note on your phone is enough:
| Item | Aldi total | Lidl total | Notes | |---|---:|---:|---| | Milk, 2 litres | | | Compare same fat content | | Eggs, 12 pack | | | Check free-range versus standard | | Pasta, 1 kg | | | Check pack size | | Chicken | | | Compare price per kg | | Detergent | | | Compare loads, not bottle size |
The lowest one-store total is usually the best choice when the difference is small. It keeps the plan easy to repeat next week.
Price the split only when the saving is clear
A two-store plan makes sense when a few items create a meaningful gap and the stores fit naturally into your route. It becomes less appealing when it adds a separate drive, parking stop, queue, and checkout.
Calculate the split basket this way: put Aldi’s best-priced items in one column, Lidl’s in another, then compare their combined total with the cheaper one-store total. Include the distance and time you would spend making the extra stop.
If the split saves a few cents, keep the one-store plan. If it cuts a substantial part of the basket and Lidl is next to your usual route, the extra stop may be worth it. The right answer comes from the balance you set between time, fuel, and grocery cost. [A second grocery stop](\/blog\/is-a-discounted-milk-and-bread-trip-worth-a-second-grocery-stop-190c68a5\/) should earn its place in the plan.
Watch the categories that move the result
For a typical practical grocery basket, the deciding categories are often fresh produce, meat or protein, dairy, pantry staples, and household goods. Promotions in these sections can outweigh small differences in biscuits, sauces, or single snacks.
Aldi may win your basket when its weekly specials cover your main meals and its nearby branch carries your full list. Lidl may win when its fresh-food promotion, bakery items, or larger-pack unit prices line up with what you need. Neither result stays fixed from week to week.
Keep a reusable list and update only the changing items. After two or three comparisons, you will see which staples reliably favour each store and which promotions are worth checking before you leave.
For your next shop in, build a list with quantities, compare current offers for both nearby stores, and choose the cheapest plan that still fits your route and evening.
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