When you’re stocking up on groceries midweek, it’s normally much easier to head somewhere like a Tesco Express, than out of town to a big Tesco. But will you pay more by taking the convenient option?  I'm a money expert and also a parent to two boys, and I've hit my local Tesco and Tesco Express to compare two identical baskets to see if Tesco Express is more expensive. 

Using the cheapest supermarket is one of the easiest methods I use to cut the cost of my food shop, (and remembering to take my supermarket loyalty card to maximise any perks I get). But after investigating whether Aldi or Lidl is cheaper, I was wondering whether Tesco Express was actually more expensive than the main Tesco supermarket. So I did the same quick shop at each to compare. (We've also compared whether Waitrose is more expensive than M&S Food if you prefer a premium supermarket.)

As a quick bit of context, my list is made up of 15 items I regularly buy to feed my family of four. It includes items like bread, cheese, fruit and snacks for the kids’ lunches, chicken and curry sauces for dinner as well as squash, milk, juice and lemonade which my teen and tween boys consume at an astounding rate. I also threw in a bar of Cadbury chocolate for me (fruit and nut, my secret weapon to stop the kids eating it).

Is Tesco cheaper than Tesco Express? 

Tesco is cheaper than Tesco Express, and I wasn't surprised. After all, it's a universal truth that convenience comes at a price. In terms of actual costs, the Tesco Express shop cost £29.85, compared to £25.99 at Tesco, a difference of £3.86 or 15%.

The differences came down to two key factors. Firstly was that most like-for-like items were simply more expensive in Tesco Express - 15p on identical chicken breasts, 45p on Bear Yo-Yos, 35p on Andrex toilet roll and 20p on curry sauce.

Secondly, unsurprisingly for a smaller store, there wasn’t as much choice in Tesco Express, so in some cases I had to go for a pricier branded option. My local Tesco Express, for example, didn’t stock own-brand lemonade or easy peelers. It also didn’t stock the cheaper budget brands that are price matched to Aldi, like the Growers Harvest apple juice which is a bargain at 89p - that's 36p cheaper than Tesco own brand.

Here's how the specific prices of individual items compared:

Prices correct on 6th September 2023

Should you stop using convenience stores?

Popping into Tesco Express for a pint of milk or a pizza when you’re in a hurry will always be an easier option than driving further afield, even if you do end paying a bit more. Not only is it more hassle but there’s a higher chance that you’ll end up buying things that aren’t on your list too.

However, if you’re filling a basket (or worse, a trolley) in Tesco Express it’s likely you’ll spend a fair amount more than you would driving to your nearest Tesco.

But if you can’t face that – and regularly find yourself stocking up between big shops – it can help to step up your meal planning. By working out exactly what you’ll eat, being realistic about how much essential day-to-day food you’ll get through and writing a list, you can make sure you get all the food you need in one weekly shop (and save yourself a fortune in the process). 

 Are Tesco Clubcard prices cheaper? 

Whether you’re shopping at Tesco or Tesco Express, you’ll see that some products have a cheaper price for customers with a Clubcard. 

Clubcard prices are a canny way for Tesco to get more customers to scan their Clubcard at check out or sign up to the loyalty programme if they haven’t already. Tesco claims Clubcard prices could save regular shoppers as much as £351 over a year, but do they actually offer customers a good deal?

To find out I compared the discounts with what’s available at other supermarkets. The first thing I noticed about Clubcard prices was that they tend to focus on branded items (although there were some Tesco products available) and even though the discounts looked good initially, if you really want to cut your spend, a cheaper option would always be available.

And, while there were some essentials on offer, like toilet roll, a lot of the promotions were on products you might like to throw into your trolley but weren’t ‘must-buys’, which doesn’t help those trying to drastically reduce their shopping bill.

Take the example of a four-pack of Andrex Quilted toilet roll, with a Clubcard price of £3. I could still get four Andrex Classic Clean rolls for £2.85 or four luxury soft Tesco toilet rolls for £1.79.

Similarly, when I compared the Clubcard prices with deals at rival supermarkets, I saw that the product was often on offer too, taking the shine off the Clubcard price. If I really wanted the Andrex quilted rolls, Morrisons was charging £3 too (without needing a loyalty card) or I could get them even cheaper at Asda for £2.85.

Prices correct on 6th September 2023

That’s not to say that no Clubcard deals out did their rivals. The Clubcard price for Petit Filous fromage frais trumped all the other deals we looked at, while 70p for a single can of Heinz Baked Beans is great value too, even outdoing Morrisons’ five cans for a fiver offer.

Nonetheless, the findings do confirm that supermarket pricing is something of a ‘dark art’. Savvy shoppers can certainly save but it’s important not to assume that you’re always getting the best deal. For supermarkets, after all, it’s all about getting shoppers through the door and spending. 

If you want to know how to save money on food, it's also worth understanding the sneaky tricks supermarkets use to get you to spend more. And if you are a Clubcard member, make sure you know how to collect more Clubcard points, and what you can spend your Clubcard vouchers on to make the most of the perks you get from the loyalty scheme. 

With grocery bills still high, it's no wonder that families are considering buying in bulk to get better value for money. But while buying in bulk can save money, families will need to balance their budgets, storage capacity, and individual preferences.

Some families may have already switched to a cheaper supermarket, investigated whether Aldi is cheaper than Lidl, or made use of their supermarket loyalty card to reduce food costs, while others will be buying in bulk to get more bang for their buck.

Adam Bullock, UK director at cashback site TopCashback, says: “Buying in bulk is one of the savviest ways to make the most of your money, especially on grocery shopping. Supermarkets regularly offer big bundle deals that offer huge savings on items you’ll always need like toilet roll, pet food and easy-store products that are sold in multipacks. 

“On top of this, they often promote fruit and veg in 3 for 2 deals and even compete on ‘meal deals’. Just make sure that whatever you buy in bulk, you can store in your cupboards, and use before they expire. If you’ve got a big freezer, you can prep and chop your fruit and veg when it’s on offer and defrost when you want to use it.”

5 everyday foods you should never bulk buy 

Bulk buying can mean several things: shopping at a cash-and-carry store such as CostCo, buying bigger packs with a cheaper per unit cost, taking advantage of 2-for-1 deals, or simply stocking up when you see a good deal.

But there are certain foods you should be wary of buying in bulk, as we explain.

1. Herbs and spices

While dried herbs and spices will have a long shelf life, they are not necessarily the best to bulk buy as you only need a small amount each time you use it, and you might not use the same herbs and spices each time you cook.

Professional chef Peter Sidwell, and in-house chef at kitchen retailer CookServeEnjoy,  explains: “Dried herbs last around one to three years and ground spices two to three years. This sounds like a long time, but if you’re buying a multitude of herbs and spices in bulk and only using some rarely, the taste will start to deteriorate and be less effective at flavouring your food.” 

2. Coffee

If you're a coffee lover, it's best to avoid buying it in bulk, as ground coffee doesn’t keep fresh as long as you think. Coffee company Java Presse says: “Counter to what some coffee companies want you to believe, coffee goes stale rather quickly." It goes on to say that best buy dates that are far in the future mean you will lose that rich and fresh taste. 

3. Fresh fruit and vegetables

If you enjoy a healthy diet, you might be tempted to buy fresh fruit and veg in bulk, but as they have a short shelf life, buying too much at once can lead to increased food waste.

Professional chef Peter Sidwell explains: “Although it can be cheaper to buy products like potatoes in large quantities, this can lead to food wastage. But when it comes to potatoes, UKHarvest found they're the number one wasted food in the UK, with a staggering 5.8 million potatoes discarded daily.”

4. Cooking oils

Unopened vegetable oil can last for up to two years stored in a cupboard, away from heat. But although oil will last around a year once opened, the quality will start to deteriorate over time. 

So, If you don't fry or sauté too often, stick with smaller bottles of oil.

5. Eggs

Boxes of 10 or 12 eggs normally work out cheaper per egg than a box of half a dozen. But eggs typically last just three to five weeks before they are passed their best – so those who live alone, or with their partner (or even smaller families) might find buying eggs in bulk to be a false economy. 

Work out how many eggs you usually eat per week before stocking up to avoid spending the money on food that will only go to waste. 

5 foods you should definitely bulk buy 

1. Dried beans and lentils

Dried beans and lentils have a long shelf life, and can be added to a wide variety of dishes, such as soups, curries, stews and salads, providing an excellent source of plant protein and nutrients. Some studies have shown that some beans remain edible for 10 or more years. 

If you're looking to make cheap family meals, make sure you have some of these on hand to add bulk to your dishes. 

2. Chia seeds

Chia seeds might seems like a bit of a fashionable ingredient thanks to their inclusion in many an influencer's smoothie, but if you're a fan, they are worth buying in bulk. These tiny seeds are packed with omega-3, fibre, and protein and can be stored for up to a year, making them perfect for buying in bulk if you spot a bargain deal. 

3. Nuts

If you spot a good bulk buying deal on nuts, then it's worth snapping up. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are nutritious and make for a perfect healthy snack as well as being perfect for adding to salads and other dishes. Store them in a cool, dry place and they’re good to go.  

4. Dried pasta

This family favourite is well worth buying in bulk if you can. Pasta is cheap and versatile and most kids love it, especially all the different shapes it comes in. It also lasts a really long time, so there’s no need to worry about it going off before you get chance to eat it. 

But this applies to dried pasta only. Fresh pasta won't last as long. 

5. Meat and poultry

Fresh meat and poultry can go off quickly when stored in the fridge, but if you spot a good bulk buy offer, you can freeze chicken, pork, beef, lamb and turkey to keep it fresh until you're ready to use it.

MuscleFood.com currently offers three hampers of meat, enough to make 66 meals, for just £46.01 – just make sure you have enough room in your freezer!

You could freeze fish too, but you might find the texture alters if frozen for too long.

Non-food items to also buy in bulk

Families might already be used to the benefits of buying these non-food items in bulk, but for those who don't know, you can get really good value for money when bulk-buying these items:

• Toilet rolls
• Kitchen rolls
• Laundry detergent
• Pet food
• Sweets
• Deodorant
• Bin liners
• Toothpaste

Pros and cons of bulk buying

Before you really lean in to bulk buying, it's worth understanding the pros and cons of this shopping practice to see if it's the right solution for your family. 

Pros of bulk buying

• It can help you save money as the cost per item is cheaper
• If you buy extra value sizes, it usually means less packaging which can be better for the environment
• Less frequent trips to the supermarket
• Less chance of running out of items unexpectedly
• You're temporarily protected if that item goes up in price because of inflation

Cons of buying in bulk

• You'll need significant storage space, which can be difficult in smaller homes
• You might have to pay more to buy the items than you would if you bought smaller quantities
• If you buy something and don't end up liking it, you run the risk of increasing your food waste
• You might have to get creative to make meals feel different, even if they use the same core ingredients
• You might not be able to buy your favourite items in bulk

If you want to make your food shopping work harder for you, then Tesco shoppers should make sure they understand how to collect more Clubcard points and reclaim any lost or unused vouchers. Or try this trick if you are worried about your Tesco vouchers expiring. 

Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper? Lots of families will be wanting to know the answer given how high food prices have been since the cost of living crisis hit. 

When it comes to how to save money on food, shopping at one of the budget retailers like Aldi and Lidl is a great shout. Ed Fleming, managing director at money-saving website Savoo, says: "While you might not be able to find your favourite name brands, discount supermarkets produce their own versions of popular products, allowing them to offer a lower retail price. The warehouse-style supermarket approach in which produce is displayed on its original pallet might not appear as enticing, but this reduces shelf stacking time and allows it to offset staff costs and keep food prices down.” 

We've compared multiple supermarkets to see which is cheaper - from Tesco Express versus Tesco, and even Waitrose versus M&S Food. But the pressing question for bargain-hungry shoppers is which is cheapest – Aldi or Lidl? Back in November 2023, we challenged our personal finance expert, Rachel Lacey, to do a 'basic' shop at each supermarket to find out which was the cheapest for her family of four. Aldi reigned supreme, but is that still the case? Let's find out.

Our Aldi versus Lidl shopping list

Our list is made up of 14 items, including basics like bread, grated cheese, baked beans, eggs and yoghurt as well as breakfast cereal, bananas, bacon and squash. 

We've also thrown in some treats like ice cream and some chocolate (because we're only human).

Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper?

Checking the prices again in June 2024, Lidl worked out cheaper, by 46p. This is the third time we have conducted this experiment. The first time, in summer 2023, the Aldi shop worked out 77p cheaper than the Lidl shop, and the second time (in November 2023), it was the Lidl basket that came in cheaper, by 72p.

Prices correct at the time of writing

Aldi and Lidl are usually the two cheapest supermarkets in the UK each month - in 2023, Aldi was the cheapest supermarket 11 out of the 12 months according to Which?, with Lidl pipping it to the post in October 2023. And Aldi looks set to dominate in 2024, having been crowned the cheapest supermarket in every month so far.

The big supermarkets, Sainsbury’s and Tesco both price match Aldi on many of their essentials and it’s pretty clear that Aldi and Lidl price match each other too. The vast majority of the items cost the same at both Aldi and Lidl.

In all of our experiments, the price difference between the two really was too close to call. The prices for many of our items were exactly the same, likely down to price matching between the supermarkets. Eggs were 30p cheaper in Lidl than Aldi, but the premium strawberry jam was 30p cheaper in Aldi than it was in Lidl. Ultimately, the overall price different came down to a handful of items being about 10p cheaper in Lidl than Aldi on this occasion. 

Savoo's Ed Fleming adds: "The years-old question of Aldi vs Lidl is not easily answered and, for most shoppers, the decision will be based on proximity to home. However, those looking to get more from their discount supermarket should know that Lidl runs a loyalty scheme, Lidl Plus, for coupons and discount rewards. Aldi does not currently have such a scheme, instead it says their focus is on ‘high quality food and everyday low prices’.”

There is also the question of convenience - Aldi offers click and collect, which is super handy for parents who want to shop in peace, and not have to traipse their kids around a supermarket at the weekend, whereas Lidl doesn't.

Aldi versus Lidl taste test

With the majority of the items on the list, we weren't able to tell that we were enjoying budget options compared to our normal shop. But there were a few items that were either an absolute hit or a complete miss. 

We all really like Aldi’s own-brand chocolate and their Titan bars are more than a match for a Mars bar, if a bit smaller (but let’s face it, that’s not necessarily a bad thing!). The Lidl equivalent certainly isn’t bad, and would still hit the spot at 4pm with a cup of tea. 

Lidl's bakery section is impressive too - with a surprisingly varied selection of breads, cakes and pastries. I might have sampled a chocolate a hazelnut doughnut while researching this article, and we can confirm it fives Krispy Kreme a run for it's money, at a fraction of the price. 

The ice cream wasn’t anything special at either supermarket though. The Lidl version won the family vote but neither was a patch on Ben and Jerry’s – both in terms of flavour and the amounts of chunks and swirls mixed in.

I didn't really like the baked beans from either supermarket as much as I like Heinz baked beans, but thankfully the kids didn’t seem to notice, or at least they didn’t complain.

Why are Aldi and Lidl so popular?

Both Aldi and Lidl have had a presence in the UK since the 1990s, but neither store made a huge impact on shoppers in the early years. It’s only since the Financial Crisis in 2008 – and the impact that had on purse strings – that customers have sat up and taken notice, and the pair have enjoyed huge growth.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, even more of us are turning to the discounters. In fact, in the 12 weeks to 12 May 2024, the supermarkets’ combined market share reached 18.1% according to analyst Kantar.

The business model of the stores has changed in recent years too. Initially, they only stocked a very limited range of discounted products, but now they both stock a much wider selection – including more chilled and fresh food – making it easier for people to do their full weekly shop there.

Would I make a permanent switch to Aldi or Lidl?

Our personal finance expert Rachel says: "I can’t see myself fully switching to a discounter like Aldi or Lidl - for a couple of important reasons. Firstly, I prefer to do my shopping online – it's super convenient, and I find it easier to stick to the shopping list. But Lidl is in-store only and while you can order Aldi food online, they only offer collection in-store.

"Secondly, despite each supermarket having approximately 1,000 stores across the UK, neither is particularly local to me. Lidl is a good 20-minute drive away and while Aldi is in my hometown at least, it can still be a 15-minute slog in heavy traffic.

"That said, I wouldn’t mind doing a monthly shop at Aldi, stocking up on things I know I can stockpile and save money on like loo rolls, drinks, crisps, and snacks for the kids. In fact my 14-year-old certainly loves a trip to Aldi - its soft drink, sweets, and chocolate dupes have certainly earned it the teen vote.

"I’d also be happy to try more products and see how they stack up against Sainsbury’s. I might also be tempted to check out the Aisle of Aldi (also known as the Aisle of Shame by some customers), which is where all the Special Buy offers are located. Lidl also has an equivalent called the Middle of Lidl - a centre aisle which the retailer explains is 'for household kit you never knew you needed'. 

"I am, however, on strict instructions from my carb-craving 12-year-old to, ‘never ever’ buy ‘knock-off’ cereal again. We’ll have to see about that…"

If you are looking for ways to cut down how much you spend on food, you can try this app that helped one mum save £35 a week, or if you're partial to the odd takeaway, follow this hack to get free Deliveroo Plus for a year.

Knowing how to get free food has become increasingly important for struggling families. Checking out at the supermarket has become a nerve-wracking experience for many, with the cost of food up by over 18% in the last year.

And even though you might still be able to bag some bargains shopping at the cheapest supermarkets, their prices are rising fastest. According to Which?, prices at Aldi rose by 23.5% in the year to May and were up 22% in Lidl, well ahead of Morrisons and Asda at 17.5% and 17.1% respectively.

Goodto.com's Money Editor Sarah Handley says: "Food price increases is one of the key reasons inflation has remained high for so long. Energy prices, adverse weather conditions and increased fuel costs have all impacted how much food costs. Most households will be feeling the pinch, but those with lower incomes will be feeling it the hardest."

While you might be using your supermarket loyalty card to ease your pain at the checkout, there are more ways to save money on food that are worth checking out. But there are also numerous ways to get free and super discounted food – if you know where to look. 

1. Feed the kids for free (or £1) 

Eating out from time to time can be convenient time saver, but it can also be super cheap too, with a number of affordable options offering free meals for kids. This can be an absolute life-saver for parents looking to feed their children for free over school holidays.

Some examples include:

• Morrisons Café: For every adult meal you buy costing £4.49 or more you can get one free kids meal, a saving of £3.49
• Asda Café: From 25th July to 4th September under 16s can get a hot or cold meal for £1 with no minimum adult spend. Babies are able to get a free Ella’s Kitchen pouch as part of the offer too. The offer is available throughout England and Wales
• Brewers Fayre: Two kids can fill up with an unlimited breakfast buffet free of charge, for every adult paying £9.99
• Bella Italia: Kids under 11 can enjoy three courses and a drink for £1, with every purchase of an adult main course. The deal is available Monday to Thursday, 4-6pm. It’s also available over the weekend at some locations. Normally kids meals are £6.49 or £8.49 (small and larger portions)
• Bill’s: Two kids can eat for free for every adult ordering a main course from 24th July to 1st September (doesn’t include weekends). A kids main, side and dessert is normally £6.95.

2.  Sign up for fast-food apps and loyalty schemes 

As an incentive to get you to download their app, some fast-food outlets will give away some freebies. For example, if you download the Greggs app, you can get a free hot drink, a sweet treat on your birthday as well as reward freebies such as buy nine items and your 10th is free. McDonalds, KFC, Nandos, Krispy Kreme, Burger King and Subway all offer reward schemes too - hit certain targets and get free rewards. We rounded up the best free birthday offers to keep an eye out for. 

It might not be a healthy option, but worth embracing if you – or your teens – are spending at these outlets anyway.

If you love the occasional takeaway, then it's worthwhile checking out whether you can qualify for 12 months free Deliveroo delivery to keep costs low.

3.  Grow your own! 

You don’t need an allotment to grow your own fruit and veg, you can start with a few herbs on the window sill, hanging baskets, compost bags or pots on the patio if you’re short on space.

Try the following, which are all relatively easy for novices:

• Potatoes
• Courgettes
• French beans
• Chillies
• Herbs
• Beetroot
• Strawberries
• Rhubarb

It’s cheaper to grow from seeds but first timers might have more success with young plants from a garden centre. 

4.  Go foraging 

Going foraging for fruit like blackberries is not only a whole lot cheaper than a pick your own site, it’s a great way of keeping the kids entertained in the long summer holidays too.

Also look out for elderflower to make your own cordial, strawberries and wild garlic. Mushroom foraging is best avoided unless you can tell your giant puffball from your toadstool or death cap.

Just remember to take tubs to bring home your loot.

While, it’s not exactly foraging,when you’re out and about in the summer, keep an eye out for houses giving away windfall fruit. Some might also give away eggs too. You can also ask neighbours with apple or plum trees for supplies. They’ll likely have more than they can eat.

5. Download Olio

Olio is a free app that connects people with food that they won’t use to somebody that will. At the time of writing, bread, dried fruit, avocado and strawberries were all being given away in my area. Food goes fast though, so you need to get in quick. 

Download the app from the App Store or Google Play.

6.  Get surplus food from restaurants and supermarkets 

The Too Good to Go app doesn’t offer free food but it is super cheap. It sells surplus foods from supermarkets, restaurants and bakers that they can no longer sell at heavily discounted prices.

The catch is that you can’t choose exactly what you want and instead buy a bag of surprise goodies. See how one mum saved £150 in four months by using this app.

Morrisons is one supermarket that works with Too Good to Go. It offers ‘Magic Bags’ that can be collected from stores for £3.09 which can include a mix of fruit, veg, bread, cheese and milk. Blogger Morethanamummy.com reckoned she got around £14 worth of food in her Morrisons magic bag. 

You can download the TooGoodToGo app from the App Store or Google Play.

7.  Check out the new budget supermarkets 

Traditional supermarkets might not give away food for free – but new types of discount supermarket, that specialise in short dated foods, are offering huge savings on some non-perishable products.

Motatos is new online supermarket, that seeks to reduce food waste by stocking up on food from distributors and wholesalers that doesn’t have a long enough date to be sold in conventional supermarkets. Stock may also be surplus or have damaged packaging. Some food might even be past its best before date.

Deals we liked when we had a look included two bars of Divine 34% chocolate for £1.50 (a discount of 71%) and two jars of Cirrio passata for £1.70, a discount of 50%.

Approved Food is another online supermarket that works in a similar way. One bargain we spotted there was £5 for a £16 box of chocolate from Hotel Chocolat – the catch was that it was already a month past its best before date.

8.  Explore community pantries 

Community pantries are cropping up across the country to offer low-cost groceries to people who are struggling to pay for food, but may not be able to use a food bank. Most charge a cheap subscription to access the store.

My local community pantry is stocked by surplus food from supermarkets that would otherwise end up in landfill. It distributes weekly food boxes to around 400 people every week, but its shop is open to all and no vouchers are required. 

For other ways to save money on food, check out our guide to whether you can freeze cheese, our money expert's #1 hack to reduce her food costs, and this cheese hack that takes hardly any time, but saves you money.

Snack product, Lentil Chips, has been withdrawn from supermarket shelves over health fears - here's everything you need to know about the Lentil Chips recall.

21 different varieties of Lentil Chips have been recalled after the brand owners, Warp Snacks, issued a product recall. Following the news that the products contain an undeclared allergen, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has urged customers with a gluten intolerance or allergy to return the recalled lentil chips to the store where they were bought.

The news comes just weeks after the Cadbury recall, which saw six chocolate desserts removed from shelves, and a breakfast cereal recall issued by Tesco, Aldi, and Iceland. More recently, Tesco recalled some Free From products due to undeclared allergens. Now that another product has disappeared from shelves, we've got everything you need to know about the Lentil Chip recall and what you need to do if you have recently bought this popular snack.

Lentil Chips recall: Full list of Warp Snacks products that have been recalled

• Aldi The Foodie Market Lentil Bites Salted: 113g, all batch codes, all date codes
• Eat Real Lentil Chips Salted: 22g & 40g, batch codes 3139, 3141, 3142 & 3152, best before 28 February 2024 & 13/16/26 May 2024
• Eat Real Lentil Chips Tomato and Basil: 40g, batch codes 3142 & 3151, best before 16/17/25 May 2024
• Eat Real Chips Multipack 5 Variety Pack: 5x22g, batch codes 3146 & 3153, best before 20/27 May 2024
• Eat Real Chips Variety 15 Pack Multibox: 5x30g, 5x40g, 5x45g, batch codes 3144, 3155 & 3152, best before 19/26/27 May 2024
• Lidl UK Snaktastic Lentil Bites Sea Salt: 113g, batch codes 3139, 3140, 3145 & 3146, best before 13/14/19/20 February 2024
• Eat Real Lentil Chips Chilli & Lemon: 22g, batch codes 3142, best before 16 May 2024
• Eat Real Lentil Chips Creamy Dill: 40g &113g, batch codes 3140, 3141, 3142, best before 14/15/16 May 2024

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued an alert for the 21 items over fears of undeclared allergens. The lentil products are all made by Warp Snacks, the creators of Eat Real.

Eat Real has recalled several flavours and pack sizes carried in various UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose, Lidl, Morrisons, and health food store chains Holland & Barret and Grape Tree.

Meanwhile, Aldi has recalled The Foodie Market Lentil Bites Salted, which Warp Snacks also make.

Why are Lentil Chips being recalled?

The range of lentil chip products has been recalled because of undeclared allergens that may pose a health risk to some consumers.

The FSA has said: "Warp Snacks is recalling several Lentil Bites and Chips products because they may contain gluten which is not declared on the label." 

They add, "The exact cereal is currently unknown. This means the products are a possible health risk for anyone with coeliac disease, and/or an allergy or intolerance to gluten."

A customer notice from Eat Real Lentil Chips says, "As always, our focus is on our customers’ safety, and we are removing the impacted product from shelves and supply chains."

What to do if you have bought recalled Lentil Chips

If you have bought one of the recalled lentil chip products and have an allergy or intolerance to gluten, you should return them to the store where you purchased them. Consumers have been promised a full refund.

The FSA advise: "If you have bought any of the above products and have coeliac disease, and/or an allergy or intolerance to gluten, do not eat them. Instead, please return them to the store from where they were bought for a full refund."

In addition, those who have purchased the Lidl Snaktastic products can contact customer.services@lidl.co.uk or call 0203 966 5566. Those who have purchased The Foodie Market Lentil Bites from Aldi can contact 0800 042 0800 or visit help.aldi.co.uk.

Video of the Week

There's a new rare energy drink flavour that's launching in the UK prompting fans to ask what is Glowberry Prime Energy drink and when will it be in Aldi Specialbuys?

While adults are going wild trying to get their hands on Pret's new Autumn hot food menu, or Costa's 2023 Autumn menu, there's a beverage in a bottle that kids are still trying to get hold of after it landed in the UK last December.

And there's a new Prime drink flavour that is so rare to get hold of but we have all you need to know about its upcoming launch.

The viral sensation is returning to supermarket shelves after previous sell-outs when it was first stocked by the low-cost supermarket earlier this year and there's expected to be a rush for fans to have a taste of this new flavour.

Previously if you were lucky to get hold of a bottle or can, you may have to pay a small fortune - some are reportedly selling for as much as £3,000 a bottle, while one Yorkshire store is said to be giving them away 'free' to kids - or if know a shopkeeper who will set one aside for you, you might be in luck.

Here's all you need to know about the new flavour and when to buy it...

What is Glowberry Prime?

Glowberry Prime is an energy drink that tastes of sour apple berries, but it has not been widely available in supermarkets for fans in the UK, but will be soon. The 'rare' and 'ultra rare' variants of the Glowberry flavour is 10% coconut water, contains electrolytes, B vitamins and BCAAs, has zero sugar and only around 20 calories per bottle.

Prime drink, known as Prime Hydration, is a range of sports drinks, drink mixes and energy drinks created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. It was developed by American media personality Logan Paul in collaboration with YouTube rapper and boxer KSI (who has a KSI documentary out in January 2023). 

The drinks first went on sale in the US back in early 2022 and the UK didn't receive its first batch of the drinks until December but they sold out almost as soon as they arrived. It was exclusively sold in ASDA but other outlets, such as corner shops, have started selling them.

When will Glowberry Prime be in Aldi Specialbuys?

Glowberry Prime will be in Aldi Specialbuys from Thursday, 5th October 2023 for just £1.99. The low cost supermarket announced the drink will be a Specialbuy – and as with all Specialbuys, "once they’re gone, they’re gone!"

And they're believed to be the first UK supermarket to launch Glowberry.

After the drink’s last stint in the supermarket saw high shopper demand, a purchase limit of one of each flavour per customer has been set to ensure as many people as possible get the opportunity to buy Prime.   

Aldi shoppers can choose from seven different flavours, including the new Limited Edition Glowberry, Orange and Mango, Meta Moon, Tropical Punch, Blue Raspberry, Lemon and Lime, and Ice Pop.

Aldi shared on its Instagram, "It might not be 1666 but we DO have the exclusive Glowberry Prime Flavour!! IN STORE 5TH OCTOBER! *Purchase limit of one of each flavour per customer*"

What time does Prime restock on the website?

Prime restocked on the Prime website 5pm on August 30th with bottles of its new Glowberry flavour plus, Ice Pop, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Punch and Lemon Lime. But these have sold now and the website is advising fans to 'find in store' or be notified by email when it's available online.

At the time it shared, "SITES LOCKED DOWN For anyone new to the PRIME restock experience - they always lock down the site around an hour before the restock. Start refreshing 5 mins before restock time! GET THAT GLOWBERRY!!!!!"

Fans are advised to set up a shop account, to enable a faster online transaction, with many set to log-on to their computers early.

"The second it unlocks, use them (cart links). It'll automatically add those items to your cart without having to build it up slowly."

But the new flavour reportedly sold out online in just TWO. minutes. One fan tweeted, "Sold out in 2 minutes. Was waiting in the queue."

What is special about Prime drink?

Prime is a sought-after hydration drink and energy drink created by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI - the viral beverage claims to be a 'natural flavoured water' made from 10% coconut water, and contains electrolytes, BCAA for muscle recovery, B vitamins and Antioxidants. Meanwhile, the energy drink contains 200mg of caffeine and 300mg of electrolytes, zero sugar and is suitable for vegans. 

Prime hydration comes in different flavours including sell-out strawberry watermelon, meta moon, ice pop, blue raspberry, and tropical punch.

A 12-pack retails at $29.99. online at drinkprime.com but there are reports of the packs selling for much more at other retailers. 

Some shoppers warn, "The drink is refreshingly sharp and is best took in sips not gulped" and it "tastes like raspberry jelly with a kick" and is best served "chilled from the bottle".

Another happy customer said, "Cheaper than all resellers, although the price should be £2, quite nice tasting, after all the hype, thought it was going to taste like standard energy drinks. Nice alternative."

But a third shopper claimed, "I honestly wouldn't buy it again £14 for a bottle of slush flavoured water."

Can kids drink Prime?

Prime Hydration drinks can be enjoyed by children of all ages because it has natural ingredients, low sugar and great taste but Prime Energy drinks are NOT recommended for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or nursing, or people who are sensitive to caffeine. Energy drinks are not recommended for children and teens because of the amount of caffeine, sugars and other ingredients such as herbs and amino acids.

Is Prime an energy drink and what is the difference between Hydration and Energy?

Prime drinks come in two formats - Prime Hydration and Prime Energy . There is no fizz to Prime hydration but Prime energy is carbonated. Both are considered a sports drink, similar to Gatorade and Powerade. 

In other food news, our pick of the best chocolate advent calendars has landed, plus these best food and drink advent calendars and check out this seasonal food calendar. 

Video of the week

Tesco, Aldi and Iceland have recalled breakfast cereal over fears for consumer safety.

When it comes to choosing breakfast cereals that are healthy you need to know the best and worst cereals for your diet. And while Weetabix previously came out top as the healthiest cereal for kids, shoppers are being warned to check their cupboards for another healthy cereal that could actually put consumers at risk.

The supermarkets have decided to pull boxes of Free from Bran Flakes 300g off its shelves because the missing ingredients on the food packaging is at risk to those with allergies. It comes as Iceland Ireland recalls a number of frozen products and Cadbury recalls six dessert pots over contamination fears.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued the product recall because some packs may contain a small amount of another cereal variant (Chocolate Pillows) that contain milk and hazelnut (nuts) which are not mentioned on the box label.

As a result, anyone who has an allergy or intolerance to these ingredients - milk or milk constituents and / or an allergy to hazelnut (nuts) would be at risk.

Trading standards shared, "Allergy Alert Tesco is recalling Tesco Free From Bran Flakes as some packs may contain a small amount of another cereal variant (chocolate pillows) that contain milk and hazelnut (nuts) which are not mentioned on the label."

The recalled items have the best before date of May 26, 2024.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) stated, “If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or an allergy to hazelnut (nuts) do not eat it. Instead, return it to a Tesco store for a full refund, no receipt is required. For further details please contact Tesco customer services on 0800 505 555.”

Shoppers who have bought the affected item are asked to return it to store for a refund.

Aldi is also recalling various cereal bars - Harvest Morn High Protein Bars because they contain milk and/or peanuts and/or soya, which may not be emphasised in bold type on the label.

This means the products are a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, an allergy to peanuts and/or an allergy to soya.

If you do suffer from a food allergy, you can sign up for free alerts service to get an email and text updates when unsafe food is recalled. Simply sign up online .

You can read more about which bars are affected at the Food Standards Agency here.

It's worth checking to see if shops are open on Easter Monday before you head out for those last minute Easter Egg bargains. 

The annual Easter weekend often leaves many people with questions around opening and closing times of services like banks, post offices and of course, supermarkets. The long weekend traditionally includes two Bank Holidays which means shops and supermarkets are subject to government restrictions on trading hours, which usually mean their opening hours are different than normal.

It's no surprise then that the public are wanting clarification on whether shops are open on Good Friday and when supermarkets open on Easter Sunday. We've shared details of operating hours for popular supermarkets like Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury's for Easter Monday, so you know exactly where you stand if you need to make a shop dash to stock up on Easter eggs for the kids and any other traditional Easter foods.

Are shops open on Easter Monday?

Yes, most supermarkets in the UK have confirmed that they will be open on Easter Monday - though opening hours will differ from usual. Tesco and Waitrose have confirmed their stores will close at 6pm on the day, whilst Aldi, Lidl and ASDA will also close earlier at 8pm on Easter Monday.

Elsewhere, Sainsbury's have announced that all their supermarkets will remain open until 10pm on Easter Monday. However smaller supermarkets like Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local and Co-op convenience stores are expected to be open until later on Easter Monday.

Easter 2023 - Supermarket opening times

Aldi

• Good Friday: 8am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-8pm

Check your local Aldi store's opening times here.

ASDA

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local ASDA store's opening times here.

Co-op (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-10pm

Check your local Co-op store's opening times here.

Iceland

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Iceland store's opening times here.

Lidl

• Good Friday: 8am-8pm
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-8pm

Check your local Lidl store's opening times here.

Morrisons

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local Morrisons store's opening times here.

Sainsbury's (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 6am-11pm
• Saturday 8 April: 6am-11pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-10pm

Check your local Sainsbury's store's opening times here.

Tesco (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 6am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-6pm

Check your local Tesco store's opening times here.

Waitrose (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 8am-8pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-6pm

Check your local Waitrose store's opening times here.

Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in the UK?

Yes, Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - but not in Scotland. As Easter Sunday falls on a weekend day, the Monday after has always been a Bank Holiday, commemorating the Christian holiday.

According to Public Holiday guide, Easter Monday was initially included in the original list of Bank Holidays proposed by Right Honourable Sir John Lubbock MP as part of the Bank Holidays Act of 1871.

As Easter Monday is a Bank Holiday, services like banks, building societies, pharmacies, post offices and supermarkets will operate at reduced hours.

Related Easter features:

• Does Royal Mail deliver post on Good Friday and Easter Monday?
• Why is Good Friday called Good Friday?
• Why do we celebrate Easter and why does the date change every year?
• What day do you give Easter eggs and where does the tradition come from?
• Easter baskets 2023: 17 of the cutest options for an Easter egg hunt
• 24 of the best Easter hampers: Thorntons, Cadbury, Hotel Chocolat and more
• Best Easter gifts for kids 2023: 40 non-chocolate treats for children
• Easter games and activities: 26 fun ideas for toddlers and kids

Video of the Week

Check which shops are open on Good Friday to save yourself a wasted trip to the supermarket this bank holiday weekend.

With the long weekend on the horizon, shoppers have been asking if shops are open on Easter Sunday and whether supermarkets are open on Easter Monday. But many are equally eager to know the details for Good Friday, as it presents a last-minute chance to treat yourself to an Easter hamper of goodies, stock up on Easter eggs for the kids and other traditional Easter foods ahead of the big day.

While large supermarkets are usually open on the bank holiday, their hours sometimes differ, which is why it's important to check ahead. Here, we share the Good Friday opening times for Aldi, Tesco, Lidl and more...

Are shops open on Good Friday?

Yes, most supermarkets in the UK have confirmed that they will be open on Good Friday - though the hours may differ to usual. This applies to most Tesco Express, Sainsbury’s Local, Co-op convenience stores and other smaller supermarkets, as well as large stores.

However, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Asda, M&S, Morrisons, Iceland and the Co-op are among the retailers to confirm that most of their supermarkets in England and Wales will close on Easter Sunday. Scottish stores will mostly be open for their usual Sunday hours, however.

Easter 2023 - Supermarket opening times

Aldi

• Good Friday: 8am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-8pm

Check your local Aldi store's opening times here.

ASDA

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local ASDA store's opening times here.

Co-op (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Co-op store's opening times here.

Iceland

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Iceland store's opening times here.

Lidl

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Lidl store's opening times here.

Morrisons

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local Morrisons store's opening times here.

Sainsbury's (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 6am-11pm
• Saturday 8 April: 6am-11pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-10pm

Check your local Sainsbury's store's opening times here.

Tesco (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Tesco store's opening times here.

Waitrose (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 8am-8pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-6pm

Check your local Waitrose store's opening times here.

Are any shops closed on Good Friday?

Most supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies will be open on Good Friday, though the hours may differ to normal. Shops that will be closed on Good Friday are more likely to be local or independent stores, so you'll need to check ahead to find out if they're open.

As well as the smaller versions of superstores - such as Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local - other supermarket shops that will likely be open include:

• Budgens
• The Co-op
• M&S Simply Food
• Service station supermarkets

Farm shops are also allowed to stay open to sell their produce, but it's always best to check ahead.

Is Good Friday a bank holiday in the UK?

Yes, Good Friday is a bank holiday in the UK. It is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and occurs every year on the Friday before Easter Sunday.

This means that as well as some shops changing their trading hours, Royal Mail in England, Wales and Northern Ireland won't be delivering or collecting post, and most Post Offices will be closed. In Scotland,  there will be normal collections and deliveries on Good Friday, but none on Easter Monday.

Related Easter features:

• Does Royal Mail deliver post on Good Friday and Easter Monday?
• Why is Good Friday called Good Friday?
• Why do we celebrate Easter and why does the date change every year?
• What day do you give Easter eggs and where does the tradition come from?
• Easter baskets 2023: 17 of the cutest options for an Easter egg hunt
• 24 of the best Easter hampers: Thorntons, Cadbury, Hotel Chocolat and more
• Best Easter gifts for kids 2023: 40 non-chocolate treats for children
• Easter games and activities: 26 fun ideas for toddlers and kids

Video of the Week

With food inflation being a huge driver in the cost of living crisis, it's unsurprising that families are concerned about how to save money on food as they try to make ends meet. 

There are multiple complex reasons why food prices are going up. But the end result means that families are struggling to stretch their household budgets to cover the rising cost. 

But there is a simple change that you can make to significantly reduce how much you spend on food. And it's a change that sticks - I made the change at the start of the pandemic and slashed my monthly food bill by more than 30%. And I haven't gone back.

So what did I do? I swapped to the cheapest supermarket. And if you're wondering if Aldi or Lidl is cheaper - the team at Goodto have done the research to find out.

Now this is something you might have already considered, but when I told my friends just how much I'd saved, they were surprised. They thought it would be much less, and so hadn't made the change themselves, thinking it wouldn't be worth it. 

But I think it absolutely is, and here's why.

Why I switched supermarkets 

I was a die-hard Sainsbury’s fan for years, decades even. I’d shop online and the nice delivery person would bring my groceries right to my front door.

But the pandemic changed all that. Suddenly getting a Sainsbury’s delivery slot was incredibly difficult. And as a fit and healthy person, I thought it was best to leave the limited online delivery slots to old or vulnerable people who didn’t feel safe going to the supermarket in person.

Forced to now drive to the supermarket, I decided to try a cheaper one and for a while alternated between Aldi and Lidl. 

The result? I’ve switched to Aldi permanently (it has better parking than my local Lidl) and saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of pounds. While money-saving wasn't my main goal when I switched, as prices have skyrocketed, I'm very glad I did!

What I spend on a big shop

A quick look through my online Sainsbury’s account shows that, pre-pandemic, I normally spent about £100 on each online order, which would last me about two or three weeks. With food inflation at its highest in 40 years, I expect those online orders would cost a lot more now.

Now I do my “big shop” at Aldi, at the same frequency, and my bill is normally about £60 for a car boot load of food. That's a 40% saving based on Sainsbury's pre-pandemic prices. Even with food prices going up, the price differences between the two supermarkets would still be quite similar.

In between big shops, I still have to top up things like fruit, vegetables and milk at my nearest Sainsbury’s Local or Tesco Express. 

How do prices compare?

Here are some examples of things I always buy and how the prices compare (prices were correct at the time of writing):

Even if I just bought those five items from Aldi instead of Sainsbury's, I would save £6.90.

But let's compare an actual big shop. Conveniently, my bank, Monzo, categorises my spending so I can see what I spend on groceries each month. 

According to Monzo, I spent £386 on groceries in April 2019 (when I was still a Sainsbury’s fan) but just £265 in April 2022 (when I was an Aldi regular). These total monthly figures for groceries also include top-up shops at Sainsbury’s Local, Tesco Express or the local corner shop.

That's a saving of £121 over the course of the month!

But don't just take my word for it

It’s not just my experience that suggests you can save a fortune by switching to Aldi or Lidl – my claims are backed up by the experts.

For example, The Grocer magazine found that Aldi is, on average, 35% cheaper than some of its rivals. 

Meanwhile Which? has just crowned Aldi the cheapest supermarket for the seventh month in a row and the cheapest supermarket overall for 2022. But there’s not much in it between Aldi and Lidl – the basket of 48 items Which? looked at cost £81.63 at Aldi and just £1.61 more at Lidl (£83.24).

The same items cost £95.71 at Sainsbury’s, £102.87 at Ocado and a whopping £112.62 at Waitrose.

What I learned by switching supermarkets

Pros of switching supermarkets

• It's cheaper
• On the whole, I can't taste a difference
• Great seasonal options 

Some people think the quality of food in budget supermarkets won’t be as good as in the more expensive supermarkets. While arguably, this is probably true for some items, it’s not what I have found on the whole. I like to eat quite healthily, cook meals from scratch and batch cook for convenience (which can also help reduce the price of your food shop). Since I’ve switched to Aldi my meals have tasted the same as before.  

I even cooked a family Christmas dinner with food from Aldi – and no one noticed any difference. Moving on to Easter, Aldi has some of the swankiest looking and nice-tasting Easter eggs I’ve ever had.

Switching supermarkets has made me realise I need to be more organised and go more often. When I pop into Tesco Express or Sainsbury’s Local for a few bits (and always take my supermarket loyalty card), I realise I’m paying over the odds compared to Aldi. A Tesco Clubcard offers discounts on lots of items – but, in my opinion, Tesco has simply hiked up prices for non-Clubcard users. 

Downside of switching supermarkets

• Less choice
• Can't always find branded items
• Limited options for those with specific dietary requirements
• Lack of online deliveries

A major downside of ditching Tesco, Waitrose or Sainsbury’s for Aldi or Lidl is that they sell less products.

With both Aldi and Lidl stores typically a fraction of the size of a large Sainsbury’s or Tesco store, they don’t have as much choice. If you like certain branded food, you might find you can’t buy your favourite items. For example, I couldn’t see any Doritos (£1.75 in Sainsbury’s) in Aldi on my last visit so I bought budget tortillas (48p) instead – they were a fraction of the price but, admittedly, not as nice. 

Aldi also lacks decent oat milk – I still go to Sainsbury’s or Tesco for that. 

If you buy toiletries with your supermarket shop, it’s slim pickings in both Aldi and Lidl, although their basic brands of shower gel, shampoo and face cream are cheap and good quality.

A big issue is that neither Aldi or Lidl do online deliveries, so you’ll need both the time and transport to go and do a “big shop” in person. Fortunately, I have a car and a trip to my local Aldi would be pretty tricky without it. 

But online grocery shopping is ultimately a lot less time-consuming – pre-pandemic I could whizz through an online Sainsbury’s order while watching TV.

Weighing everything up, the extra effort of a trip to Aldi (or Lidl) is worth it for the cost savings, and I’d recommend other people think about making the switch too.

Other ways to slash the cost of your food shop

Changing to a cheaper supermarket is a great starting point if you want to save money on food, but there's lots more you can do to keep food bills as low as possible.

• Write a shopping list and stick to it - it'll help you avoid impulse purchases
• Don't shop hungry
• Be wise to supermarket tricks that encourage you to spend more
• Shop later in the day for the best reductions
• Avoid pre-prepared fruit, salad and sandwiches
• Buy a brand level lower - in most cases, you won't be able to taste a difference
• Sign up to the supermarket's loyalty scheme for exclusive offers and discounts
• Click and collect if you shop online - it's cheaper than delivery
• Remember to take your shopping bags. 

Aldi customers can now get £10 worth of food for just £3.30 part of the budget supermarket’s new Magic Bag scheme. 

If you’re looking for ways to save money on your food shopping and help the environment amid the cost of living crisis, you’ve come to the right place.  

Aldi has proven itself as one of the best cheap supermarkets once again after announcing its ‘Magic Bag’ scheme, which offers customers £10 worth of groceries at a bargain price of just £3.30. 

The German budget chain has partnered with the food waste-saving app, Too Good To Go, for the exciting project, in a bid to help families and individuals across the nation tighten their belts at this financially difficult time. 

The heavily discounted ‘Magic Bags’ will contain a variety of grocery products, from wholegrain bread to green vegetables, that are all nearing their sell-by or use-by dates. The eco-friendly scheme, which first ran on a trial basis in August, will now be rolled out across all of Aldi’s 990 stores in the UK and is expected to save an estimated 4,000 tonnes of food from going to waste. 

All shoppers need to do to snap up a Magic Bag is download the free Too Good To Go app and search for their nearby Aldi store. They can then reserve a bag to collect from their local store at an allotted time. 

"Rolling out our partnership with Too Good To Go is another way of allowing us to cut down on food waste, while also offering customers the opportunity to pick up our food at even lower prices," Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said. "With the rising cost of living impacting so many, Too Good To Go offers a simple and accessible way for consumers to save money and reduce waste."

Aldi has also confirmed that its UK stores will continue to donate surplus food to local causes on every day of the year. 

Sophie Trueman, Managing Director of Too Good To Go UK and Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to be rolling out our partnership with Aldi nationally. Having already had fantastic feedback during a successful trial period, I know our Too Good To Go community is going to jump at the chance to save Magic Bags from their local Aldi and prevent even more good food from going to waste." 

Aldi has scrapped the online home delivery service of its Specialbuys, as well as its wine and spirits, in order to keep their 'prices low', a spokesperson for the discount supermarket chain has confirmed. 

As the cost-of-living crisis rages on, low-cost grocery stores like Aldi have become an absolute lifesaver for families across the nation. 

The German supermarket chain was named the second cheapest supermarket after Lidl in 2022 and is best known for offering affordable prices, friendly service, and a streamlined shopping experience. It has also gained an unlikely reputation for its impressive booze section, with some of Aldi's best wines receiving gold, silver, and bronze medals from prestigious wine competitions like the International Wine Challenge (IWC)

Just last month, a savvy TikTok influencer discovered a Laurent-Perrier Champagne dupe at Aldi for an unbeatable £8.99. 

With so much fanfare surrounding its alcohol section, Aldi's decision to end the online home delivery service of its wine and spirits range has (understandably!) taken customers by surprise. The no-frills supermarket has also stopped the online delivery of its Specialbuys, which include its garden, home, DIY, baby & toddler, toys, electricals, health and beauty, and sports and leisure departments. 

In a statement to the Grocer, an Aldi spokesperson said the following, "We keep our prices low by being the most efficient retailer in Britain and we have therefore taken the decision to stop selling wine and spirits online for home delivery from later this month.

"We will also stop selling our Specialbuys online for home delivery later this year. We are working with our colleagues to understand the impact of this change for our people. This will involve exploring different options for our colleagues across Aldi." 

When the scrapping of Aldi's Specialbuys and wine and spirits' online delivery service comes into effect, customers will only be able to avail of the supermarket's 'Click and Collect' service for its groceries. 

According to The Sun, the company no longer needs to operate an online business after seeing a huge spike in business in recent months. Aldi reported that it enjoyed its most successful Christmas ever last week, with sales rising by 26% in December to £1.4 billion.

Primark online shopping has been on the wishlist of many of the retailers fans, but are they planning on launching an online store anytime soon? 

Even before the cost of living crisis took hold, many shoppers were keen to bag a bargain, whether it was shopping at the cheapest supermarket, debating whether Aldi or Lidl is cheaper, or shopping at the hugely popular Primark. 

While it has more than 70,000 employees across more than 400 stores all over the world, Primark was actually founded in Ireland back in 1969. Initially a clothing store, it has expanded to also sell beauty, homewares and accessories, cementing itself as an affordable high street staple. 

But while many shoppers will still hit the high street and buy in person, many prefer the convenience and extra choice that comes with shopping online. 

Does Primark offer online shopping?

Primark does offer online shopping on some products, but it's only available as click and collect from 57 of its UK stores. 

The retailer's click and collect trial was initially restricted to the north west of England, but is now available across stores in Greater London and north Wales. The trial was also limited to kids' and nursery products, but as of 13 September, a selection of womenswear will also be available to purchase with click and collect at participating stores. 

Once the 1,000 womenswear items are available, that means shoppers will be able to shop from around 2,500 Primark products it total via the click and collect trial. 

If you don't live near one of the 57 stores taking part in the trial, you can still browse current ranges on the website and check availability in your local store, but you will need to head in store to purchase. 

These are the Primark stores that currently offer click and collect:

• Manchester - Market Street
  
• Birkenhead
  
• Wallasey
  
• Trafford Centre
  
• Bolton
  
• Bury
  
• Sheffield - The Moor
  
• Huddersfield
• Lancaster
  
• Carlisle
  
• Broughton Park
  
• Southport
  
• Chester
  
• Llandudno
  
• Oldham
  
• Blackburn
  
• Stockport
• Wrexham
  
• Wigan
  
• Liverpool
  
• Burnley
  
• Blackpool
  
• Preston
  
• Meadowhall
  
• Warrington
• Bexleyheath
• Bluewater
• Bromley
• Charlton
• Croydon
• Dartford
• Ealing
• East Ham
• Hackney
• Hammersmith
• Harrow New
• Hounslow
• Ilford
• Kilburn
• Kingston
• Lakeside
• London Oxford Street East
• London Oxford Street West
• Lewisham
• Peckham
• Romford
• Staines
• Stratford
• Sutton
• Tooting
• Uxbridge
• Wandsworth
• Watford
• Wembley
• White City
• Wood Green
• Woolwich

Does Primark deliver?

Unfortunately Primark doesn't deliver. Any online orders are only available for click and collect from select stores only - much to the dismay of customers who prefer to shop online. 

Primark does have a website where you can browse a range of its current products, and in some cases you can shop online and collect from one of 57 stores, but you can't go as far as placing an order that will arrive at your front door.

Seeing as the retailer didn't move into the world of online ordering and delivery during the pandemic, it's unlikely that it will offer this service any time soon. 

Why doesn't Primark sell online?

Despite pleas from customers, especially during the pandemic, Primark has previously stated that its famously cheap price tags would suffer if they moved their store online.

Even with the popularity of the click and collect service (the surge of online shoppers caused the website to crash for four hours when it was introduced in November 2022), the retailer is focusing on opening new stores across the world, with a goal of 530 stores by the end of 2026. 

If you need to buy something for your family, whether it's one of the best toys or best pushchairs, then let our range of buying guides steer you in the right direction.

Carrying out your weekly food shop at the cheapest supermarket is one of the simplest ways to save money on food. Family budgets remain tight thanks to stubbornly high inflation, and with the colder months now upon us, there’s the extra pressure of high energy bills to contend with. 

Retail expert at online discount platform Wethrift, Nick Drewe, told us: “As we navigate through the ongoing cost of living crisis, the impact that rising inflation is having on the prices of everyday supermarket essentials has been impossible to ignore. 

“While many shoppers will be looking to make cuts on their non-essential purchases where possible, or looking to swap from branded goods to supermarket own ranges, in order to ease the strain on their bank accounts, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to decipher exactly where the best deals and highest quality offerings are to be sourced. In times of financial uncertainty, the average shopper is less likely to retain brand loyalty if they are able to find notably cheaper goods at rival supermarkets.”

Whichever supermarket you choose to shop at, always ensure you’re signed up to its loyalty card scheme to maximise any savings or benefits you can get. It's also a good idea to wise up to sneaky supermarket tricks that retailers use to encourage you to spend more in store. If you tend to shop online, make sure you know where you can get the cheapest online food shopping. 

Which was the cheapest supermarket in October 2023? 

The latest research by Which? shows that for the first time in 17 months, Lidl has been crowned the cheapest supermarket for October 2023. Aldi was knocked off the top spot to take second place. We did our own experiment to see if Aldi or Lidl was cheaper and that's what our latest research found too.

Which? checked the price of 44 popular grocery items and found that Lidl was the cheapest at £74.58, just 17p less than closest rival Aldi. 

Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket in October 2023. The equivalent basket cost a total of £91.15 – that’s 22% (or £16.57) more than Lidl. Of the ‘big four’ supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons), Asda was cheapest at £82.11.   

Cheapest supermarket for larger shops

Which? also compared the cost of a larger trolley of 135 items (the original 44, plus 91 more). As this larger shop includes more branded items, which may not be available at the discounters, Aldi and Lidl weren’t included in this comparison.

Asda was found to be the cheapest of the ‘big four’ traditional supermarkets, with an average trolley price of £328.42. Morrisons took second place, with a total trolley cost of £339.40 (£10.98 more).

At the other end of the scale, Waitrose was once again found to be the most expensive supermarket in October, having been overtaken by Sainsbury’s last month. The Waitrose trolley cost £378.08, £49.66 more than Asda. 

How do supermarkets compare for kids' essentials?

Raising a family doesn’t come cheap, so if you’ve recently had a baby, the table below looks at how the cost of essential baby items compares across the major supermarkets.  

Although Aldi and Lidl often offer cheaper products, they don’t sell as wide a selection of products (and some products tend to come and go), which means you might need to go to the bigger supermarkets to get the remainder of your items. Prices are pretty similar across Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's, while Waitrose stands out as being the most expensive – primarily because it offers a smaller range of own-brand products.

If your children are older, the table below outlines how prices compare at the same supermarkets for a selection of kids’ favourites.

Again, Waitrose tends to be the most expensive. Aldi and Lidl do have some great deals, but didn’t stock all the products we were after. Lidl also only publishes the prices of some of its products online – the product, or an equivalent, may be available in store, even if it’s not listed on our table. 

Which is the most expensive supermarket?

According to Which’s annual survey, Waitrose was the most expensive across the 12 months of 2022. In fact, a basket of items from Waitrose cost from £9 to over £30 more per month than the cheapest supermarket. It also remains the priciest supermarket so far this year. We also did our own experiment to see if Waitrose was more expensive than M&S Food.

However, separate research from Which? reveals that in September this year, Sainsbury’s saw the highest level of inflation on food and drink, with prices up 14% year-on-year. This is the first time Sainsbury’s has been highest for inflation and it was followed by Lidl at 13.3% and Aldi at 12.8%.

Waitrose, on the other hand, had a lower inflation figure of 7.7%.

How to find the cheapest supermarket

Monitoring surveys and research from publications such as The Grocer and Which? is one way to keep track of supermarket prices. But there are also a number of apps and tools that can help you find the cheapest prices for the items you need to buy.

The Trolley app is a good example that lets you compare prices across 16 supermarkets – including Aldi and Lidl. You can even use the app in store and scan a bar code before you buy to ensure you aren’t paying more than you need.

Other options to try include Latest Deals, MySupermarketCompare and Superizon. These all let you compare the best deals across a range of supermarkets, while Supermarket Wizard helps consumers carry out a full basket price comparison across the big six supermarkets. Once you’ve placed all the items in your basket, you’ll be able to see which supermarket comes out cheapest.  

It can also be worth trying out food waste apps such as Too Good To Go, as shopping expert at MyVoucherCodes, Sarah-Jane Outten, explains: “Too Good To Go offers magic bags from several supermarkets including Morrisons, Waitrose, and M&S Food. These bags are packed with foods close to the end date for a fraction of the full price.” See how this app saved one mum more than £35 a month.  

Is the cheapest supermarket the best?

At a time when the cost of living remains high, hunting out the cheapest supermarket and finding the biggest savings will be a top priority. However, cost isn’t the only factor that should be considered when looking for the best supermarket for your circumstances. 

Finance expert at lender Cashfloat, Sarah Connelly, told us: "Choosing the cheapest supermarket can save you money, but it's essential to consider your overall shopping needs. Quality, variety, convenience, and value also play a significant role in determining the 'best' supermarket for you. The key is finding the right balance between affordability and the other factors that matter to you.”

Food expert and owner of online supermarket Britsuperstore, Richard Price, agrees, saying: “One crucial consideration is the quality of the products on offer. Cheaper supermarkets might cut corners in terms of product quality or freshness, potentially leading to subpar food items that can impact your health and overall satisfaction. Therefore, it's essential to strike a balance between affordability and the quality of the goods you're purchasing.

“Customer service, cleanliness, and the overall shopping experience also play a role in choosing the right supermarket. A frustrating or uncomfortable shopping environment can make the cheaper option less appealing, and the convenience of a more expensive store with better service may be worth the extra cost.”

You’ll also need to think about how easy the cheapest supermarket is for you to get to. There’s no point travelling miles to a cheaper supermarket if increased petrol or public transport costs eat up your savings. 

Consumer finance specialist, Sarah Pennells from Royal London, also points out that while discount supermarkets can be cheaper, you might not be able to do your full weekly shop at one.

She says: “Some discount stores have very limited ranges, which can mean the cheapest option isn’t available so you have to pay more, or you need to make a separate trip to another supermarket if they’re out of stock of something you need. I use discount supermarkets regularly, but have experienced both of these.”

It’s also important to note that neither Aldi or Lidl offer a full online shopping service either. Lidl is in-store only while Aldi only offers click and collect.

If you're after more ways to save money on your food shop, try this cheese hack. You might also like our guide on how to get free food (or at least heavily discounted food).  

A big supermarket milk change at stores such as Sainsbury's, Aldi, Iceland and Waitrose has left shoppers totally confused. 

Walk down the milk aisle in any UK supermarket and you're used to seeing hundreds of blue, red or green tops lining the shelves, right? 

Well, in light of a big supermarket milk change, you'll no longer be able to rely on the colour of the milk bottle lid to distinguish between skimmed, full fat and semi-skimmed at some of the country's biggest grocers, including some of the cheapest supermarkets of 2022 and the most pricey.

The coloured lids have been replaced with a clear plastic alternative, in order to make them recyclable. However the bottle top switch up is causing confusion among  shoppers.

With Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Iceland and Aldi, all scrapping the coloured lids, with other big name supermarkets predicted to follow suit, shoppers have taken to social media to share their annoyance over the change. 

"@AldiUK who on Earth thought it was a good idea to make the plastic milk tops clear?? Just spent 25 mins looking for it! It was already on," one Aldi customer penned to the store on Twitter. 

"Why the hell they changed the blue or green top for milk bottles to clear one it doing my head, I keep thinking the top is off when making a breakfast or tea/coffee," another irritated shopper penned.

Responding to a confused Twitter user, Waitrose explained, "Coloured milk bottle tops could not be recycled. The change was made so the clear bottle tops can be recycled."

The spokesperson for the brand added, "You can still select the milk you like by looking at the colour on the label."

Meanwhile, Aldi's plastic and packaging director, Richard Gorman, explained that the switch is being trialled as part of the supermarket's efforts to align with their customer's desire to be greener. 

"We know it’s becoming increasingly important to our customers that their everyday products are environmentally-friendly, and we are constantly reviewing ways to become a more sustainable supermarket," he said. 

"By trialling clear milk caps we are making our milk bottles easier to recycle, so they can be turned back into new packaging."

A pricing dispute between Tesco and Heinz means that you might struggle to get your hands on the likes of the brand's iconic ketchup and beans during your supermarket trips right now. 

It was revealed earlier this week that Kraft, the food giant behind the Heinz brand, had tried to introduce price increases on some of its most popular Heinz products, in light of rising production costs. 

However, Tesco announced that they were pushing back on the Heinz cost increase to support customers as food prices rise, sparking a price row between the retailer and the household grocery name. 

Why has Tesco stopped selling Heinz?

Heinz products such as beans, ketchup, salad cream and more are missing from some Tesco shelves after the supermarket shared that it would be pausing supplies of the brand following a price increase. 

In a statement, Tesco confirmed that the increase of Heinz products would not be "passed on" to shoppers, in order to support households across the nation dealing with rising energy prices and increases in the cost of living. 

"With household budgets under increasing pressure, now more than ever we have a responsibility to ensure customers get the best possible value, and we will not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers," Tesco said. 

"We’re sorry that this means some products aren’t available right now, but we have plenty of alternatives to choose from and we hope to have this issue resolved soon.

"We’re laser-focused on keeping the cost of the weekly shop in check, offering customers great value through our combination of Aldi Price Match, Low Everyday Prices and Clubcard Prices," Tesco added. 

Defending the price hikes, Heinz a issued a statement, with a Kraft spokesperson explaining, "We are working closely with Tesco to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

"In today’s challenging economic environment – with commodity and production costs rising – many consumers are working within tight budgets.

"We always look at how we can provide value through price, size and packs so consumers can enjoy the products they love and trust at a price point that works within their budgets, without compromising on quality."

How much are Heinz prices rising by?

While Tesco has pulled the supply of Heinz from its stores, the increase in the cost of Heinz products can be seen on the price tags of beans, ketchup, soup and more at other supermarkets. 

According to food trade magazine The Grocer, prices of Heinz products have rocketed recently, with a tin of Heinz beans surging to £1.20 at most major supermarkets. 

Meanwhile, a four pack of 400g Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup tins will now set you back £3.50 at Sainsbury's, up from its previous price of £2.50. 

A 910g bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup is now priced at £3.50 at the majority of retailers, while Morrisons is offering a price tag of £3.49 for the sauce. 

Calling all shopaholics, Aldi and Lidl shoppers are being given the opportunity to make up to £30 per hour for shopping in those famous middle aisle.

The "aisle of dreams" in Aldi and Lidl is packed with bargain-hunters looking for everything from 69p sleeping teas to massive two-seater hanging egg chairs.

Now, bargain shopping platform WeThrift is looking to hire people to be paid by the hour to shop the bargain-filled middle aisles in the budget supermarket giants.

To begin, you must be at least 18 years old, have access to a computer or smartphone, and be able to travel to a Lidl, Aldi, or Sainsbury's store in order to be considered for the role.

WeThrift, which revealed Lidl items can resale for £27.66 and Aldi £11.53, will employ the 'Middle Aisle Shoppers' to hunt for epic Aldi and Lidl Specialbuys before they sell out.

The goal is to give customers who miss out on limited-edition products in their local stores a second chance to buy the latest must-have item at the same price online.

Each Middle Aisle Shopper will be allocated £500 to spend on a fixed number of products when a new one is released, and will be able to work flexibly, remotely, and on a freelance basis.

After opening its first checkout-free shop this week, Aldi has joined the ranks of other grocery giants, like Amazon Fresh, heading the modern way of food shopping.

The deadline to apply is February 11th, and successful candidates will be chosen by February 18th.

WeThrift's creator, Nick Drewe, said, "In the UK we know that people have an affinity for reselling products, whether its old sofas, second hand trainers, or Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot plush toy, if there’s a buck to be made the entrepreneurial British people will be selling it. However, sometimes a product is particularly popular in one area, therefore hundreds of consumers may miss out."

"We want to ensure that everyone has the chance to buy a converted middle aisle product! Our hope is to get all of the candidates confirmed by the middle of February, so if you love browsing the middle aisle of a discount supermarket, please get in touch!"

Aldi has opened its first checkout-free store, allowing customers to pick up items and go without having to wait in line to pay.

As the world evolves and adapts to new kinds of buying, bargain supermarket chain, Aldi, are keeping up with the times by opening a "trial" checkout-free store in London, that allows shoppers to complete their shopping and pay without having to go to a checkout counter.

The European shopping chain has been making headlines in recent months, with a nostalgic Willy Wonka-inspired £10,000 giveaway and a hilariously 'savage' dig at M&S in their 'Christmas advert war.

Aldi's new groundbreaking pay on the go scheme involves shoppers using the Aldi Shop&Go app and being charged for their purchases as they leave the store, the first of its kind is in Greenwich.

Aldi's new store follows in the footsteps of Amazon, after the online shopping giant launched its Amazon Fresh stores.

Customers will also be able to buy alcohol through the new way of shopping, including the award-winning best Aldi wines as well as 17 new rosé wines starting at £4.99. All you have to do to bag these bottles is use facial-age estimation technology to see if you look to be older than 25.

People who are unable or unwilling to use the system can have their age confirmed by a staff member. Customers will be tracked as they shop, and they will be billed as they leave, thanks to a set of high-tech cameras.

Greenwich store manager Lewis Esparon announced the huge shopping shift, saying, "We have been working towards this day for several months now so it will be great to see how our customers react to the new technology.

"For us, steps like this are always about improving the customer experience and the whole team are looking forward to being on-hand and ready to help to ensure that experience is as smooth as ever."

Aldi UK and Ireland CEO Giles Hurley admitted that the opening is "the culmination of months of work" and that he was "looking forward to seeing how customers react".

The checkout-free store was first announced by Aldi in September of last year, but no opening date was given, as Giles continued, "This store utilises the very latest in retail technology offering Aldi’s award-winning products and unbeatable prices to customers in a new and innovative way."

"The team are really excited about seeing customers come in and experience Aldi Shop&Go," he concluded.

Kevin the Carrot has been Aldi's famous Christmas mascot for many years now and he has frequently caused chaos in-store as customers have been desperate to get their hands on one.

Aside from asking 'how to get the best deals on Black Friday 2021?' Shoppers are keen to know 'When is Aldi's Kevin the Carrot on sale 2021?'

Fan feared Kevin had been replaced by Ebanana Scrooge in this year's advert, but it was a false alarm as Kevin is back better than ever. And to avoid any disappointed customers this year, Aldi has given its customers a heads up on when they can expect the cheery plush character to be available to buy - and it's sooner than you think.

In previous years, the bid to be one of the first to buy the top Christmas toy has seen people queue overnight outside Aldi stores and even pay upwards of £1000 to get their hands on one so it's fair to say they've been in hot demand since the loveable character was introduced to us a few years ago.

Kevin the Carrot was first introduced in 2016 and we learned about his girlfriend, Katie the Carrot a year later in a 2017 advert. Then in 2018, the vegetable couple were joined in the Christmas advert by their three children - Chantenay, Baby Carrot and Jasper - as well as Pascal the Parsnip, the villain who was keeping Katie and the kids locked up. By the time that 2019 rolled around, the carrot family were free and now this year Kevin is back once again in another adventure in Aldi's Christmas advert 2020.

And he's made some new friends.

To get into the festive spirit, the retailer will be selling Kevin the Carrot toys again this year. -and they've introduced some new characters - Ebannana Scrooge and Marcus Radishford (a tribute to footballer Marcus Rashford) alongside the other wonderful wares in the middle aisle.

So when is Aldi's Kevin the Carrot in store 2020? Here's how to avoid disappointment this year...

When is Aldi's Kevin the Carrot on sale 2021?

Kevin the Carrot is available to buy in-store from Aldi as of Thursday 25th of November 2021. The announcement will be good news for some who've been anxiously waiting for the release date since last Christmas, as many missed out on picking up a Kevin the Carrot Plush Bundle in time for the big day.

In anticipation of the rush to buy the toy, the retailer released a statement to say, 'It wouldn’t be Christmas without Kevin and his family. Find all the new plush toys in your local Aldi on 25 November, along with a brilliant Ebanana Scrooge and Marcus Radishford.'

And fans are delighted at his return. One wrote, 'Kevin is back! It’s absolutely brilliant! Well done Aldi.😍😁🍌🥕👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻'

Another fan put, 'This is fab 😍 Marcus radishford 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂'

And a third shopper added, 'Aldi have the best Christmas Adverts! Another amazing animation… very clever 👏👏👏 kids going to love it!'

And if you haven't yet seen it, Kevin the Carrot and his new friends star in the new Aldi Christmas advert, which you can watch in full below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-PhgjyNSs

Who is Ebanana Scrooge?

Ebanana Scrooge is the new Christmas character for Aldi supermarket and he is confronted by the ghost of Christmas past Kevin the Carrot for his humbug attitude and taken on a winter flight to remind him of the joys of the season.

After showcasing a Christmas dinner full of food, the tale ends with the moral: “For you to be happy, you need to be kind”

Can you buy Kevin the Carrot from Aldi online?

Unfortunately, it looks as though Kevin, Ebanana Scrooge and Marcus Radishford are only available to buy in-store and there's a limit of two soft toys per customer.

In previous years the online stock has cleared out in record time, including Kevin the Carrot Christmas tree decorations, gift mugs, an alternative Kevin & Friends Plush bundle, along with both men's and women's Kevin the Carrot pyjamas. Fans also got their hands on red or blue Kevin the Carrot kids' pyjamas.

And not forgetting the Kevin The Carrot Need for Swede book.

Earlier this year Aldi released a special limited edition Malibu Kevs, the festive carrot enjoying his holiday, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust and Junemas.

How to buy Aldi's Kevin the Carrot toys 2021

Kevin the Carrot will drop in stores much earlier than last year, Thursday 25th November. Kevin and his friends are expected to feature the outfits from the new Christmas advert A Christmas Carrot - an Aldi adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

In previous years there's been the giant Kevin the Carrot plush toy dressed in a Christmas jumper and a toy of Kevin dressed in a kilt.

It's not yet known if there will be a whole range of merchandise released in stores as last year - in previous years there has even been Kevin the Carrot wrapping paper, perfect for wrapping the kids' toys in, but it was missing from the online collection last year this year so perhaps it will be in stores when the toy drops later this month.

We suggest getting in their early though as in previous years, there truly have been queues around the corner.

One shopper, Helen Lee, said according to The Sun, "Can’t believe I’ve seen people physically fighting over bloody Kevin the Carrot."

However, one mum took to Twitter to share her joy at managing to secure the toys for her son. She wrote alongside the snaps of the few she bought, including the giant Kevin, "When your 1 mission before work was to get Kevin the Carrot swag ! Mission accomplished".

Faced with the demand, a spokesperson for Aldi has previously said, "To avoid any disappointment, this year we increased the range by adding new characters such as Pascal the Parsnip, as well as the amount of soft toys available in each store.

"We also limited purchases to two variants per customer so as many people as possible had the chance to buy these products. As with all our Specialbuys products, these are only available while stocks last."

Looking for the best places to buy alcohol online that don't charge an arm and a leg for delivery? We've got you covered.

Whether you've got a special event coming up, a dinner party around the corner or you just want to stock up on some of the best cheap wines (or even the best non-alcoholic wine) - it's time to get acquainted with these brilliant online alcohol outlets boasting great quality wines, beers and spirits for popular cocktails at convenient prices.

From specialist wine sites offering expert picks to Aldi wines and a one stop whiskey shop, you're sure to find your favourite tipple online and available to order to your door. Plus these prices are sure to suit even the tightest of budget - making the idea of not drinking alcohol even less tempting than it already was.

The best places to buy alcohol online:

1. Waitrose Cellar

One of the most reliable places to buy alcohol online, Waitrose Cellar offer a huge range of wines and champagnes, sold either in individual bottles or cases. There is no minimum order but with fantastic offers on a great selection, it works out more affordable in the long run to stock up. As well as wines, they also sell spirits and beers at good prices.

Best for: Good quality wines with service you can depend on.

Delivery options: Next Day delivery is currently unavailable. Standard Delivery takes up to 5 working days and is free on orders over £150, or costs £5.95. Waitrose also offer Named Day delivery for £8.95, or is free on orders over £250.

VIEW AT WAITROSE

2. DrinkWell

Those seeking low calorie wine should look no further than DrinkWell - offering all your favourite red, white, rose and sparkling wines, plus spirits and beers, but with more than half the calories per bottle. Perfect for those on a diet or looking to cut back but still enjoy a glass of wine or two in the evenings.

Best for: Low-calorie alcohol offerings, including wine, spirits and low-calorie beer.

Delivery options: UK Mainland Delivery is priced at £6.99 and this stays the same no matter how many cases you order. DrinkWell also offer a Saturday Delivery for £7.99 for orders placed before 9pm on Thursday. Highlands and Northern Ireland delivery is charged at £9.99.

VIEW AT DRINKWELL

3. The Drink Shop

Traditionally a whole seller for global brands, delivering to bars and restaurants worldwide, there's seemingly no wine, beer or spirit that The Drink Shop doesn't have. Along with all your favourite beverages, you can also buy a range of glass and barware if you're looking to step things up a notch.

Best for: Global alcohol brands that aren't available elsewhere online.

Delivery options: Next Day Delivery available from £8.99, 2 day and 3 day delivery also available with Saturday service at £10.99 delivery charge.

VIEW AT THE DRINK SHOP

4. Roberson Wine

An independent, family-run, award-winning online wine retailer, Roberson Wines has no minimum order. They supply some of the country’s best restaurants (in total, 70 Michelin Stars and counting) and offer quality and value at every level.

Best for: Wines for dinner parties and special occasions.

Delivery options: Standard delivery is £9.99. Free delivery for orders over £100. No minimum order. Deliveries take around 3-5 working days.

VIEW AT ROBERSON WINE

5. Slurp

Featured on many best wine retailer lists, Slurp sells direct to the consumer and has its own Wine Club. The club starts at £30 per month and you can use your fee to buy any wine. You get a discount, access to tastings and events and to your own Slurp advisor.

Best for: Specialist wine knowledge and their monthly wine club.

Delivery options: Slurp offer next day delivery and 2 day delivery with prices varying on the number of bottles ordered. Orders of up to two bottles will be delivered by Royal Mail and cost £3.95 (48 hour delivery) or £5.95 (next day delivery) or is free on orders over £100. Orders with 2 or more bottles will be sent by DPD and costs £7.95 for next day delivery, which is again free on orders over £100.International delivery is currently unavailable due to Brexit restrictions.

VIEW AT SLURP

6. Majestic

The well-known wine retailer also offers an online service. They have an extensive range of cheap wine, beers and fizz.

Best for: Ordering mix-and-match cases, enabling you to get your hands on wine from as little as £4.79 a bottle.

Delivery options: Standard delivery is £6.95 or free on orders over £150. Nominated Day Delivery is £8.95 or free on orders over £150.

VIEW AT MAJESTIC

7. Master of Malt

Masters of Malt have a huge selection of whiskies from all around the world, as well as plenty of choice for gins, rums and cocktail apparatus to go with them. Can't decide? Go for the World Whisky Blend - a blend of whiskies from all around the globe in one bottle, perfect for mixing.

Best for: Whisky lovers, with sample size whiskies available for under £4.

Delivery options: Fast Delivery available on orders before 9.01pm, starting from £4.95.

VIEW AT MASTER OF MALT

8. Lay & Wheeler

Operating since 1854, Lay & Wheeler is one of England’s oldest fine wine merchants. They have great offers on wine, all selected by trusted experts.

Best for: Wine connoisseurs

Delivery options: £15 delivery for standard Mainland UK orders will arrive within 7 days.

VIEW AT LAY & WHEELER

9. Fourpure Brewing Company

London-based brewing company, Fourpure is the place to buy high-quality craft beers online. Available in 30L kegs or standard cans, their core range features a great selection of lager, stout, classic and citrus IPA beers. If the unique packaging alone wasn't enough, they also have a reliable delivery service so you can be drinking your beers in 1-3 working days.

Best for: Craft beer lovers

Delivery options: Standard Delivery in 1-3 working days costs £6.00.

VIEW AT FOURPURE

10. Aldi

There's good news! You can grab some of the best Aldi wines online these days, with many of their picks having picked up prestigious wine awards in recent years too. Easy to order online, there's a huge selection for you to choose from with a great delivery offer on bottles of 6 or more.

Best for: Award-winning wines at low prices

Delivery options: Free delivery orders of 6 bottles or more. Otherwise net day delivery is £6.95 and standard delivery £4.95.

VIEW AT ALDI

11. Honest Grapes

Started by a group of wine enthusiasts, Honest Grapes is known for its superb wine quality and has fans around the globe. There's also a Wine Club option for a monthly fee - giving you discounts and access to wine events and tutorials.

Best for: Artisan wines and discounts for Wine Club members

Delivery options: Standard delivery is £12.50 or free on orders over £75. London customers can also take advantage of their same day delivery service before 11am - which is £27.50 or free for orders over £75.

VIEW AT HONEST GRAPES

12. The Bottle Club

One of the easiest places to buy alcohol online, shop with The Bottle Club and explore new craft spirits, as well as the classic brands that you know and love. With prices in the same range that you would expect from your local supermarket, it's a great alternative to buying in person. They also sell miniatures, perfect for making a one-off cocktail and ready-made cocktails in cans.

Best for: Cocktail lovers and Spirit enthusiasts

Delivery options: Standard 3-5 working days delivery costs £4.99, or free when you spend over £100. Priority Delivery is also available when ordered before 2pm:1-3 working days costs £7.99.

VIEW AT THE BOTTLE CLUB

13. Wanderlust Wine

Wanderlust Wine are champions of the small producer and a great place to buy alcohol online. The company was set up to offer sustainable, quality wine by producers who love what they do. The company’s founder is an ex-chef with a degree in Food & Wine Technology so he certainly knows his stuff!

Best for: Independent wine

Delivery options: Free delivery on orders over £100 or £6.95 on other orders.

VIEW AT WANDERLUST WINE

14. Winebuyers

Free to join, Winebuyers is an exclusive online wine club, which connects its members directly with some of the best vineyards, specialist merchants and distilleries in the world.

Best for: Big discounts on specialist wine (Up to 50% off!)

Delivery options: Delivery costs and times vary depending on which wine you order.

VIEW AT WINEBUYERS

15. Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer has a wine shop which stocks some great bottles. They're usually sold by a case of six and bottles start from just £6.

Best for: Those partial to M&S quality

Delivery options: Free standard delivery when you spend over £100 or £4.99 for orders under. Next day delivery is available and costs £6.99 or is free on orders under £150.

VIEW AT MARKS AND SPENCER

16. Borough Wines

Borough Market is famous all across the World for its quality food and drink and Borough Wines is no exception; they sell carefully selected superb quality wines.

Best for: Great savings courtesy of their daily special wine offerings.

Delivery options: Standard delivery (5 working days) costs £10. Alternatively you can click and collect fro free from the market.

VIEW AT BOROUGH WINES

Lidl shoppers have been warned about a fake supermarket gift card offer and are urged to contact their bank immediately.

Lidl shoppers have been urged to contact their bank immediately if they think they've been victims of a fake gift card offer by fraudsters pretending to be the supermarket chain.

The latest email scam which is doing the rounds is a Lidl shoppers gift card scam that promises customers a voucher in return for taking a short survey and handing over their bank details.

It comes after fresh warnings over Royal Mail scam went viral in Twitter post and Aldi shoppers were warned about a £200 gift card scam back in March.

The scammers have taken extra steps to try and con victims by telling them that a receipt from a purchase made in 2020 is the winning entry in a prize draw - but even though the email isn't from the supermarket, it's tricking some people into believing it is.

The warning, uploaded to Facebook, revealed the contents of the email which stated, 'You will immediately be given the opportunity to set up your groceries voucher free of charge so that you can use it right after,'

One shopper warned, 'Anyone receiving this email from LIDL PLEASE don’t activate it. This is a SCAM. Just delete it. LIDL are aware of it. These scammer will stop at nothing to get their hand in your details.'

The low-cost supermarket has previously advised customers to take a moment before responding to an email, text message, or social media post that claims to be from the supermarket and is asking for personal information.

The grocer said shoppers should ask themselves whether the opportunity feels “too good to be true” and whether they have received a similar message from Lidl in the past.

And before entering any competition, Lidl advised customers to verify its authenticity on the supermarket’s official website.

Other tips to stop yourself from falling victim to a scam include, checking the spelling of web addresses before you click in and also check whether the email address looks like an authentic company contact.

If you believe you may have fallen for a Lidl shoppers gift card scam or any other scam, you are urged to contact your bank or building society straight away or report it to the Action Fraud website.

The supermarket added, "Lidl is not financially or commercially responsible for any fraudulent campaigns. If you feel like you have been a victim of fraud please report this to your bank immediately."

Just like many want to know if shops are open on Good Friday and whether supermarkets are open on Easter Monday, the same is being asked of Easter Sunday...

Whether it's to pick up an extra bag of roast potatoes or shop for last minute Easter eggs for kids or even Easter hampers, or to ensure a foolproof Easter lunch with all the traditional Easter feast offerings, we recommend getting clued up on what shops will be open across the bumper weekend.

Many shops have different opening and closing times during the annual religious celebration. So as always, it's good to check ahead to avoid disappointment - especially where chocolate is involved. We've shared opening times of popular supermarkets like Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury's for the whole Easter weekend.

Are shops open on Easter Sunday?

No, larger supermarket stores tend to be closed on Easter Sunday as it is traditionally classed as a public holiday. Bigger supermarkets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are required to close subject to government trading restrictions. Stores remain open as usual in Scotland.

Iceland, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose have confirmed that all their large retail stores will be shut on Easter Sunday. As for their stores in Scotland, they will continue to operate "normal trading hours."

Sainsbury's and Tesco's larger stores, plus Tesco Metro and Tesco Extra will also be closed on Easter Sunday. However, some of their smaller stores - Tesco Express and Sainsbury's Local - are expected to open.

If in doubt, be sure to check opening times for these smaller stores on their website.

Though opening times on Easter Sunday vary, all supermarket stores will be open on Good Friday (April 7), Easter Saturday (April 8) and Easter Monday (April 9).

So there's still time to grab bits for an Easter bonnet or hot cross buns around the all important weekend.

Easter 2023 - Supermarket opening times

Aldi

• Good Friday: 8am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-8pm

Check your local Aldi store's opening times here.

ASDA

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local ASDA store's opening times here.

Co-op (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Co-op store's opening times here.

Iceland

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: TBC

Check your local Iceland store's opening times here.

Lidl

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-8pm

Check your local Lidl store's opening times here.

Morrisons

• Good Friday: 7am-10pm
• Saturday 8 April: 7am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-8pm

Check your local Morrisons store's opening times here.

Sainsbury's (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 6am-11pm
• Saturday 8 April: 6am-11pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 7am-10pm

Check your local Sainsbury's store's opening times here.

Tesco (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: Normal hours
• Saturday 8 April: Normal hours
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-6pm

Check your local Tesco store's opening times here.

Waitrose (bigger stores)

• Good Friday: 8am-8pm
• Saturday 8 April: 8am-10pm
• Easter Sunday: CLOSED
• Easter Monday: 8am-6pm

Check your local Waitrose store's opening times here.

Are smaller supermarkets open on Easter Sunday?

Smaller supermarkets like Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local aren't necessarily subject to the same opening restrictions as bigger stores in England and Wales.

They are often open later into the evening most Sundays, to around 10 or 11pm.

As well as the smaller versions of superstores, others supermarket shops that will likely be open include:

• Budgens
• The Co-op
• Service station supermarkets

Smaller Marks and Spencer Food stores are likely to open too, selling treats like this year's rude Easter Egg - which fans have have said look something out of lingerie brand Ann Summers.

Whilst Farm shops are also allowed to stay open to sell their produce, but it's always best to check ahead.

Why do supermarkets close on Easter Sunday?

Larger supermarkets are required to close their doors on Easter Sunday as part of government legislation. According to yougov.co.uk, shops "over 280 square metres must close on Easter Sunday". The same rule applies for Christmas Day.

"If your Sunday trading hours are restricted, you must clearly display what they are inside and outside your shop," the government website insists. This is why you'll often see Easter opening times displayed in store reminding customers of when they will be closed during the annual religious holiday.

Shops are also required to only open for six hours on regular Sundays throughout the year. This is a tradition in England and Wales that comes from the Sunday Trading Act 1994, which restricted trading on Sundays to minimal hours and enforced closures on different days of the year.

It's therefore a good idea to plan ahead and purchase all your favourite treats before Easter Sunday to save disappointment.

Related Easter features:

• Does Royal Mail deliver post on Good Friday and Easter Monday?
• Why is Good Friday called Good Friday?
• Why do we celebrate Easter and why does the date change every year?
• What day do you give Easter eggs and where does the tradition come from?
• Easter baskets 2023: 17 of the cutest options for an Easter egg hunt
• 24 of the best Easter hampers: Thorntons, Cadbury, Hotel Chocolat and more
• Best Easter gifts for kids 2023: 40 non-chocolate treats for children
• Easter games and activities: 26 fun ideas for toddlers and kids

Video of the Week

Aldi is selling a dupe of Domino's garlic and herb dip for just 49p and shoppers are saying they can't tell the difference.

Aldi is selling its own version of Domino's pizza garlic and herb dip and shoppers think it 'tastes exactly the same'.

For some, a slice of pizza just isn’t the same without dunking it into your favourite sauce and die hard Domino's fans agree.

But Aldi has tempted some away from their usual take out with its brand new Carlos Takeaway Garlic and Herb Dip, costing just 49p for a 100g pot.

The dip is a dead ringer, in terms of taste, to Domino's famous garlic and herb sauce and is a perfect addition to garlic bread, oven pizza or just about any other dip-able food. Fake-away anyone?

Thrilled customers have been keen to share their excitement about the deliciously creamy dip, which is available in Aldi stores now, with other pizza lovers on Facebook.

One post on Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK received over 1,000 comments. The author of the post said, ‘I personally thought it tasted exactly the same as Domino's’, while another Facebooker commented, ‘Best dip I've had in ages!! I need to get more.’

So can you taste the difference? The only way to see is to stock up on the scrumptious sauce next time you stop by - and why not save a garlic dip form your Domino's and do your own blindfolded taste test to really see if you can taste the difference?

And if you're looking to pick up a dip as part of your next big shop then a perfect accompaniment would be Aldi’s Carlos Stuffed Crust Pizza costing just £1.49 or the XXL Garlic Pizza Bread costing just £2.49.

How about making some tasty takeaway style chips at home, you can also pick up an air fryer at Aldi or Lidl for under £30? And if you team it up with Meghan Markle's favourite wine, which is also on sale in the low-cost supermarket you've got yourself a bargain takeaway.

With so much to choose from shoppers can create a mouth-watering fakeaway for a night-in this winter.

Aldi and Lidl are both selling air fryers for less than £40 right now.

The bargain supermarket chains are known for stocking epic money-saving gadgets in their iconic middle aisles.

While Aldi and Lidl are often subject to comparison by savvy shoppers and are each other's ultimate competition, they've both come through with a version of the same incredible product this January.

Anyone partial to a new kitchen appliance will have no doubt caught wind of the hype surrounding air fryers, thanks to their ability to cook crispy culinary treats with minimal fat and oil.

Lidl Silvercrest Digital Air Fryer

£39.99 - View at Lidl

You've likely heard of the Tefal Actifry which is a favourite among air fryer fanatics, which is priced at just £99 at Argos right now.

Now, Aldi and Lidl are offering a seriously affordable alternative with their £39.99 air fryers.

Aldi Ambiano Air Fryer

£39.99 - View at Aldi

Aldi is offering the Ambiano Air Fryer both in store and online, while the Lidl Silvercrest Digital Air Fryer is only available in shops.

The gadgets both feature digital programming screens with various modes and features, promising to cook tasty and healthy meals in no time, using the power of hot air and 75% less fat.

They've received great reviews from satisfied shoppers already.

'So easy to set up, easy to clean and first thing I tried was frozen oven chips - OMG! sooo much better than using the oven and quicker. Daughter made some fish fingers and again crispy outside and moist on the inside,' one Aldi customer penned, dubbing it a 'kitchen must have'.

'We were so impressed with this air fryer that we purchased a second. This is one of the best small kitchen appliances we have ever purchased,' praised a second reviewer.

If you want to get your hands on one, we recommend snapping one up on the Aldi website before they sell out or heading to your local Aldi or Lidl when you do your next food shop and head straight down the middle aisle.

As with most of Aldi and Lidl's most sought after releases - when it's gone, it's gone!

An animal welfare charity has called for Aldi to ban its garden hedgehog houses.

The budget supermarket giant is set to launch the sale of mini dome-shaped hedgehog houses designed to shelter the outdoor creatures when put into back gardens.

However, hedgehog welfare charity Hedgepigs and Hoglets Rescue has called for the Aldi special buy to be stripped from shelves, claiming they could injure or even kill the spiky animals.

Sharing an image of the Aldi Gardenline Igloo Hedgehog House, the charity took to social media to urge shoppers not to buy them and beg the affordable shopping chain to ban them.

Explaining that hedgehogs could get their prickly backs trapped in the small space and starve to death, the concerned organisation wrote, 'This product is going on sale on Thursday 8th October in Aldi stores. These igloo houses have been the cause of injury & quite probably deaths for Hedgehogs, consequently, we are calling for their ban.

‘Hedgehog rescues report that Hedgehogs spines get caught up in the inside where they become stuck and literally starve to death or at least suffer construction injuries. They are poorly made and blow over in the wind. They should be removed from the market.'

While the Aldi website claims that the igloo house is big enough to contain a whole 'family of hedgehogs' and 'features a small entrance tunnel to deter predators', Hedgepigs and Hoglets Rescue want animal lovers to stay away from them.

'They are all prone to blowing away and all made if basket, some have mesh on the inside which are riskier as you can imagine, they are just a waste of money and are another risk to hedgehogs.'

It's recommended that using an old wooden box filled with dry leaves, hay or straw and covering it with leaves or logs to make it look natural is a good and safe way to provide hedgehogs with shelter in your garden.

Aldi has released a statement claiming that its £10 igloo houses are safe and approved by animal charities.

"Over a quarter of a million of these hedgehog houses have been sold over many years by various retailers and charities including the RSPB and The Woodland Trust.

"It has been tested extensively and our supplier hasn’t had any reported safety issues.

"We are talking to Hedgepigs and Hoglets Rescue to share this information and allay their concerns," a spokesperson for the brand said.

Aldi has launched square sausages to make your sausage sandwiches even easier to make.

You can never go wrong with a sausage sandwich filled with ketchup for a Sunday morning breakfast.

But, there is always the problem of cutting up the piping hot bangers and getting them to fit perfectly inside the shape of bread.

But, high-street retailer Aldi has answered all of our breakfast prayers.

The budget supermarket has announced they will now be selling square shaped pork sausages to make your toasted breakfast sandwich even easier to make.

The square sausages come in a pack of four – for just £1.79 per pack.

That’s only 45p per sausage square!

Aldi have decided that the original sausage shape just isn’t good enough to make a scrumptious sausage butty – so, they have flattened the sausage meat just like a burger.

And, they are perfect for fitting inside sandwich bread, filling out all the corners, leaving no empty space.

You’ll be pleased to know, the sausage squares are already on sale in Aldi stores as one of their ‘fresh weekly offers’.

But, they’ll only be on sale until stocks last, so you’ll have to make sure to get down to stores quick.

If you’re late getting your hands on them, Morrisons and Iceland both sell their own versions of the square sausages.

Iceland are selling a pack of four, for just £1.

And, Morrison’s are a little bit pricier at £2 for a pack of four.

They’re ideal for breakfast, but make sure you have some tomato ketchup and brown sauce in the cupboard.

If you’re Scottish, or have ever visited Scotland, you’ll know these square sausage inventions go way back, and are a traditional Scottish snack known as Lorne sausages.

If a square sausage doesn’t take your fancy, you’ll be pleased to know Aldi has now brought back their 16oz Big Daddy rump steak for just £4.99.

Aldi suggest cooking the steaks over a very high heat, and they’re also suitable for home freezing.

From square sausages to delicious mammoth steaks, Aldi certainly has our backs this summer when it comes to BBQ season.

Supermarkets Aldi and Sainsbury's have both slashed the cost of their popular Prosecco, just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend!

Prosecco fans, it's time to get excited because both Aldi and Sainsbury's have slashed the price of their bottles of fizz.

If you’re stocking up on bottles of bubbles for the Bank Holiday weekend, head to these high-street supermarkets who are selling Prosecco for under a fiver.

Aldi’s Castellore Prosecco Fizzante can usually be bought for £5.49 per 75cl bottle.

However, bubbly lovers can get their hands on a bottle for only £3.99.

And, Sainsbury's is selling a new limited edition Prosecco DOC Castello del Poggio for just £5.

Both sparkling wines have soft and peachy tones, with a hint of pear and lemon zesty flavours.

Aldi's Frizzante fizz is described as ‘gently sparkling’, so the strength of the bubbles is much softer – this means, it’s not too heavy and easy to drink.

Sainsbury's describe their limited edition Prosecco DOC Castello del Poggioa as a 'crisp and beautifully balanced Prosecco, the sparkling wine has notes of golden apple, white peach and sweet honey', that you could pair perfectly with a barbecue steak or tasty burger.

If you’re planning a May Day bank holiday barbecue, both Proseccos will work perfectly as an aperitif.

The wines are only available at the discounted price for a limited time, so you’ll have to get in quick.

As Italian Prosecco fans will already know, this isn’t the first time super markets have slashed prices in a bid to go head to head on alcoholic drink prices.

However, Aldi wins with the biggest price slash this weekend - a bottle of prosecco for only £3.99 - absolutely fantastic.

As the battle of the budget stores continues, you’ll need to hurry if you want to get your hands on this bargain.

The bubbly is being sold in stores only while stocks last.

Earlier this year, Aldi introduced the lowest-calorie prosecco on UK supermarket shelves, at just 63 calories per glass.

So, if you’re watching your waistline before bikini season hits, you can pick up a bottle for £8.99.

In the meantime, we will be raising a glass to both Lidl and Aldi’s price deal and the extra day off!

Aldi is selling copycat cheeky Nando’s chicken wings – and the packaging looks very similar to us...

Everyone loves an Aldi’s cheap copycat product – and now the supermarket has taken it one step further selling dubes of Nando’s chicken wings.

The retailer is selling Aldi’s Ready Set Cook! BBQ and Buffalo Hot & Spicy chicken wings, perfect for throwing on the barbecue this weekend.

The wings have been flying off the shelves with each pack sold for just £1.99.

Shoppers absolutely love them and what a deal if you’re looking to swap the meal out for a night in with the kids – just get them to help with the washing up.

Aldi fans have taken to social media to announce their excitement: ‘Nando’s chicken wing dupes? Yes please 😝🍲.’

Another added: ‘Aldi do spicy chicken wings for £1.99 and they are awesome.’

Buying the wings and cooking them at home is so much cheaper than a family trip to Nando’s.

For 600g of chicken for only £1.99, one box feeds four people at only 49p person.

They’re also cheaper than buying plain chicken wings and sprinkling them with Nando’s style seasoning yourself at home.

And, if you didn’t know already, buying just three chicken wings at Nando’s is £3.96.

But, you better hurry – if they are anything like Aldi’s popular Halloumi fries, Aldi might have to limit the number of boxes you can purchase due to high demand.

Though we don’t know how many calories the wings contain yet, if you pair the wings with a side salad you have a perfect summer lunch meal.

Tempted? You’ll be glad to know the wings are already on sale in stores, and are a new permanent item for Aldi.

Are you tempted to try Aldi's chicken wings? Have you tried them? Head over to our Facebook page and let us know your thoughts!

We all like to treat ourselves to a special dinner now and then.

And nothing says a special meal like a slap-up steak dinner.

Whether we book a nice restaurant for an evening out, or we do our best to cook steak at home and maybe even whip up a homemade steak sauce too, it’s generally a dinner we reserve for treat days or special occasions.

Partly because of the effort it takes to make sure we cook it just right, but also because it’s not always the most cost-effective weeknight dinner.

But now one supermarket is bringing you one of the best cuts of meat in the world – and it’s designed to be used with one of your go-to weeknight meals.

Always on hand to bring the best deals, budget supermarket Aldi is bringing back its sellout meatballs that are made from one of the most expensive meats in the world – wagyu beef.

Wagyu beef is known the world over for being a staple in high-priced fine dining restaurants because of its tender, melt-in-the-mouth texture and strong flavour that comes from the fat that's delicately marbled throughout the meat.

In places across the world, particularly in Japan where the beef is originally from, the prized meat can sell for up to £500 a cut. But our reliable bargain grocer is selling it for a whole lot less so you can have a chance to try your hand at cooking this meaty marvel.

Aldi’s Specially Selected Beef Wagyu Meatballs are made with meat from cattle bred in New Zealand and they are the only cattle herd in the world to be certified 100 per cent grass fed, which Aldi say give the meatballs a rich, sweet and nutty flavour.

You can get your hands on the indulgent treat for only £3.49 for 12 meatballs, but they’re not available on the store’s website so you will have to head down to your local branch for a packet.

They’re available in Aldi stores across the country, but you’ll have to be quick because they’re a Specialbuy so once they’re gone, they’re gone!