M&S Reigns Supreme in In-Store Shopping, Aldi and Lidl Surge Ahead
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has once again been recognised as Britain’s favourite in-store supermarket, marking their fifth consecutive year at the top of an annual consumer survey. However, the latest findings also highlight significant advancements by discounters Aldi and Lidl, who have captured the attention of shoppers seeking value.
The annual survey, which polled 3,500 individuals on their shopping experiences, revealed that shoppers continue to praise M&S for its quality, service, and overall store environment. Despite acknowledging that prices are generally higher than many competitors, the premium retailer secured the highest in-store customer score of 78 per cent. M&S received a commendable five stars across several key categories, including customer service, store appearance, product range, and availability. The quality of M&S’s own-label and fresh produce also garnered significant praise, with one shopper noting, “It’s the best place for high-quality produce and never lets me down.”
However, M&S’s appeal for a weekly shop is somewhat diminished by its score for value for money, where it only managed two stars. This led many customers to view M&S as a destination for occasional treats rather than a primary grocery provider. Comments such as, “It’s nice to shop there for something a little special but it is quite expensive,” and “I don’t feel I can do a full shop there,” underscore this sentiment. Consequently, M&S narrowly missed out on the coveted ‘Which? Recommended Provider’ (WRP) status for in-store shopping, a distinction that this year was exclusively awarded to Aldi.
Aldi and Lidl Gain Ground with Strong Value Proposition
Aldi has made a notable ascent in the rankings, climbing from third to second place, surpassing Tesco. Lidl has also seen a substantial improvement, moving from seventh to fourth position, overtaking established players like Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and Iceland.
Aldi’s success is largely attributed to its unwavering focus on value for money. The supermarket matched Tesco’s overall score of 76 per cent and, alongside Lidl, achieved the highest rating for value, earning four out of five stars. Shoppers indicated a willingness to overlook slightly less impressive scores in areas like store appearance, customer service, and grocery quality in favour of Aldi’s consistently low prices. “There’s plenty to choose from and the prices are great compared to other supermarkets,” remarked one satisfied customer. This recognition follows a separate Which? study that named Aldi as Britain’s cheapest supermarket of 2025.
Lidl also received high marks for its value proposition, securing a customer score of 75 per cent. Shoppers lauded its competitive pricing and unique rotating product selection, with the loyalty scheme being a particular highlight. “Just great prices and good unique items on rotation. Loyalty scheme is great with achievable goals,” one customer commented.
Tesco Maintains Strong Performance, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s Hold Steady
While Aldi moved ahead, Tesco demonstrated a robust performance, sharing the second-highest in-store score with Aldi at 76 per cent. Furthermore, Tesco ranked jointly first for online shopping alongside Waitrose, both achieving an impressive 81 per cent. Tesco garnered four stars for customer service, store appearance, product range, and overall quality, with no category falling below three stars, including value for money. Shoppers frequently cited the balance between price, quality, and range, with Tesco’s Clubcard discounts being a significant draw. “Prices are high everywhere, Clubcard is the deciding factor,” noted one shopper. However, Tesco’s exclusion from WRP status was due to its loyalty discounts not being universally accessible.
Waitrose and Sainsbury’s maintained their positions at fifth and sixth, respectively. Both retailers received strong reviews for their online offerings. Sainsbury’s, in particular, saw a significant difference in customer perception between its online and in-store services, scoring 79 per cent for online compared to 73 per cent in-store. Customers praised Sainsbury’s service, products, and the effectiveness of its Nectar loyalty scheme.
The Lower Ranks: Asda and Morrisons Lag Behind
At the lower end of the in-store rankings, Asda and Morrisons were joint bottom, both receiving a customer score of 68 per cent. Asda also ranked last for online shopping with a score of 71 per cent. Criticisms for Asda included long queues, poor customer service, and issues with product quality, with one customer lamenting, “Not as good as it used to be.”
Morrisons faced complaints regarding empty shelves and the short shelf-life of fresh produce. Shoppers described the store as “not the cheapest and it’s quite old-fashioned looking.” Both Asda and Morrisons also scored lower for value for money among loyalty scheme members compared to non-members, suggesting their loyalty programmes are not resonating with customers.
Online Shopping Excellence: Ocado and Sainsbury’s Shine
The online shopping landscape saw Ocado and Sainsbury’s awarded WRP status. Ocado achieved an 80 per cent score, with customers commending its extensive delivery slot availability and helpful delivery personnel. Sainsbury’s also performed exceptionally well online, with shoppers highlighting its first-class service and products, as well as the benefits of the Nectar scheme.
Expert Commentary and Retailer Responses
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, commented on the findings, stating, “There’s no doubt that shoppers value M&S for its in-store experience and product quality. However, some people feel its higher prices put it out of reach for a regular weekly shop. Instead, it becomes an occasional treat or a destination for yellow-sticker bargains. At a time when households are under intense cost-of-living pressure, Aldi continues to lead on price – focusing on affordability over frills.”
M&S defended its offering, with a spokesperson asserting, “M&S customers are guaranteed quality and value as well as great customer service, store standards, range and availability. Our ‘Remarksable Value’ range of everyday family favourites – price benchmarked against key competitors – has doubled in size since 2023 and M&S is the fastest growing grocer for families, demonstrating progress in our journey to become a shopping list retailer.”
Aldi UK’s chief commercial officer, Julie Ashfield, expressed pride in being the sole Recommended Provider for in-store shopping, stating, “We know that value for money is the top priority for customers, and that’s why around 70 per cent of UK households now shop with us. We’ve also been named by Which as the UK’s cheapest supermarket for five years in a row, proving that if you want great quality products at unbeatable prices, as well as a great in-store experience, the only place to go is Aldi.”
Asda’s chief customer officer, Rachel Eyre, highlighted their progress, saying, “We were recognised as the cheapest supermarket for a big shop by Which? last year and are progressing in the areas that matter most — better availability, unbeatable value, and a stronger in-store and online experience. We’re seeing improvements in our internal customer satisfaction data as a result, and remain focused on being the number one choice again for families.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson expressed pleasure at customer recognition for their service, quality, choice, and value, adding, “We’ll continue focusing on what matters most – making good food accessible to everyone and providing a service people can trust.”
Waitrose noted their satisfaction with the high number of stars awarded for both in-store and online performance, attributing it to their customer service, store environment, online grocery delivery, and product quality.
Tesco’s spokesperson stated their delight at being rated number-one for online deliveries and the highest-ranked of the ‘big four’ for stores, reflecting the dedication of their colleagues.
Morrisons and Iceland both declined to comment on the survey results.
The survey’s findings were based on an online poll of 3,552 UK residents in November of the previous year, detailing their experiences with 4,928 in-store and 1,417 online shopping trips. Which? awards ‘Recommended Provider’ status based on specific criteria, including achieving at least three stars for customer service, value for money, and the quality of own-label and fresh products, alongside further checks on loyalty schemes and food safety.
These results emerge as grocery price inflation has shown signs of easing, dropping to 4 per cent in January, its lowest point since April of the previous year. This slowdown coincides with an increased reliance on supermarket own-label goods and a rise in spending on promotional items, while sales of full-price products have seen more modest growth.
