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Aldi vs Lidl: which is the better discount supermarket?
Aldi and Lidl are well known for their cheap groceries and eclectic, ever-changing middle aisles.
Both of the German discount chains offer no-frills stores and low prices – but they're also quite different in some respects. So which is the better one to shop with?
Here, we reveal how Aldi and Lidl measure up based on wide-ranging Which? research, from price and in-store experience to taste tests and animal welfare.
Is Aldi or Lidl cheaper?
Every month, we compare the cost of a basket of popular groceries at major supermarkets using an independent pricing database.
Aldi has been the cheapest supermarket every month since November 2023 and it was also the overall cheapest supermarket last year.
However, Lidl is invariably close behind and is the second-cheapest supermarket every month, charging £1.99 more than Aldi, on average, across 2024. Even with the addition of the Lidl Plus loyalty app, we’ve found Aldi to be cheaper.
- Find out more: cheapest supermarkets.
Does Lidl or Aldi make tastier food?
Which? regularly pits cheaper own-label products and big brands against each other in blind taste tests to find the tastiest supermarket food and drink.
Our consumer panel liked the well-balanced flavour of the Aldi Nordpak Spreadable Slightly Salted butter, while Lidl's wasn't bad it didn't compare on strength of flavour. Tea bags from both discounters were rated well by our panel and Lidl's Knightsbridge Red Label tea bags were the cheapest on test.
Here's how the discounters compared in three recent Which? taste tests in 2025:
| Taste test | Aldi | Lidl | Highest scorer |
| Spreadable butter | Best Buy & Great Value: Nordpak Spreadable Slightly Salted – 75% | Danpak Spreadable Slightly Salted – 66% | Aldi |
| Tea bags | Diplomat Red Label – 70% | Knightsbridge Red Label Tea Bags – 69% | Aldi |
| Instant coffee | Great Value: Alcafé Gold Roast Coffee – 64% | Bellarom Gold Instant Coffee – 57% | Aldi |
Table notes: We've only included results where both discounters were included in the test. Member-only results have been excluded, as have results where products are no longer available.
Aldi has also earned Best Buy and Great Value recommendations for its Bramwells Baked Beans, and a Great Value badge for its hot cross buns. Lidl wasn’t featured in either taste test, so we haven't included them in the table.
Does Aldi or Lidl reward loyalty?
Of the two discounters, only Lidl has a loyalty scheme. It recently revamped its Lidl Plus app and now offers lower prices on selected products to members – known as Lidl Plus Offers – as well as personalised coupons.
When we checked on 16 April, there were 10 offers available, including 20% off own-label coffee sachets and a pack of vanilla-flavoured ice cream cones for £1.69 instead of £1.99 for non-members.
When Lidl first launched its member-only prices, Which? analysed the pricing history of a selection of Lidl offers and most looked like decent deals.
You’re also rewarded for spending certain amounts. For example, you get a free in-store bakery item if you spend £10 in a month; spending £250 earns you a 10% off coupon. Lidl Plus app users will also get personalised coupons based on their shopping habits.
Discounts are applied when you scan the Lidl Plus app at the till (loyalty cards aren’t available).
- Find out more: loyalty schemes compared.
Are Aldi or Lidl stores nicer to shop in?
In our latest survey of in-store supermarkets (October to November 2024), Aldi and Lidl received identical star ratings. It was close between the discounter rivals in terms of customer score too, although Aldi (72%) just pipped Lidl (69%) to the post.
Both supermarkets impressed on price, unsurprisingly, but failed to excel elsewhere, getting just two stars out of five on all other ratings. Customers weren’t impressed by the store appearance, customer service or queueing time, and the availability, range and quality of stock disappointed, too.
| Overall customer score | Value for money | Overall customer service | Staff availability and helpfulness | Store appearance | Queuing time at the checkout | Self-service/self-scanning | Stock availability | Range of products | Overall quality of own-label and fresh products | |
| Aldi | 72% | |||||||||
| Lidl | 69% |
Aldi and Lidl's stores tend to be relatively basic, with products stacked in cardboard pallets on the shelves and a middle aisle full of non-grocery items (known as Aldi Specialbuys and Middle of Lidl).
M&S and Waitrose had the highest star ratings for store appearance, queuing times, self-service tills and overall customer service.
One key way in which they differ is that Lidl has in-store bakeries (pictured above), whereas Aldi only offers this in 25 of its 1,000-plus stores. And Lidl's clearly onto a good thing, as it now sells more baked goods than any other supermarket – including 122 croissants a minute, on average – according to Kantar.
Aldi shoppers, meanwhile, may have noticed its products often have multiple barcodes, or barcodes wrapped around the packaging. This enables checkout staff to scan products more quickly, so fewer staff are needed. It also makes it easier to scan products yourself at self-service tills.
- Find out more: M&S vs Waitrose – which upmarket grocer is better?
How many stores do Aldi and Lidl have?
Aldi is the UK’s fourth-biggest supermarket chain (after Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda) according to market analyst Kantar. It has more than 1,000 stores in the UK and is planning to invest £650m in its stores in 2025, including upgrading and extending existing stores and investing £55m to open nine London stores this year.
Lidl has more than 970 stores, and is planning a series of launches this year after opening nine new stores in February.
What about online shopping?
Neither store offers online grocery shopping and delivery.
Aldi previously had a click and collect service, launched in 2020 during the national lockdowns, but stopped it in August 2024. The service had been run as a trial and reviewed regularly by Aldi.
- Find out more: best and worst supermarkets 2025.
How do their ranges compare?
Both discounters have a much smaller selection of products than traditional supermarket chains. This helps to keep prices low: stocking fewer products means they have smaller stores and warehouses, fewer staff and lower overheads.
Products are often displayed in cardboard boxes and on pallets, which are quicker to restock.
The vast majority of Aldi's and Lidl’s products are own-label. This also keeps a lid on prices because of the greater control they have over manufacturing and supplier costs. But both also stock limited ranges from brands, including Cadbury, Heinz, Kellogg’s, McVitie’s, Nestlé, Walkers and Warburtons.
Aldi and Lidl are as famous for the sometimes bizarre array of items in their middle aisles as their cheap prices. Middle of Lidl products and Aldi’s Specialbuys change regularly, so you might find yourself browsing air fryers and camping equipment one week, then cycling gear and beach inflatables the next. You can find out what's for sale in the middle aisle this month at Aldi.co.uk and Lidl.co.uk.
- Find out more: how to spend less at the supermarket.
How do Aldi and Lidl compare on animal welfare?
Neither of the discounters excels in this field. Both Schwartz Group – Lidl's parent company – and Aldi were given the lowest rating in the latest Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare, which assesses large food companies’ welfare policies and practices.
On a more positive note, Lidl recently announced that its own-label fresh chickens will have 20% more space from early 2025. Last week, Aldi followed suit, saying the stocking density of its chickens will also be reduced to 30kg per square metre by November. Both also offer free-range, higher-welfare fresh chicken – look out for the RSPCA Assured logo.
Aldi and Lidl have also made commitments that all their eggs will soon be from cage-free hens.
- Find out more: decoding food labels, from animal welfare to sustainability.
So which is really better: Aldi or Lidl?
The answer to this might depend on whether you prefer loyalty discounts (Lidl) or a cheaper shop without needing to use an app (Aldi).
Aldi is consistently the cheapest supermarket in our monthly price analysis, but Lidl always comes a very close second.
While our trolley of groceries has so far been more expensive even with Lidl Plus discounts accounted for, we don't include personalised coupons. If you plan to regularly shop in just one supermarket and are happy to sign up to the Lidl Plus app, you might be able to shave a bit off your shopping bill or bag a freebie using your personalised coupons.
Aldi and Lidl both offer some high-quality and good-value own-brand products, and generally perform well in our consumer panel taste tests. If you like freshly baked croissants and baguettes, Lidl has the edge due to its popular in-store bakeries.
Both are making progress on animal welfare, but could do better on farm animal welfare in general.
Ultimately, both are great places to do your weekly shop if you value price over choice or store experience.
