Aldi says that families in towns across Cheshire are paying up to £2,437 more per year on their grocery shopping because they lack access to a discount supermarket.
New analysis from the German retailer says that shoppers in places such as west Widnes are facing the steepest postcode penalty, missing out on the savings enjoyed by those with access to a nearby Aldi.
The chain has highlighted that it has been named the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket by consumer champion Which? for the past five years.
Aldi says its analysis shows that households without access to an Aldi pay £826 more on average, rising to £2,437 in areas dominated by the highest-priced supermarkets.
The figures are based on the average monthly cost difference between Aldi and either the average major UK supermarkets, or the most expensive UK supermarket, using the prices of a typical 68-item shopping basket tracked by Which?.
Across the UK, Aldi has mapped 220 locations where it says shoppers are disproportionately affected by this postcode penalty.
In Cheshire, this includes west Widnes, where residents are paying more for identical groceries because no discount supermarket is available locally.
Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi in the UK, said: “No one should pay more for their weekly shop simply because of where they live.
“We believe that every household should have access to high-quality, affordable food.
“With household budgets under intense pressure, local access to a discounter is not just convenient – it can save families hundreds of pounds a year.
“These findings show that expanding access to Aldi is one of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of living for many.”
Aldi says it invested £650million across Britain through its store opening and refurbishment programme in 2025, with each new site creating around 40 jobs.
The discounter also recently announced that it would be doubling down on its investment in Britain with a £1.6billion commitment over the next two years, opening 40 stores each year as it moves towards its ambition to have 1,500 UK stores.