Waitrose voted best UK supermarket

Friday 20 February 2015

Waitrose has been voted the best supermarket in the UK, narrowly reclaiming the title from last year's winner Aldi.

The upmarket grocer gained a customer score of 73% in the survey of 7,000 shoppers by Which?, gaining top marks for customer service, store environment and its own-label and fresh products. In the UK, the Co-operative has once again been named worst supermarket, winning a customer score of just 49% and widening the gap on last year between it and its rivals.

The results reflect on the UK Co-op, not the Channel Islands operation which is completely separate.

It was the only supermarket to be rated as poor for pricing, and was "shockingly far behind everyone else" on value for money, with just 35% of customers thinking it is good or excellent in this regard, the watchdog said.

It is also considered the worst supermarket for special offers, the poll revealed, and gained the worst rating for own-label products, with only frozen food specialist Iceland rated as poorly for fresh produce.

Aldi won an overall customer score of 72%, followed by Iceland, Lidl and Marks & Spencer with 69%.

Morrisons and Sainsbury's managed a score of 63%, followed by Asda on 62% and Tesco on 60%.

Ocado came top of the online supermarket table for the fifth year running despite competition from more competitors in the form of Iceland and Morrisons.

Consumers told the consumer group that value and good quality food products are the most important factors in choosing where to shop.

Aldi and Lidl have seen significant increases in sales in the past year and Iceland posted a large increase in profit last year.

Meanwhile, the big four supermarkets have stuttered, losing market share to their cheaper rivals as well as Waitrose.

Respondents were only asked about supermarkets they had shopped with, and each retailer's overall customer score was based on a combination of customer satisfaction and the likelihood they would recommend it to a friend.

Customers described Waitrose staff as "all polite, attentive and well-mannered" while the poll found shoppers praised the "exceptionally tidy" stores as well as the trolleys, lack of queues and wide aisles which made for a "relaxed feel and shopping experience".

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: "Waitrose has returned to the top of our supermarket league table, rated the best for customer satisfaction by the public and narrowly beating Aldi, last year's number one.

"Thousands of people told us that value and good quality food products are the most important factors in choosing where to shop."

Waitrose managing director Mark Price said: "We're grateful to all the customers who voted for us.

"It's a great accolade and fantastic recognition for the energy and hard work our 61,000 partners put into creating the best possible experience for shoppers both in our shops and online."