The 141-year-old retail chain has topped our annual supermarket satisfaction survey for the fourth year in a row and has been named a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP).
Ocado and Tesco were the leading supermarkets for online shopping, with customers impressed by their range of products and easy-to-use websites and apps.
Best supermarkets for in-store shopping
M&S is at the top of our in-store shopping table and is the only supermarket to earn the maximum five stars for the quality of its own-label products and fresh items.
One customer said: ‘It’s a real treat to shop there – great-quality products that I don’t mind spending a bit more on.’
Tesco came second, earning four out of five stars for store appearance, product range and stock availability. However, it’s not a WRP because we are concerned about the accessibility of its Clubcard scheme, which is only available to over 18s.
Shoppers praised the shopping experience at Waitrose, but rated it poor value for money.
| Supermarkets (links take you to their websites) | Value for money | Overall customer service | Store appearance | Customer score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RECOMMENDED_BADGE(RECOMMENDED PROVIDER);LINK(https://ift.tt/Fwb2mvH size is 614); | *** | **** | ***** | 79% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/NCE5TSM size is 358); | *** | *** | **** | 74% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/Fn1jBW5 size is 377); | **** | ** | ** | 72% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/L7rx3ao size is 607); | **** | *** | *** | 72% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/XnKFUO9 size is 304); | ** | **** | ***** | 72% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/r3a7Ocb size is 513); | *** | *** | **** | 71% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/gncI6ma size is 603); | **** | ** | ** | 69% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/Qt9zp8L size is 406); | ** | ** | ** | 66% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/D3LzRsv size is 596); | ** | ** | *** | 66% |
Best supermarkets for online shopping
Tesco and Ocado come joint first for shopping online, with a five-star delivery rating.
One regular Ocado customer told us it ‘gives the best all-round experience of all the online retailers.’ A satisfied Tesco shopper said: 'I wouldn't shop anywhere else – they nearly always have what I want and the quality is excellent.'
Waitrose was hot on their heels, but fell down again on value so we haven't made it a WRP. It’s closely followed by Sainsbury's, which earned identical star ratings to Ocado and Tesco.
| Supermarkets (links take you to their websites) | Value for money | Overall customer service | Availability of collection/delivery slots | Customer score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RECOMMENDED_BADGE(RECOMMENDED PROVIDER);LINK(https://ift.tt/dIpReT2 size is 100); | *** | **** | **** | 79% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/NCE5TSM size is 186); | *** | **** | **** | 79% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/XnKFUO9 size is 106); | ** | **** | **** | 78% |
| RECOMMENDED_BADGE(RECOMMENDED PROVIDER);LINK(https://ift.tt/r3a7Ocb size is 146); | *** | **** | **** | 76% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/L7rx3ao size is 168); | *** | *** | **** | 73% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/D3LzRsv size is 120); | *** | **** | **** | 71% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/SaxdMwV Fresh);TOOLTIP(Sample size is 324); | ** | *** | *** | 68% |
| LINK(https://ift.tt/Qt9zp8L size is 200); | ** | ** | *** | 66% |
What makes the WRPs stand out?
M&S is the only supermarket to be named a WRP for in-store shopping. Shoppers were especially wowed by the appearance of its stores as well as its products.
The upmarket grocer has frozen or lowered the price of many staples in recent years and clinched three out of five stars for value for money.
Both Ocado and Sainsbury's are WRPs for online shopping, with customers happy with everything from the availability of slots and communication about their deliveries to stock availability and range.
Supermarkets must meet strict criteria to be named a WRP, including getting at least three stars for customer service, value for money and the quality of own-label and fresh products.
They must also pass our behind-the-scenes checks, which look at a range of factors including the provision of nutritional labelling and reported food safety breaches.
Find out more:Which supermarkets failed to impress?
Asda and Morrisons came joint last for in-store shopping, with poor ratings for staff availability and helpfulness, overall customer service and value for money.
Several Asda customers complained of bare shelves and checkout queues, while some Morrisons shoppers told us their local stores are cramped and poorly manned.
Asda also came bottom for online shopping, picking up mostly two-star ratings including for value for money, customer service and store appearance.
Amazon Fresh’s delivery service failed to win over shoppers as well, scoring just two out of five stars for product range and communication.
Food inflation is back on the rise
No supermarkets scored a full five stars for value for money, probably because many households are still feeling the pinch.
Although food inflation fell steadily for much of last year, prices generally remain much higher than before the cost of living crisis. Our price tracker recently recorded that grocery inflation is back on the rise, climbing to 3.4% in the three months to the end of November 2024 – the first increase in 20 months.
Of the eight major chains we monitor, Lidl had the fastest-rising prices at 4% year-on-year, while Waitrose had the lowest at 0.9%.
Economic factors at home are expected to lead to rising food inflation this year. Supermarkets and the British Retail Consortium have warned that the upcoming minimum wage increase, higher National Insurance contributions and a new packaging tax will lead to steeper prices for shoppers.
Find out more:source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-reveals-best-and-worst-supermarkets-2025-aT06W5J4UFwt