Which Retailers Really Deliver on Value for Money?

As cost-of-living pressures continue to shape consumer habits, value for money has never been more important to shoppers. But which retailers are winning hearts and wallets when it comes to perceived value?

Our latest research ranks 75 UK retailers by their net value for money score, calculated as the percentage of consumers who say a brand offers good value minus those who say it offers poor value. The results reveal a compelling picture of where shoppers feel they’re getting the most bang for their buck.

Top Performers: Discounters Dominate

Leading the pack are Lidl and Aldi, with sky-high scores of 84 and 83 respectively, a testament to their continued appeal as low-price leaders without compromising quality. Following closely are Card Factory (82), Poundland (80) and Superdrug (80), showing strong perceptions of value in both non-food and health & beauty sectors.

Other standout performers include IKEA (78), B&M (78) and Argos (77), highlighting the strength of affordable homeware and general merchandise propositions.

Mainstream Retailers Still Have Pull

It’s not just the discount chains making an impression. High-street favourites like Primark (75), Amazon (72) and Tesco (65) also ranked solidly in the upper half, proving that scale and value can go hand-in-hand when executed well.

Luxury and Premium Brands Face a Challenge

At the other end of the scale, retailers with a more premium positioning tend to see lower scores. Waitrose (26), Starbucks (13) and Costa (11) rank among the bottom five, as perceptions of quality don’t always outweigh the price tag in consumers’ minds, particularly in today’s economic climate.

Ranking	Retailer	VFM Net Score
1	Lidl	84
2	Aldi	83
3	Card Factory	82
4	Poundland	80
5	Superdrug	80
6	IKEA	78
7	B&M	78
8	Argos	77
9	Screwfix	76
10	Iceland	76
11	Home Bargains	76
12	Primark	75
13	Matalan	73
14	Amazon	72
15	Homesense	71
16	The Range	71
17	Dunelm	70
18	Greggs	68
19	Søstrene Grene	67
20	M&S Home	67
21	H&M	65
22	Tesco	65
23	Asda	64
24	TK Maxx	64
25	Wickes	62
26	B&Q	60
27	Waterstones	60
28	Morrisons	60
29	Sainsbury’s	59
30	Boots	58
31	Pet Corner	58
32	AO (AO.com)	58
33	Sports Direct	58
34	Robert Dyas	57
35	M&S	56
36	Hobbycraft	54
37	Ocado	53
38	Etsy	53
39	Flying Tiger	53
40	Currys	52

Ranking	Retailer	VFM Net Score
41	McDonald’s	52
42	Wayfair	50
43	The Body Shop	50
44	John Lewis	50
45	Subway	50
46	Next Home	50
47	Next	50
48	ASOS	48
49	Dreams	48
50	Zara	48
51	Lakeland	47
52	Funky Pigeon	47
53	Homebase	46
54	Burger King	46
55	Gap	46
56	DFS	45
57	Lush	45
58	Pets at Home	43
59	Moonpig	42
60	Holland & Barrett	41
61	Very (very.co.uk)	40
62	Bensons for Beds	40
63	Boohoo	40
64	JD Sports	39
65	KFC	34
66	Leon	33
67	WHSmith	30
68	Co-Op	29
69	Waitrose	26
70	Clintons	25
71	Caffè Nero	23
72	Pret a Manger	22
73	Spar	14
74	Starbucks	13
75	Costa	11

Why This Matters

Understanding how value is perceived, not just delivered, is crucial for retail success. These rankings aren’t simply a reflection of price; they speak to how well a brand meets consumer expectations for quality, experience, convenience and price combined.

Want to Dig Deeper?

These results are just the tip of the iceberg. Later this month, we’ll be launching a new syndicated survey designed to go beyond rankings, exploring the why behind value perceptions, and how they vary by customer type and category.

If your brand wants to better understand its position in the value landscape and uncover actionable opportunities to win on value, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with the team to learn more.