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.