Aldi is crowned Britain's best supermarket

Budget food store Aldi has been crowned the best supermarket in Britain by the consumer organisation Which?.

Aldi beat Lidl and Waitrose to the title at the Which.co.uk consumer champion awards in London today. Founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht (Aldi stands for Albrecht Discount), Aldi is a budget grocer, selling pineapples for 49p, Danish blue cheese for 99p and a selection of wines for £2.99.

Aldi currently has 403 stores and 3 per cent of the UK grocery market. Its rapid expansion, along with that of its fellow Continental discounters Lidl and Netto, is beginning to challenge the big British supermarket groups Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrisons.

In other awards, John Lewis was named best retailer, Co-operative Bank the best bank and BMW best carmaker. The BBC's iPlayer won the innovation award.

Award winners

Best Audio Visual Brand: Canon

Best Domestic Appliance Brand: Bosch

Best Carmaker: BMW

Best Financial Services Provider: Co-operative Bank

Best High Street Retailer: John Lewis

Which? Innovation Award: BBC iplayer

Best Online Retailer: play.com

Best Supermarket: Aldi

The Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year: Ronnies, Thornbury

Which? Local Business of the Year: Joseph Morris Butchers, Leicestershire