Tesco has slashed the number of products included in its Aldi price match campaign, as it readjusts the way it verifies comparisons.

It is understood the number of products featured in the price match has fallen from 790 as of August 2024 to 645 this week, reported The Grocer.

The move has been attributed to a change in methodology. Tesco will now only include products in the campaign where its Aldi equivalent can be found in at least 10 of the discounter’s stores. Previously, five stores were sufficient.

The revelation is based on data from private label consultancy IPLC partner Paul Stainton, who noted hardest hit was the supermarket giant’s value lines. For example, the number of products in its Hearty Food Co lines included in the campaign fell to 13, from a peak of 36 on 1 August last year.

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This reduction has been mirrored in other Tesco value tier own-brand lines, such as its Grower’s Harvest, down from 27 to 16, Ms Molly’s from 16 to five and Eastman’s from 19 to nine.

Stainton told the publication: “Tesco were shown to be price matching their value tier against Aldi’s standard tier own label.”

“It’s not a surprise that Tesco subtly removed many of these items from the price match to avoid further negative reaction.”

Elsewhere, reduction across its standard tier faced less of a cull, with the numbers only modestly dipping from 265 to 253.

A Tesco spokesperson told Grocery Gazette: “We work hard to offer our customers the best possible value, quality, and service with every shop.

“Our powerful combination of Aldi Price Match, Low Everyday Prices and Clubcard Prices ensures we deliver great value for our customers as the UK’s cheapest full line grocer.”

The news follows fellow supermarket giant Asda last month scrapping its own Aldi and Lidl price match initiative after a mere 12 months, as it focuses on its own “great prices” rather than competitors.