Albert Heijn's reputation as the expensive chain gets repeated often enough that households budget around it without ever checking, and groceries are one of the few monthly costs a newcomer can adjust week to week. How wide the gap actually runs depends a good deal on what ends up in the basket.
Generally, yes, on identical basics — but the gap is narrower than its reputation suggests and depends heavily on how you shop. The Consumentenbond's most recent full basket comparison (November 2025, roughly 118 everyday items) found Dirk and Nettorama the cheapest overall, with the spread between cheapest and priciest supermarkets running up to 40%. Lidl consistently undercuts Albert Heijn on fresh produce, dairy, and huismerk (store-brand) basics; Jumbo sits in between and has been running aggressive price-matching campaigns against Lidl specifically. Where Albert Heijn claws it back is bonus offers — the weekly bonus folder and personalized deals through the Bonuskaart can beat Lidl's everyday-low-pricing on specific items, so a shopping list built entirely around that week's bonus can come out competitive. AH also has the strongest fresh and organic range of the three, which isn't nothing if quality matters more to you than the receipt total. If you're purely optimizing for the lowest grocery bill, Lidl or a discounter wins by default; if you shop the bonus actively and value selection, AH's premium narrows a lot.