Discount chain Aldi has been named consumers’ favourite supermarket for the seventh time in nine years.

The German giant scored top marks for overall customer satisfaction, value for money, bargains, its fresh produce and the quality of its home brands in the annual Canstar Blue ratings.

Aldi Australia’s managing director of corporate buying, Oliver Bongardt, called the win “a remarkable achievement”.

“The reason why Australians choose to shop with us remains the same,” he said.

“We are the leader on price, continuing to save shoppers’ money while offering the highest quality products. It is a proud moment for us to be recognised for these efforts.”

The company claims it saves its Australian shoppers $2.2 billion a year, compared to those who shop at the major chains.

IGA took out second spot in the Canstar survey, which rated the opinions of 3000 shoppers. It was followed by (in order) Coles, Woolworths and South Australian chain Foodland.

How they rated:

Source: Canstar Blue

It’s Aldi’s seventh win in the annual review; it has been beaten only by Foodland in 2013 and 2017.

“While Aldi doesn’t have the same number of stores as Coles and Woolworths, it’s fighting back against the duopoly with often lower prices, with its own brands offering real competition against the major brands stocked by other supermarkets,” Canstar said.

Canstar said Australia’s biggest supermarkets had moved away from simply fighting it out over the lowest prices, with an increasing focus on “value” and the overall customer experience.

“Competitive prices remain a big factor in determining where Australians shop, but consumers can also see the benefit of paying a little extra for quality,” a spokesperson said.

Canstar also noted the effect of the mini collectable ranges launched by Woolworths and Coles. This year, Coles is having another go at its hugely successful Little Shop rewards, while Woolies is giving away Lion King collectables with purchases.

“The added bonus of mini collectables also helps get us spending a little more,” the Canstar spokesperson said.

That might be bad news for dedicated Aldi shoppers. Late last year, the discount chain took aim at “pointless” collectables and loyalty schemes.

“We think the only ‘reward’ that matters is everyday low prices,” the company said in a blog post. It backed that up with an online “loyalty calculator” and an ad.

On Tuesday, Adrian Christie, Aldi’s customer service and communications director, remained blunt about the possibility of the chain introducing a rewards scheme.

“We like to stick to our knitting,” he told the Nine newspapers.