Which? testing has found great value food and drink that could
help shoppers save money on their BBQ menu this summer.
Cheaper supermarket own-branded foods have given pricier branded
rivals a run for their money in a series of blind taste tests by
the consumer champion, proving that shoppers needn’t spend over
the odds to get a great-tasting product.
1. Shop at the cheapest supermarket
First, it often pays to look in different supermarkets for the
best prices. Every month Which? analyses hundreds of groceries at
the biggest supermarkets and often finds big price differences.
For example, in April 2023 Which? revealed that Aldi was the
cheapest supermarket, with a basket of 39 groceries costing an
average of £69.99. The same or equivalent items from the priciest
supermarket, Waitrose, cost £87.33 - that’s £17.34 more.
2. Get the best banger for your buck
Which? asked a panel of consumers to blind-taste and rate pork
sausages from 12 different brands, including Aldi, Lidl,
Sainsbury’s and other supermarket options, plus branded versions
such as Heck. Tesco Finest scooped the top spot, but cheaper
options from Lidl and Aldi tied for second place and received
Which?’s Great Value recommendations. Both options excelled in
terms of meaty flavour and moist texture. Meanwhile, pricey Heck
sausages came last overall, as three-quarters of the panel felt
the pork flavour was too weak, the seasoning lacklustre and the
texture too coarse.
Aldi and Lidl’s offerings were the cheapest sausages tested, each
costing £2.49 for 400g (62p per 100g), while the most expensive
option tested from M&S cost £5 for 480g (£1.04 per 100g) and
didn’t score as highly.
3. Better beef burgers
In its blind taste test for beef burgers, Which? asked a panel of
67 consumers to blind-taste 10 premium burgers from supermarkets
including Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco, alongside
branded offerings from Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Heck.
Aldi’s option was the cheapest in the test and clinched the top
spot, securing a Best Buy and Great Value recommendation, costing
£2.89 for 2 burgers (£0.85 per 100g). Gourmet Burger Kitchen’s
option didn’t perform as well, coming near the bottom of the
table.
4. Best vegan burgers
Beyond Meat triumphed in Which?’s test of meat-free burgers,
however the panel found other great-tasting options that won’t
break the bank.
Meat-free burgers from Meatless Farm came in third place and were
awarded a Great Value endorsement. They cost £3.50 for four
burgers (88p per 100g), while Beyond Meat’s offering costs £4 for
two burgers (£1.77 per 100g).
5. Thirst-quenching cola
Popular brands Pepsi and Coca-Cola couldn’t be beaten in the
taste test, and Pepsi edged it to the top of the leaderboard.
Most tasters thought the amount of fizziness, strength of flavour
and sweetness were spot on.
Aldi’s Vive Cola, however, is a savvy pick for shoppers looking
to save money and was the cheapest included in the test (49p for
2L which works out at 3p per 100ml). It was on par with the
brands for flavour, mouthfeel and appearance and was awarded a
Great Value recommendation. Aldi’s cola, along with other
supermarket branded options, contain far less sugar than branded
options.
Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said:
“Many of us will be planning a barbecue now that the weather has
warmed up, so shoppers will be delighted to know they don’t have
to pay over the odds for great-tasting burgers, sausages, veggie
burgers and drinks.
“Supermarket own-label foods will not only save you money
compared with the big brands but often taste better too, meaning
people can enjoy a top-notch barbecue without spending a fortune
this summer.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
-
Each product category was tasted and rated by a panel of 60+
consumers who regularly buy and consume that product. The
make-up of the panel broadly represents the demographic
profile of adults in the UK. The panellists rate each product
in a fully rotated order and the taste tests are conducted
blind, so they don’t know which brand they are trying. Each
panellist has a private booth so they can’t discuss what they
are tasting or be influenced by others.
Links to the full results for inclusion in online content:
