One supermarket own brand soup was 55p cheaper and nicer than HeinzLottie Gibbons Executive editor SEO and engagement, Ellen Kirwin, Catherine Murphy , Emily Sleight, Christopher Megrath, Steve Graves and Paul McAuley
05:00, 21 Oct 2023
We tried tomato soup from Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons, Lidl and Tesco(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
We conducted a blind taste test of various supermarket-branded tomato soups to see if any could outshine the famous Heinz variety.
Each reviewer began the experiment by tasting Heinz cream of tomato soup, known for its quality and flavour. This served as a benchmark against which to compare the supermarket-branded alternatives.
Afterwards, each reviewer sampled a bowl of soup from a different supermarket – unaware of which brand they were consuming. Heinz, which is the most expensive option at £1.40 per can from B&M, set a high bar for the other contenders.
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Still, one of the store-bought soups tasted better than Heinz’s and was reasonably priced.
Sainsbury’s
Reviewer: Ellen Kirwin
Price: 90p
Rating: 3/5
Sainsbury’s cream of tomato soup(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The soup was enjoyable but definitely not the best I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, I found it quite sweet and not a sugary sweet either, that kind of artificial Saccharin-tasting sweet.
I also wasn’t impressed with the texture. The soup was definitely on the watery side, when I’d much prefer a creamier, thicker soup. However, with a buttered barm it was a nice lunch.
Although, I wouldn’t be rushing back to have another tin.
Asda
Reviewer: Emily Sleight
Price: 70p
Rating: 4/5
Asda cream of tomato soup(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
I’m a big fan of soup, and think it’s the perfect option for a cosy lunch when it’s cold outside. Asda’s cream of tomato soup is priced at 70p, and after trying it with copious amounts of bread I can confirm that it was just as delicious as the Heinz cream of tomato soup.
It was thick, creamy, and very moreish. Sometimes tomato soup can leave a strange after taste, but this Asda version was really tasty and I could genuinely tell no difference between the two. Considering Heinz tomato soup is priced at £1.40, I’ll definitely be having Asda’s own going forward to save myself 70p.
Aldi
Reviewer: Catherine Murphy
Price: 67p
Rating: 3/5
Aldi cream of tomato soup(Image: Aldi)
As someone who only really buys branded items, I was sure I’d be able to taste the difference between Heinz tomato soup and a cheaper version. However, after my first spoonful I was convinced I was eating the branded one.
The texture and consistency was practically the same as Heinz – although I was told it wasn’t a branded soup, I struggled to believe it. For less than £1, Aldi’s own soup is the closest I’ve tasted to Heinz and it has swayed me to opt for own brand items going forward.
Tesco
Reviewer: Christopher Megrath
Price: 85p
Rating: 5/5
Tesco cream of tomato soup(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The consistency and colour are nearly identical to that of Heinz however small but noticeable differences lie in the flavour. There’s an earthy kick that makes the soup feel homemade, swapping the overbearing saltiness in typical processed soups for one rich in real tomato flavour.
If you were served this at a restaurant you wouldn’t think twice. It is a very tasty cream of tomato soup but one that ever so slightly nudges itself above its brand-name competitors.
Lidl
Reviewer: Steve Graves
Price: 67p
Rating: 3.5/5
Lidl cream of tomato soup(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Between the ages of two and four I ate nothing but Heinz cream of tomato soup, so I consider myself something of an authority on the subject. But I must admit even I was initially convinced this was the genuine, big brand article.
The colour, taste and texture were all extremely close to Heinz – but as I got through the bowl a slightly less pleasant aftertaste emerged, a slightly herby flavour which undermined the pure tomato simplicity on which I was raised.
A solid effort but not quite the one.
Morrisons
Reviewer: Paul McAuley
Price: £1
Rating: 4/5
Morrisons cream of tomato soup(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
My soup tasted just as good as Heinz’s but felt lighter as it wasn’t as thick. It tasted like I was enjoying Heinz but without the guilt of the calories. It had a creamy, milky undertone which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The longer I kept in my mouth the more flavour I could taste and the stronger the aftertaste was. I would buy it again as an alternative, but if Heinz was in front of me I would opt for it, as I imagine it is what the chocolate river in Willy Wonka’s factory would taste like if it was tomato flavoured.
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