A supermarket olive oil has been crowned the best for 2026 in a taste test beating premium brands including Filippo Berio
Best supermarket olive oil named(Image: Getty)
Olive oil remains a kitchen essential, whether drizzled over salads, paired with fresh bread for dipping, or enhancing your culinary creations. However, with supermarket shelves brimming with countless choices, selecting the perfect bottle can prove daunting. Fortunately, a supermarket olive oil brand has claimed top honours this year, surpassing competitors such as Filippo Berio.
A food critic from The Independent undertook a comprehensive taste evaluation of the finest extra virgin olive oils in 2026. During this assessment, they “sipped and dipped” their way through supermarket own-label products alongside several non-supermarket offerings. The victor hails neither from Lidl nor Waitrose, but from Asda.
The leading olive oil for 2026
Asda Extra Special Greek Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil has secured the title of finest olive oil for 2026. This £8 olive oil, crafted from 100% Greek olives, delivers a ripe, fruity flavour with subtle spicy undertones.
The food critic outlined their rationale: “This oil is fruity and slightly creamy with bitter and nutty notes. It’s rich, balanced and has just a hint of a rocket-like peppery finish. I was very impressed with the depth and intensity of flavour.
Greek Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil(Image: Asda)
“Obviously, it’s great for finishing off a classic Greek salad thanks to its excellent flavour and slightly bitter taste that works well with green salads. The bottle’s unusual design, with a blue marbled label, also really makes it stand out among the usual varying tones of green or other olive oils.”
Coming in second place is Aldi Specially Selected P. D. O Castel Del Monte extra virgin olive oil at £5.49, followed by Belazu early harvest extra virgin olive oil (£13.50) in third position, with Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (£10) placing just behind.
Last year, our Senior Lifestyle reporter Angela Patrone carried out her own olive oil tasting trial. She sampled Asda’s own brand as well and rated it eight out of 10.
Featuring fresh notes of green herbs and tomato plants, she observed that the Asda variety is a pleasant discovery, especially given its lasting peppery finish. It makes an excellent everyday oil, perfectly suited for regular cooking and salad dressings.
Nevertheless, topping her rankings is Waitrose Extra Virgin Olive Oil, achieving a flawless score of 10 out of 10. She remarked that the subtle yet peppery character of the Waitrose oil is especially noteworthy, enhanced by a remarkably smooth aftertaste.
Our winner from last year(Image: Angela Patrone)
Its texture is less thick than numerous other oils, rendering it perfect for drizzling over salads. The sole disadvantage is its somewhat elevated price point of £8.50 per litre, though it isn’t the costliest choice available.
How to select the finest olive oil
Olive oil sommelier and founder of The Olive Oil Guy, Mazen Assaf, highlighted that when selecting your olive oil, price shouldn’t be your only consideration. Speaking to the Express, he revealed: “When picking olive oil, go for bottles in tin or dark glass.
“Heat, oxygen, and light destroy flavour and health benefits. Choose single-origin, ideally from a specific region like Sparta, Greece, and avoid vague ‘EU and Non-EU blends.'”.
“Look for the olive variety on the label – there are 1,600 worldwide, each with a unique flavour. For example, think about all the table olives you eat: each variety tastes different. If the olive variety is stated on the bottle, it’s a step further to recognising its authenticity.”
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Dining and Cooking