As soon as the temperature begins to drop and the darker evenings arrive, everyone knows there is no better winter warmer than a steaming hot bowl of tomato soup.
And while Heinz has arguably become the go-to brand for a lot of us with its beloved Cream of Tomato soup, it looks like there may be a few cheaper alternatives worth trying out. Whether you are a loyal Heinz fan or not, leading consumer champion Which? tested a range of own-branded tins of tomato soup from a few major supermarkets and found a few other winners.
Over the last month, Which? led a large blind taste test panel of 72 consumers to test out branded tomato soups from Heinz and Baxters to see how they compared to some supermarket versions, including Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
Each panellist had a private booth so as they could not be influenced by anyone else's decision and they were then asked to rate each soup they sampled on taste, texture, aroma and appearance.
And it is good news for anyone who is looking to tighten their budget on their grocery shopping, as the panel found many supermarkets were better than the real deal - with Sainsbury's taking the crown.
Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato Soup won the majority of the vote with 81% praising its "well-balanced tomato flavour and appetising colour." At just 55p for a 400g tin, it is a significantly cheaper option when compared to Heinz's £1.40.
The supermarket chain's version was then closely followed by Tesco's Cream of Tomato Soup, also priced at 55p, which managed to score a whopping 80%, with the vast majority of tasters saying the strength of the tomato flavour was just right
Asda also managed to get into the top three, and was the second cheapest option overall, as its 50p Cream of Tomato soup won 75% with panellists who rated its flavour, texture and sweetness were all a hit with testers.
By comparison, Heinz only came in sixth place, beating out just Baxters and Aldi's tomato soups, with just 69% overall, as many tasters liked its texture, but 59% were disappointed with the strength of the tomato taste.
The results are good news for families who may be looking to switch up their shopping habits during the cost of living crisis, as Heinz is significantly more pricey than some of the supermarkets own brands which all retail under £1.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Money and Shopping Editor said: "Tomato soup is a winter staple for many, and yet again our taste tests have shown that supermarket own-brand products can more than stand their ground against pricier items from big brands.
"Many households are looking for ways to cut their spending due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. Opting for supermarket own-label groceries is not only a great way to save money, but often you won't have to compromise on taste."
Here is how all the Cream of Tomato Soups ranked
- Sainsbury’s Cream of Tomato Soup – 81%
- Tesco Cream of Tomato Soup – 80%
- Asda Cream of Tomato Soup – 75%
- Morrisons Cream of Tomato Soup – 73%
- Waitrose Essential Cream of Tomato Soup – 71%
- M&S Cream of Tomato Soup – 70%
- Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup – 69%
- Aldi Bramwells Cream of Tomato Soup – 68%
- Baxters Favourites Cream of Tomato Soup – 57%
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
READ NEXT:
