Online shopping and budget supermarkets mean traditional brands face more competition than ever for their products.
In theory, having so much choice is great news for the consumer – but it does make it tricky working out where the best quality and value lies.
In our new Our Verdict feature, Sky News’ Money team will be blind-testing popular products to help you make informed decisions.
Read all the latest Money news here
Our six-strong team of expert tasters are starting with a staple that many people feel strongly about: ketchup.
Children across the UK may refuse it unless it’s their favourite brand – but when you peel off the label, which really comes out on top?
We sampled 14 different ketchups – from own brands to high-end makers – marking for taste, balance and texture.
With high scores across the board, M&S’s own brand came out on top – and the good news is it costs just a fraction of the price of some traditional brands at £1.
Of the “posh” brands we sampled, Wilkin and Sons blew away the rest and came in third overall.
At the other end of our league table came Aldi, which is also the cheapest bottle at 89p – with Tesco’s own and Daddies also judged poorly in the blind test.
How did your favourite perform? Here are the results…
First place: M&S
Price: £1
Average score: 7.6
A thick but still smooth sauce perfect for scooping with chips. It is rich in colour and has a natural taste of tomatoes. This sauce comes with a subtle kick but its overall balance makes it a strong choice for the entire family.
Second place: Heinz
Price: £2.33
Average score: 7.4
Rich, smooth and good body. This is an all-rounder: a balanced flavour and likely to please everyone.
Third place: Wilkin and Sons
Price: £3.14
Average score: 7.3
The highest scoring “disruptor”. It has a deep colour, a discreet tang and thick, slightly bitty texture. The closest in our test to tasting homemade. A great choice if you’re looking to impress with something different.
Fourth place: Morrisons
Price: £1.99
Average score: 6.5
Good balance, with vinegar and smokiness coming through. Our testers noted a strong sweetness, while its texture and colour fared well compared with other own-brand ketchups.
Fifth place: Asda
Price: £1
Average score: 6.4
A decent everyday ketchup that lost marks due to its pale colour and thin texture. Our testers noted that sweet and acidic flavours were dominant over the tomato taste.
Sixth place: Sainsbury’s
Price: 90p
Average score: 6.4
This divided out testers, with scores ranging from 10 to three. Those who loved it praised its thick texture, balance and deep colour – but the tangy, smoky notes weren’t for everyone.
Seventh place: Lidl
Price: £1.05
Average score: 6
An average scorer – but well ahead of its Aldi equivalent. Testers thought it lacked anything to make it stand out.
Eighth place: Stokes
Price: £2.45
Average score: 5.8
This middle-class favourite scored disappointingly with the majority of our testers, who felt it lacked the balance of the sauces above. Its thick texture appeals, but you might expect more tomato flavour.
Ninth place: Waitrose
Price: 95p
Average score: 5.8
This sauce was an all-rounder with a deep colour – but testers felt it was too sweet and sharp, evoking memories of takeaway ketchup eaten with chips in a park.
Tenth place: Hellmans
Price: £2
Average score: 5.7
A lighter sauce that lost marks for its runnier texture. Our testers felt it lacked flavour compared with many of the other sauces, but its balance of sweetness was a strong point.
Eleventh place: Dr Wills
Price: £3
Average score: 5.2
The least ketchup-like of the ketchups, this is a room splitter. The natural tomato flavours come through and it tastes homemade, but a notable fruitiness and zing might put off traditionalists.
Joint twelfth: Tesco
Price: £1
Average score: 4.3
Several testers commented that it tasted like “café ketchup”, with a dominant vinegar profile and too much sweetness.
Joint twelfth: Daddies
Price: £1.50
Average score: 4.3
Across the board, our testers felt this was too sweet, with an artificial and unbalanced flavour.
Last place: Aldi
Price: 89p
Average score: 4.1
While not eliciting some of the very low marks of its rivals, this scored poorly across the board, with testers noting a lack of tomato flavour and an inescapable sweetness.
Here are the full results…
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