Two 59p supermarket tomato soups have been named joint winners in a new Which? taste test, outperforming big-name brands including Heinz and Baxters. A panel of 77 Brits compared supermarket soups from Tesco, M&S, Aldi, and Asda to versions by Heinz and Baxters, with the two cheapest tins coming out on top.
Tesco and Sainsbury's take joint first place
Tesco's Cream of Tomato Soup and Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato Soup (both 59p for 400g) tied for first place, each scoring 78 per cent. Sainsbury's was awarded a best buy and great value recommendation by Which? thanks to its 'outstanding value' at just 59p a tin. It impressed tasters with its 'perfect creaminess', as well as its appearance and texture, with most saying the balance of tanginess and sweetness was 'just right'.
Tesco's version matched it on taste and value, with the majority of people thinking it 'excelled on every measure' with just the right strength of flavour and tang. It also scored top marks for thickness and creaminess, unlike some of the lower-scoring soups, which 'compromise on texture'.
Asda and Crosse & Blackwell follow closely
Asda's Cream of Tomato Soup (59p for 400g) earned an overall score of 77 per cent and was also named a best buy. It rated highly across all categories, including appearance, aroma, flavour, and texture, just narrowly missing out on the top spot. It was said to have 'well-balanced flavours' and a 'satisfying creaminess'.
The next highest-rated soup was Crosse & Blackwell Cream of Tomato Soup (£1.25 for 400g) with 76 per cent, the best of the branded ones tried. While it beat Heinz in taste and price, it's still around double the price of most supermarket versions. It is available in Tesco and Sainsbury's as well as online via Ocado.
Heinz and Baxters rank near the bottom
Co-op Classic Cream of Tomato Soup (75p for 400g) and Marks & Spencer's Cream of Tomato Soup (60p for 400g) both scored 73 per cent, followed by Morrisons (65p) with 72 per cent, Aldi's Bramwells (59p) with 71 per cent, and Lidl's Newgate with 70 per cent. These soups were said to 'look the part' but fell short on flavour and texture, with Aldi's in particular lacking creaminess.
Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup (£1.70 for 400g) scored 68 per cent, putting it in the bottom three. More than a third deemed the flavour 'too weak' and 'not sweet enough', while 62 per cent of tasters thought it wasn't creamy enough. Waitrose Essential Cream of Tomato Soup (85p) received 66 per cent, losing marks for flavour and texture. Baxter's Cream of Tomato Soup (£2.05 for 400g) came in last place with 58 per cent, the most expensive soup also being the lowest-scoring overall, as most tasters found the flavour 'too weak' and the texture 'not thick enough'.
Jessica Carson, Which? taste test expert, said: 'When it comes to convenient, comforting lunches, you can't go wrong with a classic tin of cream of tomato soup, but with big brands costing over double supermarket alternatives it's worth knowing which bowls really deliver on taste.' She added: 'Supermarket own-labels are now stirring up serious competition: our blind taste test found a humble 59p can that nailed the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavour – making it an unbeatable everyday staple.'
