Waitrose's own-brand tomato ketchup, priced at just 90p, has beaten Heinz and Hellmann's in a blind taste test conducted by Which?. The consumer group asked a panel of 60 ketchup enthusiasts to rate eight supermarket own-label ketchups alongside big-name brands.
Waitrose Takes Top Spot
The Waitrose ketchup, at 90p for 470g, achieved an impressive score of 77%. Tasters praised its well-balanced combination of tanginess, sweetness, and depth of flavour. It also ranked amongst the most visually appealing, with 82% praising its colour, and contains less sugar and salt than Heinz.
Jessica Carson, Which? taste test expert, said: "For many of us, tomato ketchup is a much-loved kitchen staple, but our blind taste test shows that there's no need to let brand loyalty squeeze your weekly budget. If you're looking for a supermarket alternative, you don't have to compromise on flavour. We found a 90p bottle that, according to your tasters, tastes just as good as Heinz, and it contains slightly less sugar and salt, too."
Co-op and Heinz Joint Second
Co-op's On the Side Tomato Ketchup finished narrowly behind Waitrose, with tasters praising its satisfying thickness and appealing colour. It costs £1.25 for a 550g bottle. Heinz shared joint-second position with Co-op, receiving high marks for appearance, aroma, and taste, though a third of participants found the consistency slightly too runny. At £3 for a 460g bottle, it was the priciest ketchup sampled, although it frequently appears on promotion.
Other Brands Compared
According to Which?, Heinz Tomato Ketchup contains more salt and sugar per 100g than most rivals tested. Asda came next, described as a "good all-rounder" at £1.13 for 550g. Hellmann's followed closely, but some tasters found it overly sharp; it costs £2.15 for 473g. Tesco earned praise for consistency but failed on taste, at £1.15 for 550g. Marks & Spencer's was underwhelming in flavour and texture, with higher sugar content, at 95p for 494g. Sainsbury's finished second from bottom at 95p for 460g, falling short on aroma and flavour. Morrisons received the poorest flavour ratings, with some tasters finding it excessively tangy and insufficiently sweet, at 95p for 450g.
