Years ago, I was a dedicated fan of Cadbury Dairy Milk, but supermarket own-brand milk chocolate has become far more tempting, so I decided to put five bars to the test. After seeing online reviews from shoppers who said many own-brand options actually tasted better than Dairy Milk, I wanted to check for myself.
Prices and weights vary between retailers, and chocolate has become far more expensive in recent years, like most groceries. Still, some of the best bars I tried are at the cheaper end of the scale. The Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar (180g) costs £2.75 at Tesco, and except for M&S, all four other supermarket bars of a similar or slightly larger size are more affordable.
The verdict
After comparing several bars directly with Dairy Milk, I have to admit that, in my view, every supermarket bar tasted better than the Cadbury favourite. Looking at online reviews, I also saw that many shoppers praise the leading supermarkets for their palm oil-free options, while Cadbury Dairy Milk still lists palm oil among its ingredients. Once a devoted fan, I would now give Dairy Milk just one out of five, and I am unsure if I will buy it again unless something changes.
1. Tesco Milk Chocolate Bar (200g) £2.30 - my rating: 3/5
This bar surprised me with its creamy flavour. I enjoyed it piece by piece and think it would work well for baking or as a cake topping. I've given it three out of five because I prefer Tesco Ms Molly's Milk Chocolate Bar (100g) at 59p, which has a more satisfying cocoa butter taste. Both Tesco options beat Dairy Milk in my assessment.
One online review of the standard Tesco Milk Chocolate Bar says: "Very nice taste, My goto chocolate bar now that I've stopped buying Cadbury. No palm oil. Well done, Tesco."
2. M&S Choc Marks Milk Chocolate (180g) £3.50 - my rating: 3/5
This bar is solid, flavoursome and substantial, leaning more towards chocolatey than creamy, although it is pricey at £3.50. It is considerably better than Cadbury Dairy Milk and has earned a permanent place on my list when I want quality chocolate. I later sampled the smaller version of the same bar, the Choc Marks Small Bars (50g) at £1.40, which made a lovely mid-afternoon treat. I gave it three out of five, mainly because of the cost and the fact that dried whole milk appears ahead of cocoa butter on the ingredients list, even though it tastes delightful.
3. Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate (200g) £2.30 - my rating: 4/5
I was surprised by some critical reviews online because I found both the flavour and the ingredients impressive. Some shoppers complained about the price increase and others said the recipe had "changed", but I am firmly among those who rate this bar highly. Like every supermarket own-brand chocolate I tried, it easily outperformed Cadbury Dairy Milk. It has a rich, silky texture, a nice weight in the hand, a substantial shape, and an excellent taste, and it is entirely palm oil free.
4. Aldi Dairyfine Milk Chocolate (200g) £1.95 - my rating: 4/5
This one rivals Sainsbury's own-brand option. It is more affordable, slightly sweeter, and in my view offers excellent value for money. Aldi is also palm oil free, like all the other supermarket bars I tested. On first taste it seemed quite sweet, but on the second try it appeared perfectly balanced, which suggests it may depend on how your taste buds are feeling. After eating an entire bar, I gave it 4/5. It's also worth mentioning that Aldi Choceur, a more premium offering, was delightfully creamy and very similar to how Dairy Milk used to taste.
5. Morrisons Chunk Belgian Chocolate (140g) £2.50 - my rating: 3/5
This fifth chocolate deserves particular mention because, while it is milk chocolate, it comes packed with extra goodies, so I am giving it its own category, separate from the four plain bars. Morrisons already sells a well-regarded Morrisons Savers Milk Chocolate bar (100g) for 80p and a 200g Morrisons Milk Chocolate at £2.30, but I was drawn to one of the chain's recent introductions. Morrisons launched its Chunk chocolate range last year with bold flavours, so I tried the Chunk Belgian Chocolate With Blueberry, Raspberry, Cookie and Brownie (140g) at £2.50. Some customers have compared it with Tony's Chocolonely, although Tony's arguably has chunkier pieces and more intense flavour combinations, retailing at £4.00 for a 180g bar across various options. I would give the Morrisons Chunk bar three out of five, though many shoppers have awarded it five, with one saying: "This chocolate is so good! Well done, Morrisons."
Palm oil and the bigger picture
Generally speaking, plain chocolate remains the preferred choice for most consumers. A smooth, creamy milk chocolate is hard to beat, and Morrisons Chunk, with a minimum 30% cocoa solids, arguably tastes better than Dairy Milk. While some – though not all – Morrisons Chunk products contain palm oil, Tony's sets itself apart by declaring "no palm oil" across its entire range and championing sustainable farming practices. Cadbury Dairy Milk, in contrast, lists palm oil as an ingredient in its milk chocolate bars sold in Europe, though this does not appear to apply to bars sold in the US or Australia. Leaving aside the ethical debate surrounding palm oil, it does little to enhance the flavour of milk chocolate. Most genuine chocolate enthusiasts would much rather enjoy the rich flavour of high-quality, ethically sourced cocoa butter with a classic, silky milk taste.
