A consumer writer who drinks oat milk daily has found two supermarket own-brand barista drinks that beat Alpro and Oatly on both taste and price, after a seven-month trial of products from Sainsbury's, Lidl, M&S, Tesco and Asda.
Why the trial began
Sophie Harris, Senior Audience Writer for Spare Time, said she was spending over £10 a week on branded barista oat drinks and concluded they were too expensive. She trialled own-brand versions to see if any could match the quality at a lower cost.
The winners: M&S and Sainsbury's
M&S Barista Oat Drink scored 5/5, praised for its rich, creamy texture and balanced flavour, priced at £2.20 for 1L from Ocado. Sainsbury's Long Life Oat Barista also scored 5/5, costing £1.55 for long-life or £1.70 for chilled. Harris said it foamed more than any other oat drink she tried and that she preferred it to Alpro and Oatly.
Other options scored lower
Plant-Based By ASDA Oat Barista Drink scored 3.5/5, at £1.55 for 1L, but was found watery and thin. Tesco Oat Drink scored 2/5, at £1.50, with no foam but a pleasant mild flavour. Lidl Oat Barista scored 1/5, at £1.25, failing to foam and producing a thin latte.
