Since childhood, my cupboard has always contained some form of apple and blackcurrant juice as a go-to cheap and cheerful drink at home. Yet, it may just be about to evolve. The all-time classics, Ribena and trusted Robinsons, reign as the heroes of squash on supermarket shelves, but customers could be missing a trick with unbranded versions. With a standard bottle of Ribena costing £2.23 and Robinsons even higher at £2.50, it is no wonder you may be tempted to turn to cheaper options, sitting closer to £1.
To put it to the test and see which apple and blackcurrant squash was the better option, I bought a bottle from Lidl, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, and M&S to trial against the two big brands. My hope was to find that supermarket own-brand items can outdo the tried and tested products.
Robinsons - £2.50 for 1 litre
At double strength, the Robinsons squash offers 40 glasses from a one-litre bottle and a flavour that is light and drinkable. You can definitely taste the apple coming through, but it is a delicious taste that is not too overpowering, and blackcurrant remains the flavour at the forefront. The double strength goes a long way and fills a glass with a worthy taste of childhood that I could drink time and time again. Rating: 4/5
Tesco - £2 for 750ml
This tiny bottle of 750ml claims to allow for 50 servings, but I see that being a task. While there are no added sugars, it certainly has a sweeter taste than some of the other supermarket options, if that is something you prefer. For me, I was hoping for something slightly deeper and richer. Priced at £2 for what feels like a very small bottle, I cannot say it is worth it. I would sooner stick to the branded options on this one. Rating: 3/5
Sainsbury's - £2.30 for 1.5 litres
This supermarket option was 4x concentrate, so a little bit goes a very long way, and you definitely get your money's worth out of one bottle alone. For someone who prefers a stronger blackcurrant taste, this is perfect and reminded me of the kind of juice boxes of blackcurrant I would drink as a kid. With a much cheaper price difference for the amount you get, you cannot really go wrong with this one as your go-to squash. Rating: 4/5
Asda - £1.14 for 1.5 litres
There is a much deeper taste of blackcurrant with this one, and a flavour I much more prefer. Drinkability-wise, I could sip away on this glass after glass, as it is not so sweet or overbearing as some of the others. And, for how much you can drink for how little you pay, it seems like a no-brainer. This is by far my favourite of the supermarket options and one of the cheapest. Rating: 5/5
Ribena - £2.23 for 850ml
I find Ribena to be such an acquired taste, and one that I could point out blindfolded, which I guess is what has ensured its lasting legacy in the drinks world. However, it is too strong of a taste, I find, to enjoy on a day-to-day basis, and I would much rather opt for an apple and blackcurrant mix from a supermarket. However, it is safe to say none of these quite compare to its unique flavour and are closer in taste to a classic Robinsons blackcurrant. Rating: 3/5
M&S - £1.25 for 1.5 litres
A light and refreshing taste but definitely not the most flavoursome of the purchases, this apple and blackcurrant squash was quite an average drink at best. It is reasonably priced, but the other options, I believe, offer a stronger hint of blackcurrant. While it claims to have double strength, you would definitely need a lot to make a strong glass of squash like I would prefer. Rating: 3/5
Lidl - £1.75 for 1 litre
This taste surprised me the most, as the apple flavour was certainly more overpowering than the blackcurrant, and it tasted a lot fruitier than the others, almost as though there were some other fruits thrown in there. This made it taste quite sweet, although I would say the concentrate was accurate, and I think you could get a decent amount of servings out of this bottle. Rating: 3/5
In conclusion, Asda's apple and blackcurrant squash emerged as the clear winner, offering the best balance of flavour and value. It proves that paying less can indeed give you more, and it may be time to reconsider the supermarket own-brand options.
