Co-operative’s own-brand mayonnaise has been crowned the winner of a blind taste test by consumer watchdog Which?, outperforming well-known brands such as Heinz and Hellmann’s while costing significantly less. The Co-op On The Side Real Mayonnaise, priced at £1.35 for a 500ml bottle, impressed testers with its creamy texture and tangy flavour.
Which? Test Methodology and Results
Which? evaluated seven supermarket own-brand mayonnaises alongside Heinz Seriously Good Mayonnaise and Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise. The panel assessed flavour, texture, creaminess, and overall appeal. Co-op’s product scored highest, with two-thirds of testers praising its thickness and most enjoying its sharpness. Which? stated: “An appetising-looking, creamy mayo with a flavour that most of our tasters enjoyed.”
Sainsbury’s own-brand mayonnaise took second place at £1 per 500ml. More than two-thirds of testers liked its thickness, and over half appreciated its strength, flavour, and sharpness. In third place came Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise, costing £2.45 for a 430ml bottle. Some tasters loved its flavour, while others found it too weak, but it still beat Heinz.
Brand Rankings and Pricing Breakdown
The full ranking from best to worst is as follows:
- 1. Co-op On The Side Real Mayonnaise – £1.35/500ml
- 2. Sainsbury’s Mayonnaise – £1.00/500ml
- 3. Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise – £2.45/430ml
- 4. Lidl Batts Mayonnaise – £0.95/500ml
- 5. Asda Mayonnaise – £0.96/500ml
- 6. Tesco Mayonnaise – £0.85/450ml
- 7. Morrisons Mayonnaise – £0.95/500ml
- 8. Heinz Seriously Good Mayonnaise – £2.84/540ml
- 9. M&S Classic Mayo – £1.40/500ml
Heinz, despite its higher price—£2.84 for 540ml—came second to last. Testers found M&S Classic Mayo the least appealing, describing it as lacking in flavour. Morrisons’ mayonnaise was noted as dark in colour and “a bit bland,” though creamy. Tesco’s offering was praised for thickness and creaminess but deemed overly tangy by some. Asda’s mayo had good colour and texture but weak flavour. Lidl’s Batts mayonnaise matched Hellmann’s in testers’ estimation, with most satisfied by its thickness and creaminess, though some wanted stronger flavour.
Notable Absences and Context
Aldi was excluded because the supermarket informed Which? that its mayonnaise range was undergoing changes. Waitrose also missed the test as its mayonnaise was unavailable at the time. Which? noted: “Two supermarket mayonnaises were top of our taste test this year. Of the two brands on test, Hellmann’s was more popular than Heinz.”
The results highlight that own-brand products can deliver comparable or superior quality to premium brands at a fraction of the cost. Co-op’s winning mayonnaise is less than half the price of Heinz and Hellmann’s, offering consumers significant savings without compromising taste.
