Supermarket own-brand sourdough can rival Jason's, with Aldi's Specially Selected White Sourdough Sliced Loaf emerging as the winner in a taste test conducted by Millie Bull, Deputy Editor of Spare Time. Priced at £1.89 for 500g, Aldi's loaf scored 5/5, beating Jason's The Great White Sourdough, which scored 4.5/5.
How the test was conducted
Bull, who eats sourdough every day, compared Jason's white sourdough with similar loaves from Sainsbury's, Aldi, and Co-op. Each loaf was judged on flavour, price, packaging, ingredients, and toasting ability. Every slice was toasted for three minutes until lightly golden and served with a small amount of butter.
Jason's is Britain's third-largest bread brand, having overtaken Kingsmill. With sourdough becoming a household essential, supermarkets have responded by introducing their own alternatives.
The results: from fourth to first
In fourth place was Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Sourdough Medium Sliced White Bread, priced at £2 for 400g. It scored 3/5. While the flavour was good with a decent tang and noticeable saltiness, the texture after toasting developed a cardboard-like quality. It was the only loaf to include soya flour and the flour treatment agent ascorbic acid.
Co-op's Irresistible Slice White Sourdough, at £2.95 for 500g, came third with a score of 4/5. The taste was outstanding with a tangy, nutty character, but the plastic wrapping wasn't resealable. It incorporates rye flour, rice flour, and rapeseed oil.
Jason's The Great White Sourdough, priced at £2.25 for 450g at Sainsbury's, took second place with 4.5/5. It toasts beautifully, keeps well, and comes in recyclable paper wrapping. It contains five main ingredients: wheat flour, water, rye flour, salt, and fermented wheat flour. It fell short due to its smaller size and slightly higher price compared with Aldi's 500g loaf.
Why Aldi won
Aldi's Specially Selected White Sourdough Sliced Loaf took first place with a perfect 5/5 score. It contains the same five ingredients as Jason's and features similar recyclable paper packaging. The crust is chewy with a nutty undertone, and it toasts brilliantly. The deciding factor was the price: £1.89 for 500g.
Bull noted that Aldi's loaf is often out of stock, which she said speaks volumes. She plans to look out for it more regularly, assuming she can find it on the shelves.
