In a surprising twist for British condiment lovers, a food blogger's blind taste test has revealed that Aldi's own-brand ketchup outperforms the iconic Heinz variety. The experiment, conducted by culinary enthusiast Becca from Beccaeatseverything, put five popular ketchup brands through their paces to determine which sauce truly deserves the crown.
The Blind Taste Test Methodology
To ensure complete fairness and eliminate brand bias, Becca conducted a proper blind tasting of five different ketchup bottles. She sampled each sauce without knowing which brand she was trying, allowing her to judge purely on flavour, texture, and overall enjoyment. The participating brands represented a mix of supermarket own-brands and premium offerings, creating a comprehensive comparison of what's available on British shelves today.
The Bottom Rankings
Starting with the least successful contenders, Daylesford's organic ketchup finished in last place with a disappointing score of just 1 out of 10. Despite its premium price tag of £6.50, Becca criticised its consistency, describing it as resembling jellied tomatoes with a watery texture and excessive sweetness that overwhelmed the palate.
Tesco's own-brand tomato ketchup managed only fourth position with a score of 2.5 out of 10. Becca noted that this variety lacked sufficient sweetness, commenting that she wouldn't enjoy it with her chips - a crucial test for any respectable ketchup in British culinary culture.
Marks & Spencer's entry secured third place with a middling 4.5 out of 10. While Becca appreciated the good tomato flavour, she found the balance off, describing it as way too sweet with excessive vinegar that detracted from the overall experience.
The Top Two Contenders
The real revelation came when comparing the two finalists. Heinz, the brand that has dominated British cupboards for nearly 150 years, had to settle for second place with a respectable score of 8.5 out of 10. Becca immediately recognised the familiar taste, praising it as a really good tomato ketchup while noting it was perhaps a little too tangy for her personal preference.
Taking the top spot in a stunning upset was Aldi's own-brand offering, which earned a perfect 10 out of 10 score. Remarkably, this winning sauce was also the second most affordable option tested, priced at just 89p. Becca enthusiastically described it as having the perfect balance - sweet with a tang reminiscent of balsamic vinegar, complemented by lovely spices that created a truly satisfying flavour profile.
What This Means for British Consumers
This blind taste test challenges the automatic assumption that Heinz represents the gold standard in tomato ketchup. While Heinz remains a solid performer with its distinctive tangy flavour that many Brits have grown up with, the test suggests there are excellent alternatives available at significantly lower price points.
The results particularly highlight how supermarket own-brands have evolved beyond mere budget alternatives to become genuine quality contenders in their own right. Aldi's victory demonstrates that price doesn't always correlate with taste satisfaction, offering consumers both value and flavour in one affordable package.
For those willing to venture beyond the familiar red bottle, this taste test suggests there might be pleasant surprises waiting on supermarket shelves. Whether you're dressing a bacon sandwich, accompanying your chips, or adding flavour to various dishes, it appears the ketchup landscape might be more diverse and interesting than many British households have traditionally assumed.
