A panel of 63 consumers blind-tested 10 different vanilla ice cream brands, and the winner was a supermarket own-brand tub costing just £2.69. Consumer group Which? conducted the taste test, evaluating each ice cream on creaminess, texture, flavour, and sweetness.
Aldi's Specially Selected Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream Takes Top Spot
The panel found that Aldi's Specially Selected Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream was the best vanilla ice cream on the market, earning an overall score of 77%. Which? noted that most panelists thought the flavour and sweetness were just right. The report added: “Texture was a high point too, with nearly three quarters finding it had the perfect creaminess.”
The Aldi ice cream costs £2.69 for a 480ml tub, making it the joint cheapest in the test. Other strong performers included Lidl's Deluxe Vanilla Ice Cream, which was price-matched by Aldi and described as having a “pleasant creamy texture,” scoring 72%.
Morrisons and Tesco Also Score Well
Morrisons The Best Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream (£3 for 480ml) was noted as a “good all-rounder,” while Tesco Finest Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream earned a 75% score, boosted by its “stronger flavour and a little extra sweetness” and creamy texture.
Premium Brands Fall Short
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream and Jude's Vanilla Clotted Cream Ice Cream landed at the bottom of the rankings, with scores of 67% and 63%, respectively. Despite being a luxury brand, Häagen-Dazs received “mixed” opinions on its flavour and lost marks for texture. Jude's option was described as “a bit on the bland side,” with only half the tasters keen on its sweetness and creaminess.
