Consumer group Which? conducted a blind taste test of eight ketchup brands, assembling a panel of 72 people to evaluate each on taste, smell, texture, and appearance. The results showed that supermarket own-brand ketchups can match the quality of leading brands like Heinz at a significantly lower price.
Asda and Heinz Tie for First Place
Asda Classic Tomato Ketchup scored 77%, tying with Heinz Tomato Ketchup. Tasters praised Asda's well-balanced tanginess, sweetness, and depth of flavour. Notably, Asda's ketchup contains less sugar and salt than the Heinz equivalent. Asda is priced at £1.39 for 970g, while Heinz costs £3 for 460g, making Asda considerably cheaper per gram.
Heinz also scored 77%, with panellists highlighting its outstanding texture, taste, and appearance. However, Heinz contains more salt and sugar per 100g than most other brands tested. Heinz offers a reduced sugar variant, but it was not included in the taste test.
Other Brands Ranked
Waitrose Essential Tomato Ketchup secured third place with 75%, retailing at 95p for 470g. Tasters commended its flavour and texture, making it a quality option at a lower cost.
Aldi Bramwells Tomato Ketchup finished fourth with 73%, priced at 89p for 550g. It has the lowest sugar levels of all ketchups tested, and tasters applauded its texture. However, only half of the panel were satisfied with its taste and sweetness level.
Marks and Spencer Ranks Lowest
Marks and Spencer ketchup ranked last, scoring only 61%. Tasters found the sauce overly thick, dark, and tangy.
According to Which?, the blind taste test demonstrates that consumers do not need to spend extra on big-name brands to enjoy high-quality ketchup. Supermarket own-brands like Asda offer comparable taste and texture at a fraction of the cost, with added benefits of lower sugar and salt content.
