In a blind taste test, Lidl's 99p jam outperformed more expensive competitors, challenging the notion that cheap food is always inferior. The supermarket's own-brand jam scored highly for flavour, beating brands costing several times more.
Nutritionist Angela Dowden conducted the test as part of a broader investigation into whether budget foods compromise on quality. She found that while some cheap products rely on additives and lower-quality ingredients, others offer excellent value without sacrificing taste or nutrition.
For example, Lidl's Bixies cereal, at 50p for 24 biscuits, was praised for its low sugar content, though it lacks added vitamins. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's Basics Baked Beans, at 20p per 420g tin, were rated top for their lower salt content and healthy ingredients.
However, not all budget items fared well. Some value yoghurts contained as little as 3.5% fruit and were thickened with gelatine or pectin, resulting in an artificial taste and gloopy texture. In contrast, premium yoghurts with 10% fruit and natural flavours scored higher.
The findings come as families face an extra £800 annual grocery bill due to rising costs, prompting many to switch to discount supermarkets like Lidl, where sales have surged 12%.
