Supermarket Marmalade Triumphs in National Taste Test
A budget-friendly supermarket marmalade costing just £1.80 per jar has been declared the finest in the United Kingdom, outperforming numerous premium brands and rival supermarket offerings in a rigorous consumer assessment. Morrisons' own-brand thick cut Seville orange marmalade secured a decisive victory in a comprehensive Which? taste test, earning an impressive 75% customer approval rating and the coveted Best Buy badge.
Meticulous Evaluation of Eleven Spreads
A dedicated panel of tasters meticulously evaluated eleven different marmalades, scrutinising each product for its flavour profile, aromatic qualities, visual appearance, and overall texture. Judges carefully documented their personal preferences and any criticisms throughout the testing process. Morrisons' offering ascended to the premier position by achieving the highest cumulative scores across the critical categories of appearance, taste, and consistency.
Three-quarters of the testers unanimously agreed that the preserve demonstrated an ideal equilibrium of colour, thickness, and sweetness. An identical proportion praised its orange flavour intensity as being perfectly calibrated. The judges additionally commended the generous quantity of peel within the spread and its perfectly balanced level of characteristic bitterness.
Value for Money Seals the Victory
Beyond its superior sensory qualities, the champion marmalade also garnered significant praise for its exceptional value. Shoppers can purchase a 340g jar for £1.80, which translates to a cost of just 53p per 100g. This price point renders Morrisons' own-brand product a staggering 75% more affordable than several premium branded marmalades, including Tiptree, Duerr's, and Frank Cooper's, all of which were included in the comparative assessment.
The runner-up position was jointly held by two other spreads, each achieving a score of 73%. Duchy's Organic Seville Orange thick cut marmalade claimed second place, while Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Bitter Seville orange marmalade shared the honour. Notably, Sainsbury's offering is priced identically to the winner at 53p per 100g, though testers noted it was perceived as slightly too bitter and lacking in sufficient peel quantity.
Detailed Breakdown of Competitor Performance
The taste test provided a detailed ranking of all contenders:
- Fourth Place: La Vieja Fabrica orange thick cut marmalade scored 72%. Priced at £2.50 for a 365g jar (68p/100g), it was praised for its balanced sweetness but critiqued by some for its jelly consistency.
- Joint Fifth (70%): Asda's Extra Special thick cut dark Seville orange marmalade and Tesco Finest coarse cut dark Seville. Asda's was deemed too dark and thin, while Tesco's was found slightly too bitter.
- Seventh Place (69%): The Co-op's Irresistible Seville orange medium cut marmalade, also criticised for excessive bitterness.
- Eighth Place (64%): Tiptree's "Tawny" orange thick cut marmalade.
- Ninth Place (63%): Frank Cooper's Original Oxford coarse cut marmalade, with over 80% of panellists put off by its dark colour.
- Tenth Place (62%): Duerr's thick cut Seville orange marmalade.
- Eleventh Place (60%): M&S' Fairtrade Dark Seville orange marmalade finished last.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, reflected on the results: "Starting the morning with marmalade on toast is essential for Paddington Bear and many people across the UK. Our taste tests reflected the competition between big brands and supermarkets to produce the best flavour. While Morrisons emerged as the top scorer in our taste tests with high ratings for looks, flavour and texture, Waitrose and Sainsbury's offerings also impressed the panel for their colour and consistency."
The findings underscore a significant shift in consumer goods, where supermarket own-brand products are not only competing with but decisively outperforming established, often more expensive, branded rivals in independent quality assessments.
