A blind taste test of supermarket cream of tomato soups has crowned Sainsbury's own-brand version at just 59p as the winner, scoring 9 out of 10 and easily beating Heinz's iconic but expensive offering, which managed only 3 out of 10.
Sainsbury's Takes Top Spot
Jennifer Pinto of The Express tested six supermarket soups against Heinz across criteria including taste, texture, smell, appearance, aftertaste and overall satisfaction. Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato Soup, priced at 59p for a 400g tin, earned the highest score.
Pinto said: "For the quality and price, Sainsbury's wins this week's taste test. It didn't taste too sweet or too salty, and it felt light without being sickly even after a full bowl, while still being comforting. The texture was smooth and velvety rather than watery. Overall, it had a better balance of sweetness and acidity, with stronger tomato flavour and less water dilution."
Heinz Disappoints
Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, priced at £1.30 at Sainsbury's and £1.59 at Tesco, scored a mere 3/10. Pinto described it as overly sweet with an unnaturally bright orange colour and a processed taste.
"I actually didn't like the Heinz tomato soup much at all," she said. "There's a nostalgic flavour there, and the texture is solid, but the colour felt unnaturally bright orange, the taste was overly sweet, and overall it came across as quite processed. It left a lingering sweetness that felt a little too much. It was also way more expensive than the other options."
Waitrose and M&S Impress
Waitrose Cream of Tomato Soup, at 80p, came in second with a score of 8.5/10. Pinto praised its natural, homemade taste and deep red colour, noting it "tasted really good and felt probably the closest to a homemade bowl of soup."
M&S Cream of Tomato Soup, at 60p, scored 7/10. Its double cream gave a velvety texture, and it was significantly less sweet than other options. Pinto called it "a great-quality soup for the price and a great alternative to Heinz."
Other Supermarket Soups
Tesco Cream of Tomato Soup (59p, 5/10) boasted 91% tomato content and double cream but was deemed too sweet and chemically tasting. Aldi's Bramwells soup (59p, 4/10) was closest to Heinz but still too sweet and watery. Lidl's Newgate soup (59p, 4.5/10) was similar but darker in colour.
The test highlights that budget-friendly supermarket own-brand soups can outperform premium brands. Sainsbury's 59p soup offers a well-balanced, velvety option that rivals far more expensive alternatives.
