A comparison of six supermarket bakeries has crowned Morrisons the winner for choice, value and standout products, while Aldi finished last with a disappointing selection.
With six supermarkets within a 10-minute drive, the stores visited were Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer, Asda and Aldi. Each was judged on the range, quality and price of its baked goods.
Aldi and M&S fall short
Aldi's bakery selection was described as disappointing. The local branch visited has no fresh bakery counter, and the packaged range was limited, with favourites such as school cakes missing. Although there were plenty of breads, only a small selection of cakes, doughnuts and pastries was available, and fresh seasonal treats were absent. With so little choice, Aldi came last.
Marks and Spencer impressed with its food and presentation, but prices put it near the bottom. Most freshly baked items cost between £1.50 and £2.30, with few below £1. The cheapest option was a 50p bread roll, while a single almond croissant cost £2.60. The products looked delicious, but the cost would make regular shopping there too expensive. For an occasional treat, the Yumnut – a cross between a yum yum and a doughnut – or the white chocolate all-butter biscuits were recommended.
Asda and Lidl offer mixed results
Asda brought back fond memories of blueberry muffins and iced ring doughnuts. When visited at around 6pm on a weekday, plenty of baked goods remained, with a good mix of pastries, breads and cakes. A Krispy Kreme section was present, but the caramel and pecan buns stood out as a welcome change from cinnamon swirls and iced buns. Halloween and Christmas treats were reasonably priced, though the overall selection felt smaller than at some rivals, with little that stood out.
Lidl's bakery was hard to walk past, with low prices and interesting products making it a strong choice. The sugar-dusted jam doughnuts were tempting, but the toffee-filled yum yums were the highlight. More traditional British treats would have been welcome, though the selection may vary by branch, and some items seemed stale. The packaged bakery aisle was less exciting, with a fairly predictable range.
Sainsbury's and the winning Morrisons
Sainsbury's nearly took first place thanks to its wide choice of familiar British treats. School cakes, tea cakes, all-butter flapjacks, apple turnovers and gingerbread men gave the bakery a nostalgic feel. There was also a good selection of pastries, doughnuts, biscuits and breads, including rolls, baguettes, sliced loaves and naan. Seasonal options included Halloween Witches Brew biscuits and Christmas snowy yule log bites.
Morrisons was the winner for choice, value and standout products. The branch visited had no counter for picking individual pastries or loaves, but the bakery range more than made up for it. Chilled desserts were good value, with a generous strawberry trifle costing £2.25 – less than the M&S almond croissant. Small, sweet bites offered plenty of choice, including jam mini teacakes with strawberry marshmallow centres.
The favourite was the fresh raspberry croissant, priced at £1.89 and sold in packs of two. It tasted like a jam doughnut but was lighter and less stodgy, with the fruity filling working beautifully with the flaky, buttery pastry. It was the standout treat of the comparison – and one that still comes to mind daily.
