Reach's Katie Oborn, once a devoted Dairy Milk fan, has discovered that supermarkets now offer impressive own-label milk chocolate. She conducted a taste comparison of five tempting bars to see how they stack up against the classic Cadbury favorite.
Online Feedback and Ingredients
While examining online feedback, Katie noticed many shoppers claimed that several retailers' own-brand offerings surpass Dairy Milk in flavor. She also found that ingredients vary between stores, as do prices, though bars come in different weights and dimensions. Chocolate prices have risen significantly recently, yet some of the finest-tasting supermarket varieties are among the more affordable options.
The Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar 180g is priced at £2.75 at Tesco. Apart from M&S, all four remaining supermarket chocolate bars of equivalent or slightly larger size are cheaper than Dairy Milk. After sampling multiple bars, Katie admitted that all the supermarket alternatives taste superior to the Cadbury favorite.
Palm Oil Concerns
Many shoppers applaud major retail chains for their palm oil-free alternatives, whereas Cadbury Dairy Milk contains palm fat among its ingredients. Despite previously enjoying Dairy Milk, Katie now rates it just 1/5 and is unlikely to buy it again unless there is a change.
1. Tesco Milk Chocolate Bar (200g) £2.10 - Rating: 3/5
Katie enjoyed the creamy flavor of this bar, eating it piece by piece. She noted it would work brilliantly for baking or decorating cakes. She rated it 3/5 because she prefers Tesco Ms Molly's Milk Chocolate Bar 100g at 65p, which delivers a more pleasing cocoa butter flavor. Both Tesco options outperform Dairy Milk. One online review states: "Very nice taste, my go-to chocolate bar now that I've stopped buying Cadbury. No palm oil. Well done Tesco." The Ms Molly's bar is praised as "delicious tasting chocolate" and is currently unavailable online.
2. M&S Choc Marks Milk Chocolate (180g) £3.50 - Rating: 3/5
This solid, flavorsome bar leans more toward chocolatey than creamy, but comes at a steep price. It's considerably superior to Dairy Milk and is Katie's preferred choice when seeking quality chocolate. She sampled the smaller 50g version at £1.40, which proved an ideal afternoon treat. She awarded it 3/5 due to cost and the fact that dried whole milk appears before cocoa butter in the ingredients list, though it tastes delicious.
3. Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate (200g) £2.30 - Rating: 4/5
Katie was surprised by some negative online reviews for this bar, as she found the taste and ingredients impressive. Some shoppers complained about the price increase, but she is a real fan. This bar easily surpasses Dairy Milk, boasting a rich velvety texture, satisfying weight, chunky shape, and excellent taste. It is also palm oil-free.
4. Aldi Dairyfine Milk Chocolate (200g) £1.95 - Rating: 4/5
This bar matches the Sainsbury's offering, is more affordable, and slightly sweeter, representing excellent value. Aldi also offers palm-free chocolate. Upon first tasting, it seemed rather sweet, but by the second tasting, it seemed perfectly balanced. Katie comfortably awards it 4/5. Aldi's Choceur range, a more premium offering, is wonderfully creamy and reminiscent of how Dairy Milk once tasted.
5. Morrisons Chunk Belgian Chocolate With Blueberry, Raspberry, Cookie & Brownie (140g) £2.50 - Rating: 3/5
Katie rated this separately due to its tempting additions. Morrisons also stocks a no-frills Savers Milk Chocolate bar at 65p and a 200g Milk Chocolate at £2.30. The Chunk range features bold flavors. Some customers compare it to Tony's Chocolonely, but Katie argues Tony's offers chunkier texture and greater depth of flavor at £4.00 for 180g. She gives the Morrisons Chunk bar 3/5, though many customers rate it 5/5. Plain milk chocolate is often preferred, and Morrisons Chunk, with 30% minimum cocoa solids, rivals Dairy Milk in taste. Some Chunk products contain palm oil, while Tony's range is palm oil-free.
Cadbury Dairy Milk contains palm oil in European bars, but not in US or Australian versions. Beyond ethical concerns, palm oil is arguably detrimental to the overall flavor profile of milk chocolate. Quality cocoa butter and rich creamy milk are the hallmarks of a superior milk chocolate bar.
