As festive shelves groan under the weight of chocolate boxes, one journalist embarked on a delicious mission to find the ultimate Christmas treat. Shania King-Soyza, putting her traditional love for Quality Street aside, sampled offerings from supermarkets and luxury brands across the UK to crown a definitive winner.
The Festive Chocolate Showdown
In a rigorous comparison, Shania King-Soyza ranked nine popular chocolate selections, from budget supermarket picks to high-end luxury offerings. The results, revealed on December 17, 2025, delivered a major surprise, with a humble Tesco box ultimately triumphing over the celebrated Hotel Chocolat.
From Bottom to Top: The Complete Ranking
Starting at the lower end, Co-Op's Irresistible Belgian Chocolate Flaked Truffles (£4.25 for 160g) landed in tenth place. While decent and generously portioned, they were deemed "unremarkable and forgettable" compared to the competition.
In ninth were Asda's Gingerbread Men Shaped Chocolates (£2 for 96g). The blonde chocolate pieces earned praise for their Caramac-like flavour, but the milk chocolate versions were labelled boring, with Hotel Chocolat's alternative recommended for a true gingerbread taste.
The classic tin of Heroes came a surprising eighth, described as lacklustre and a potential "waste of money" with only a few standout pieces.
Aldi's Specially Selected range took seventh spot. Its Reindeer Nose Truffles (£3.99) were a hit, though the chocolate-covered fruit missed the mark. The brand was praised for its creativity.
In sixth place, Morrisons The Best Marc De Champagne Truffles (£5) impressed with a discernible champagne flavour, making them a great gift option, even if they weren't a universal family favourite.
Waitrose narrowly claimed fifth, thanks to the high quality of its No.1 Chocolate Nutcrackers (£6) and the popular Christmas Rudolph's Noses Milk Chocolate Truffles (£3.50 for 85g). However, other items in their range let the side down.
The nostalgic Roses tin ranked fourth. While acknowledged as delicious and reliable, it was ultimately deemed "a bit boring" and lacking a "wow" factor.
In third, Quality Street was praised for having "a flavour for everyone," beating its classic rivals. Shania highlighted the purple one and the golden barrel as personal favourites, though she noted a perceived dip in quality over the last 15 years.
The Luxury Contender and the Shock Winner
The runner-up spot went to Hotel Chocolat's Grand Wreath (£90). Celebrated for its stunning presentation and high-quality, innovative flavours—like the vodka-infused White Christmas—it was the epitome of luxury. With over 1,000 purchases in a week, its popularity was undeniable.
Yet, the ultimate champion was a Tesco gift box costing just £7. Shania found that this smaller selection offered an excellent range of flavours, superb quality, and beautiful presentation, ticking every box. It contained white chocolate with vanilla crème and praline, dark chocolate with orange ganache, milk chocolate with salted caramel, white chocolate with praline, and dark chocolate with coffee ganache.
She noted that Tesco's flaked truffles for £4 were also much tastier than the Co-op version. The verdict was clear: for the perfect balance of taste, value, and variety, you couldn't go wrong with Tesco's festive selection, proving that sometimes simplicity and thoughtful curation outshine even the most luxurious options.
