A Which? taste test has crowned Waitrose Essential Hazelnut Chocolate Spread as the best chocolate-hazelnut spread in the UK, beating market leader Nutella. The consumer watchdog's panel of 60 tasters sampled 11 products, including three major brands and eight supermarket own-label spreads.
Waitrose's offering scored 82%, praised for its rich chocolate and hazelnut notes, smooth texture, and balanced sweetness. Priced at £2.50 for a 400g jar, it undercuts a 350g jar of Nutella by 40p. The spread earned Which? Best Buy status.
Nutella came second with 81%, with tasters loving its rich chocolatey taste, though over half found the texture too dense. Tesco Hazelnut Chocolate Spread matched that score at 81%, costing just £1.65 for 400g, earning both Best Buy and Great Value badges.
Asda's Hazelnut Chocolate Spread and Lidl's Choco Nussa shared joint third place at 80%. Asda's version costs £2 for 400g, while Lidl's is £1.65. Asda also offers a 750g jar for better value per 100g.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “With Shrove Tuesday around the corner, it’s likely many of us will be looking forward to the nostalgia and indulgence of chocolate hazelnut spread to elevate our pancakes at home. The good news is you don’t need to pay a premium to enjoy it.”
