Millie Bull, Deputy Editor of Spare Time, set out to determine whether supermarket own-brand sourdough could rival Jason's, Britain's third-largest bread brand. She compared Jason's white sourdough with similar loaves from Sainsbury's, Aldi, and Co-op, judging each on flavour, price, packaging, ingredients, and toasting ability.
Every slice was prepared and stored identically, toasted for three minutes until lightly golden, and finished with a thin spread of butter. The results placed Aldi's Specially Selected White Sourdough Sliced Loaf at the top, with Jason's coming second, Co-op third, and Sainsbury's fourth.
Aldi's Winning Loaf
Aldi's loaf, priced at £1.89 for 500g, emerged victorious, surprising even Bull, who said she did not expect it to win. She noted remarkable similarities between Aldi's and Jason's loaves in taste, colour, chewiness, and shape. Both contain the same five ingredients: wheat flour, water, rye flour, salt, and fermented wheat flour.
Bull praised Aldi's sourdough for its delicious, tangy flavour, lovely hit of salt, and perfectly chewy crust with a subtle nutty note. It toasts brilliantly, and the paper packaging is recyclable, though the clear window must be removed and taken to a recycling point. She concluded that £1.89 for 500g is impossible to beat.
Jason's Takes Second
Jason's The Great White Sourdough, priced at £2.25 for 450g at Sainsbury's, secured second place with a score of 4.5/5. Bull described it as having a wonderfully tangy flavour and a light, chewy texture reminiscent of loaves from her local bakery. It contains just five main ingredients and comes in recyclable paper packaging.
Jason's missed the top spot due to its slightly smaller size and marginally higher price compared to Aldi's 500g loaf. However, Bull noted it is frequently included in Sainsbury's Nectar prices, making it more budget-friendly.
Co-op and Sainsbury's Trail
Co-op's Irresistible Slice White Sourdough, at £2.95 for 500g, scored 4/5. Bull called it a close contender for first place, praising its outstanding flavour with a pleasing, tangy, nutty taste. However, she deemed it too pricey, given that Aldi's is the same size and more than £1 cheaper. The plastic packaging is not easily resealable, and while it does not contain ascorbic acid, it includes rye flour, rice flour, and rapeseed oil.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Sourdough Medium Sliced White Bread, at £2 for 400g, scored 3/5. Bull found its texture cardboard-like once toasted, with a powdery coating of flour. It was the only loaf of the four to feature both soya flour and ascorbic acid. According to consumer watchdog Which?, a traditional sourdough should only contain flour, water, salt, and a starter, with many supermarket versions adding ingredients to speed up production.
