Top News

Best supermarket ketchup named - better than Heinz and Hellman's
Reach Daily Express | February 23, 2026 2:41 PM CST

The best supermarket ketchup in the UK was named after a blind test was carried out. Ketchup is a widely popular condiment that has been loved by Brits for generations. It is a staple pairing for many British foods, such as a full English breakfast and fish and chips. While many people will have their favourite brands, other, more cost-conscious consumers will go for whatever is cheapest. It often seems like it's one or the other, but that's not necessarily the case.

In blind taste tests, own-label products often rank higher than more well-known brands. That is certainly the case when it comes to things like instant coffee and cheddar cheese. According to retail experts, own-brand labels will rule the shelves going forward amid the current cost-of-living crisis when customers are more conscious of value than ever before. So, it's good news when blind taste tests reveal own-label products are actually tastier than more established brands. When it comes to ketchup, this is what has happened.

Consumer experts at Which? regularly conduct taste tests of popular products, asking blind testers to sample different varieties from different brands and supermarkets.

One of its tests involved ketchup, with Asda's own-label bottle ranking at the top with Heinz. Both scored 77% and were praised for their texture, tanginess and sweetness.

However, Asda received the Great Value label from the consumer experts, as it is a fraction of the price of Heinz. Which? reports that the Asda Classic Tomato Ketchup costs £1.39 for 970g, while the Heinz Tomato Ketchup costs £3 for 460g.

When compared per gram, Asda's costs 14p per 100g while Heinz's costs 65p per 100g, making Asda's significantly better in value for money, placing it above Heinz on the Which? list.

Which? said of the Asda ketchup: "It was a big hit overall, scoring top marks across the board, with most finding it had well-balanced tanginess, sweetness and strength of flavour. It also contains less salt and sugar than Heinz ketchup."

Hellman's was the other big-name brand mentioned in the study, and that was beaten by a number of more budget-friendly, own-label options. In fact, Hellman's only took the number 8 spot on the list, beaten by own-label ketchup from Tesco, Sainsbury's and Co-op.

The lowest-scoring ketchup on the list is M&S Tomato Ketchup, which received a final score of 61%. Some tasters found it too thick, dark and tangy.

  • Asda Classic Tomato Ketchup
  • Heinz Tomato Ketchup
  • Waitrose Essential Tomato Ketchup
  • Aldi Bramwells Tomato Ketchup
  • Co-op Tomato Ketchup
  • Sainsbury's Tomato Ketchup
  • Tesco Tomato Ketchup
  • Hellman's Tomato Ketchup
  • Lidl Batts Tomato Ketchup
  • M&S Tomato Ketchup
  • The taste test included blind reviews from 72 participants in July 2025. Tests were conducted in the group's special testing lab, and the panel consisted of people who regularly bought and ate ketchup.

    It was conducted on a rotating basis to avoid any bias, and each tomato ketchup was unlabelled. Additionally, each tester got their own private booth, so they could not discuss the flavour, smell or texture with any other person taking part.

    In the final score, 50% was made up of flavour, while appearance accounted for 20%, texture 15% and aroma 15%. These weightings aren't random, as they were calculated based on how important respondents said these factors were when it came to enjoying ketchup.


    READ NEXT
    Cancel OK