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I eat sourdough daily and consider myself something of a connoisseur. Whether toasted with smashed avocado, topped with a fried egg, or generously spread with peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon, I rarely tire of its versatility. Sourdough’s versatility and naturally tangy flavour have made it a staple in my kitchen. For many, Jason’s is the first brand that comes to mind when you think of sourdough. As Britain’s third-largest bread brand – now surpassing Kingsmill – it’s a familiar sight in supermarkets nationwide.

As sourdough has become a household staple, supermarkets have responded by launching their own versions. With this in mind, I set out to see whether supermarket own-brand sourdough could rival Jason’s. I compared Jason’s white sourdough with similar loaves from Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Co-op to find the best.

To ensure a fair comparison, I assessed each loaf on flavour, price, packaging, ingredients, and toasting ability. Each slice was prepared and stored the same way, toasted for three minutes until lightly browned, and finished with a thin layer of butter.

4. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Sourdough Medium Sliced White Bread, £2 for 400g

This was the smallest of the four, and a loaf I often buy. I expected to enjoy it more, but compared to the others, it didn’t quite measure up.

Sainsbury’s loaf claims to be “made with a slow-fermented starter, hand scored and baked for a tangy flavour and chewy crust”.

The flavour was good, with a decent tang and a noticeable hit of salt. However, the texture let it down. Once toasted, it took on a cardboard-like consistency that felt stale. The crust was pleasantly chewy, but the heavy dusting of flour made it powdery.

I appreciated the small slice size, which fit neatly in my toaster, and the resealable packaging that was easy to store in the cupboard. However, compared to Jason’s and Aldi’s, the packaging is less environmentally friendly.

The ingredients list is fairly typical of supermarket sourdough, but with the addition of soya flour and the flour treatment agent ascorbic acid.

According to consumer watchdog, Which?, a traditional sourdough should only contain four ingredients: flour, water, salt and a ‘starter’ which usually consists of flour and water that is allowed to ferment. A traditional sourdough takes roughly one to four days to make.

Supermarket sourdoughs will contain more ingredients to speed up the process and make it more viable for mass production.

Many supermarket sourdoughs include rice or soya flour – rice flour creates a crunchier crust, while soya flour softens the crumb. Ascorbic acid is often added to help the loaf rise faster and increase its volume. Still, with growing awareness of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and ingredient lists, there’s a strong case for keeping things simple.

The Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference loaf was the only one of the four to contain soya flour and ascorbic acid.

Overall, it’s not a bad loaf, but it doesn’t quite match up to the others.

3.Co-op Irresistible Slice White Sourdough, £2.90 for 500g

This was a close contender for first place, but I was ultimately swayed towards Jason’s and Aldi’s loaves due to the price, packaging and ingredients. During a cost-of-living crisis, can I really justify forking out nearly £3 for a loaf of bread every week? No. Even though this is one of the largest loaves I tested, I still think it’s too expensive, considering Aldi’s is the same size and over £1 cheaper.

The flavour was exceptional: well-seasoned with a pleasant, tangy, nutty taste. The crust was chewy and tangy, making this the best on flavour alone. Unfortunately, the plastic packaging isn’t easily resealable, so slices sometimes fell out or went stale.

While Co-op’s sourdough doesn’t include ascorbic acid, it does include three other ingredients: Rye flour, rice flour and rapeseed oil. The addition of rice flour gives the loaf a crunchy crust, while the rapeseed oil was likely included to make the dough easier to handle and to extend the bread’s shelf life by keeping it moist and soft for longer.

The rye flour likely speeds up fermentation, adds unique flavour, and makes the loaf less dense. Of all the breads I tested, Co-op’s was the most aerated, resulting in a pleasant, crunchy texture when toasted -without becoming cardboard-like.

2. Jason’s The Great White Sourdough, £2.20 for 450g (Sainsbury’s)

Jason’s sourdough is one of my go-to loaves. I usually buy it when it’s available (it often sells out) or when it’s on offer. It toasts perfectly, stores well, comes in recyclable paper packaging, and contains just five main ingredients: wheat flour, water, rye flour, salt, and fermented wheat flour.

Its packaging is more practical than the plastic packets from Sainsbury’s and Co-op, and it’s recyclable, which is a huge bonus.

Jason’s has a perfectly tangy flavour and a light, chewy texture, reminiscent of loaves from my local bakery. It’s also good untoasted for sandwiches or dipping oils, though I prefer it toasted with smashed avocado or peanut butter.

The only reasons it didn’t take the top spot are its slightly smaller size and marginally higher cost compared to Aldi’s 500g loaf. However, it’s often included in Sainsbury’s Nectar prices, which makes it more affordable.

1. Aldi’s Specially Selected White Sourdough Sliced Loaf, £1.89 for 500g

I didn’t expect Aldi’s loaf to come out on top. It’s one I buy fairly often, though it’s frequently sold out – which is a good sign. Placed side by side with Jason’s, the similarities in taste, colour, chewiness, and shape were striking.

Aldi’s loaf has the same five ingredients (wheat flour, water, rye flour, salt, fermented wheat flour), and has very similar paper packaging that can be recycled. Although it’s worth noting that the clear window needs to be separated from the bag and recycled at a recycling point.

Aldi’s sourdough has a delicious, tangy flavour and a satisfying hit of salt. The crust is perfectly chewy with a subtle nutty note, and it toasts exceptionally well.

Ultimately, Aldi’s loaf took the top spot because of its price: £1.89 for 500g is unbeatable. I’ll be looking out for it more often – provided I can find it in stock.