I tested own-label baked beans from seven leading UK supermarkets and crowned a champion. Baked beans feature regularly in my diet, yet I had never previously taken the opportunity to establish which own-brand tin reigns supreme.
The Taste Test
I sampled each tin according to the packaging instructions, assessing sweetness, consistency, and overall taste. I awarded marks out of 5 for sweetness and consistency, and out of 10 for overall taste, giving a final mark out of 20.
7. Aldi (40p)
Aldi has excelled in my recent taste evaluations, but regrettably came last this time, achieving less than 50%. These beans were the most flavourless of the selection. The sauce was somewhat watery compared to others, even after cooking for the recommended duration.
6. M&S (55p)
M&S baked beans contain no added sugar, and this is all too apparent in the taste. The flavour lacks depth and richness, and a touch more sweetness would have made a considerable difference. However, the texture was reasonable, and the beans remained pleasantly saucy.
5. Sainsbury's (30p)
The first thing that stood out was the watery consistency. The sauce-to-bean ratio felt slightly off. The taste is rather mild, lacking sweetness and depth. However, these were the most affordable, and with seasoning they could make a cheap lunch.
4. Waitrose (55p)
Waitrose baked beans offer a decent enough flavour, though not particularly impressive. The texture is pleasant with a good sauce-to-bean balance. A bolder flavour would have been welcome, but they are a respectable tin.
3. Lidl (40p)
I was quite pleased with Lidl's beans, especially given the low price. They offered pleasant sweetness, though could have been marginally sweeter. The texture is spot-on, with an attractive colour and excellent bean-to-sauce balance.
2. Tesco (42p)
This tin delivered delightful sweetness without being excessive, with robust flavour and pleasant aroma. The only drawback was texture; it needed a touch more cooking time. For less than 50p, it delivers on value.
1. Co-op (47p)
The first aspect that caught my attention was the darker colour, which suggested more intense flavour. That proved correct. The robust flavour and sweetness were immediately apparent, and the sauce was the most flavoursome throughout the entire experiment.
