In the UK, consumer group Which? has carried out a taste test of mince pies and champagne that demonstrates that “supermarket own-label products can more than match the big brands”, with Waitrose, Lidl and the Co-op scoring most impressively, TheGuardian.com reports.
Fifteen champagnes priced under £35 underwent a blind taste test. The Co-op’s Les Pionniers NV Champagne (£16.99) was rated best of all, with a score of 85 per cent, closely followed by Waitrose’s Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (£24.99), which scored 83 per cent.
The best-ranked mince pie was Harrods Classic Mince Pies with Brandy (72 per cent, £8.95), but Lidl’s Snowy Lodge Luxury Mince Pies were second best, at 67 per cent, and at a fraction of the Harrods price, at £1.15. In joint second place were Waitrose’s Deep-Filled Shortcrust Mince Pies (67 per cent, £1.70).
Which?’s editor, Richard Headland, said, “Our taste test has once again revealed that supermarket own-label products can more than match the big brands. Our experts rated many affordable products highly, which shows that good-quality products aren’t always the most expensive.”
Ben Cahill, champagne purchaser for the Co-op, stated, “To be named as the best in the market for both our Les Pionniers Non-Vintage and our 2006 Vintage Champagne is amazing news, and a tribute to the winemaking expertise behind these fantastic wines. We are incredibly proud to list these champagnes, which are named after the Co-op founders, the Rochdale Pioneers. The non-vintage champagne is my celebration tipple of choice, whilst the rich and complex 2006 vintage would make a great Christmas present.”
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
