Comparing McVitie’s to supermarket own-brands (Image: Reach plc)
With the cost of living crisis biting hard, many households are looking for ways to ease the pressure on their wallets.
One such way is by switching from name brands to supermarket own-brands.
I recently compared HP Sauce, Heinz Beanz, and Walkers Crisps with supermarket own-brands, with some interesting results.
This week I am taste testing one of my go-to snacks – McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes (notice how they are called Jaffa Cakes and not Jaffa Biscuits – case closed).
Ask me a year ago, and I would have defended McVitie’s to the death, but after recent taste test results, I am fully expecting a supermarket dupe to blow me away.
Here are my findings:
McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes
I paid the princely sum of £2 for a 20-pack of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes.
While I may be a huge Jaffa Cake fan, I was reluctant to hand over that much money.
Anyway, I obviously did – otherwise, this taste test would be rendered useless.
It is worth noting before I tuck in that McVities costs the most and has the fewest cakes in its twin pack with just 20 compared to 24 in the supermarket alternatives.
All that aside, they look and taste great, and the orangey goo in the middle leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
Aside from the price, there is not much else to say about the classic Jaffa Cakes.
Oh dear, this will take some beating – 9/10.
Morrison’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Morrisons Jaffa Cakes
I purchased a 24-pack of Jaffa Cakes from Morrisons for £1.09.
They are a fair bit smaller than the McVitie’s version, and the chocolate coating is a darker shade.
After picking up one of the cakes, it crumbled in my hand and parts fell onto my computer keyboard – fun times.
It is a softer, less chewy cake than the original, but what stands out is the overpowering orange flavour – it is very sickly, and the aftertaste is horrible.
I am sorry, Morrisons, but get your act together – 3/10.
Tesco’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Tesco Jaffa Cakes
Next up, we have Tesco’s 24-pack, which costs £1.10.
By this point, I had cleansed my palate and was ready to continue the taste test.
At first glance, they look very similar to McVitie’s.
After sampling one, I was left pleasantly surprised – they are a pretty decent attempt.
The chewiness and taste are quite good, though the orange flavour is a little weak.
Back on track, but nothing ground-breaking – 6/10.
Aldi’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Aldi Jaffa Cakes
I had high hopes for Aldi – it always seems to score well on my taste tests.
Coming in at a reasonable 95p, Aldi is the joint-cheapest in this comparison.
When I opened the box, I noticed it was the smallest cake so far, with a darker shade of chocolate, similar to Morrisons.
“Oh no”, I thought, “please let that be where the similarities end”.
And phew, they were nothing like Morrisons.
For one, despite it being sweet, Aldi has not gone overboard, and the aftertaste is a good one.
There is nothing particularly fancy about them, but they do not need to be, and at that price, I would definitely buy them again – 7/10.
Sainsbury’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Sainsbury’s Jaffa Cakes
Sainsbury’s was up next, and their twin pack costs £1.10.
In terms of how it looks, it is very similar to Tesco.
After taking a bite, I was impressed.
It has a comparable texture to Tesco’s but is more flavourful, with a pleasant, lingering orangey taste.
Good attempt, Sainsbury’s – 7/10.
Asda’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Asda Jaffa Cakes
Moving onto the penultimate Jaffa Cake, it was Asda’s turn.
I could not find a twin pack in my local store, but a single pack of 12 is only 70 pence.
After whipping one of the cakes out of the box, I compared how it looked to the others: Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco all look nearly identical.
But how does it taste? Drumroll please…
Okay, this one shocked me, and not in a good way.
The jaffa cake was chewy and unpleasant to eat; perhaps mine were stale? They are in date, though.
Its aftertaste, which is unpleasant, refuses to leave my mouth.
Sorry, Asda – 2/10.
Lidl’s Jaffa Cakes (Image: Reach plc)
Lidl Jaffa Cakes
And finally, Lidl.
I was hoping, even praying, the budget supermarket would save the day because none of its competitors had blown me away.
You can pick up a 24-pack for 95p – the joint cheapest for a twin pack alongside Aldi.
While on the topic of Aldi – Lidl’s cakes are just as small, however, they are slimmer.
Upon finishing the cake, I was smiling. I am so glad I left Lidl until the end.
Lidl, you are a genius! The cakes are soft and delicious.
The orangey flavour hits the spot and makes you want more – I could easily finish the box—9/10.