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Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
UK's best supermarket sausages ranked by British shoppers and it's not Richmond
A survey conducted by Which? has named the number one place to get the best sausages for the best price, and it's not from a well-known brand, but your local supermarket. The best UK supermarket sausages have been named by shoppers, and you'd be shocked to find out that's not Richmond or Heck despite their well-known brand names. Sausages are a staple when it comes to British cuisine, and they're seen in a lot of classic dishes, such as the English Breakfast or the iconic 'Pigs in blankets'. But, which ones are the best in the market? In a survey conducted by Which?, 65 people blind tasted several sausages from brands like Heck, The Black Farmer and The Jolly Hog, as well as supermarket own-branded products, including Lidl, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. The verdict was based on the appearance, aroma, texture and most importantly, the flavour. After comparing each brand in a random order, the panel gave their final results - and they were quite surprising. Which is the best supermarket sausage in the UK? Lidl's Deluxe Pork Sausages took the lead with a total of 77% in satisfaction. Not only were they named the 'Best Buy' option, but they were also one of cheapest products from the test, costing £2.49 for 400g. Which? said: 'Almost everyone loved their juiciness, and the majority thought the meaty flavour was perfect. The herb and spice season also hit the spot with many of our tasters, with most of our panel also approving of the texture and salt levels.' However, it was also revealed that Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury's were also chosen on several occasions, putting them as the second and third-best contestants. The downside about these brands is that they're much pricier than the ones in Lidl. Although it's a 51p difference, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Pork Sausage lost points on its presentation despite its high points on flavour, seasoning and texture. On the other hand, M&S 's Collection British Outdoor Bred Pork Sausages, one of the most expensive products, had mixed reactions in terms of seasoning. In the last place was the popular brand Heck, which scored a total of 54% in overall satisfaction, proving that quality and price don't always match. The site wrote: 'These pale sausages may be low in saturated fat, but they're also low on our rankings. Some of our tasters thought they lacked pork flavour and would benefit from more seasoning.' In conclusion, Lidl has outdone it once again and proved to have the best quality at the best price. It's important to note that Lidl's sausages are high in saturated fat. As advised by the NHS, men shouldn't have more than 30g of saturated fat, and women shouldn't consume more than 20g per day.
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
'Best' supermarket sausages - and it's not Aldi, Morrisons or Asda
Consumer experts at Which? have tried out a variety of sausages to find the best - just in time for the Bank Holiday Budget supermarket Lidl has trounced premium rivals in a major blind taste test of pork sausages – just in time for the Bank Holiday barbecue season. A 65-strong panel of ordinary consumers, independently recruited and blindfolded to branding, tucked into sausages from major retailers and household brands in a test designed to uncover the best bangers Britain has to offer. Three emerged as Best Buys, with Lidl 's Deluxe Pork Sausages not only topping the charts with a score of 77%, but also clinching the Great Value accolade thanks to their modest £2.49 price tag for 400g – just 62p per 100g. Described as 'good looking and succulent', Lidl's sausages won praise across the board. An impressive 80% of tasters rated the meaty flavour as perfect, with two-thirds saying the herb and spice balance hit the mark. Around 75% liked the salt levels, and a similar number were pleased with the texture – judged to be neither too coarse nor too fine. However, they come with a health warning. Two sausages contain 11.5g of saturated fat, more than half the recommended daily limit for women. M&S and Sainsbury's serve up premium picks M&S 's Collection British Outdoor Bred Pork Sausages and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference British Pork Sausages both scored 75%, earning Best Buy status. M&S's offering, at £4.50 for 400g (£1.13 per 100g), was praised by three-quarters of tasters for flavour, juiciness and salt levels. Two-thirds liked the texture, although opinion was split on the seasoning. These were also the joint priciest on test. Sainsbury's sausages, £3 for 400g (75p per 100g), were dubbed excellent all-rounders. More than 70% gave top marks for pork flavour, juiciness, and seasoning. But a third found the appearance too pale. The also-rans Despite a polished reputation, The Black Farmer Premium Pork Sausages (72%) fell just short of Best Buy status. At £3.50 for 400g (88p per 100g), they impressed with juiciness, but a third of testers found the seasoning underwhelming. Asda 's Exceptional Classic Pork Sausages followed closely with 71% – third cheapest at £2.98 for 400g (75p per 100g). Though flavour and texture were applauded, almost half of testers found the seasoning lacking. How the rest of the field stacked up Morrisons The Best Thick Pork Sausages – 70%: Tasty with good aroma, but texture divided opinion. £3.25 (81p/100g). Aldi Specially Selected – 69%: Satisfying texture but a little bland. £2.49 (62p/100g). Co-op Irresistible – 69%: Juicy but pale. £3.60 (90p/100g). The Jolly Hog Proper Porker – 69%: Decent but unremarkable. £4 (100p/100g). Iceland Luxury The Ultimate – 65%: Juicy yet bland and pale. £4 (100p/100g). Waitrose No.1 Free Range – 62%: Juicy but let down by looks and seasoning. £4.50 (113p/100g). Heck 97% Pork Sausages – 54%: The biggest disappointment. Over 60% found the pork flavour too weak and more than half wanted more seasoning. Notably, Heck sausages use beef collagen casings. £3.25 (81p/100g). Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of Home Products and Services, said: 'Sausages are a summer barbecue staple for many, so it's important to pick the right ones that will have your guests queuing up for more. Lidl came out on top for our taste tests, impressing with their juicy texture and meaty flavour. While pricier than Lidl's, M&S and Sainsbury's also dished up impressively succulent sausages.' How the sausages were tested The sausages were blind-tested in April 2025 under controlled conditions at a specialist lab. Participants, chosen to reflect a representative UK demographic, tasted sausages individually in private booths to prevent influence from others, Which? said. Each sausage was scored based on: 50% flavour 20% appearance 15% aroma 15% texture
Metro
22-05-2025
- General
- Metro
Cheap £2.49 own-brand sausages officially crowned better than M&S and Jolly Hog
In recent weeks, supermarket own-brand items have been coming up trumps over more expensive big name brands. We saw an own-brand cola be crowned as 'better' than Coca-Cola in a Metro taste test and a panel of consumers told Which? that Aldi's Norpak butter was better than Lurpak. Tesco's cheddar cheese was also found to be superior to the likes of Cathedral City and Davidstow. And now another cheap supermarket staple has beaten out big names to be crowned the UK's best banger. According to a blind taste test of 65 people, Lidl's Deluxe Pork Sausages (£2.49 for 400g) are the cream of the crop, beating out competition from M&S, Sainsbury's and Morrisons as well as brands like Heck, Jolly Hog and The Black Farmer. Nine supermarket own-brand sausages were pitted against each other as part of the test and compared to several popular brands too. Ultimately, three ended up being named the superior 'best buys' of the lot. Lidl's sausages topped the rankings with a score of 77% as consumers loved their 'juicy texture', 'perfect meaty flavour' and 'herb and spice seasoning that hit the spot'. Three-quarters of participants liked the salt levels, while many thought they were 'good looking and succulent' sausages. As well as being a Best Buy, Lidl's sausages also gained a Great Value award as they're well below average price-wise. However, it's worth noting that Lidl's sausages are pretty high in saturated fat. Two sausages contain 11.5g, which is more than half the recommended daily maximum for women and more than a third for men. Following closely behind the bargain retailer, M&S Collection British Outdoor Bred Pork Sausages (£4.50 for 400g) came in second place with an overall score of 75%. The priciest of the bunch, these were well-liked sausages with good pork flavour, juiciness and salt levels relished by three-quarters of the tasters. Two-thirds said they enjoyed the texture, but while 58% said seasoning was well-balanced, the remainder were divided on whether it was too much or too little. Sainsbury's also garnered a score of 75% for their Taste the Difference British Pork Sausages (£3 for 400g). These bangers were hailed as 'excellent all-rounders', with highly rated pork flavour, 'perfect' juiciness, saltiness, and seasoning levels. The texture was also enjoyed by two thirds of testers. However, they lost a few marks on plate-appeal compared with the other Best Buys, and around a third said these sausages looked too pale. Lidl Deluxe Pork Sausages, 77% M&S Collection British Outdoor Bred Pork Sausages, 75% Sainsbury's Taste the Difference British Pork Sausages, 75% The Black Farmer Premium Pork Sausages, 72% Asda Exceptional Classic Pork Sausages, 71% Morrisons The Best Thick Pork Sausages, 70% Aldi Specially Selected Pork Sausages, 69% Co-op Irresistible Pork Sausages, 69% The Jolly Hog Proper Porker Sausages, 69% Iceland Luxury The Ultimate Pork Sausages, 65% Waitrose No.1 Free Range Pork Sausages, 62% Heck 97% Pork Sausages, 54% Outside of the top three, The Black Farmer Premium Pork Sausages (£3.50 for 400g) scored 72%. They were said to be 'appetising' but lost points for seasoning as a third of tasters wanted them to be 'punchier'. Asda's Exceptional Classic Pork Sausages (£2.98 for 400g) came in fifth place, with The Best Thick Pork Sausages from Morrisons (£3.25 for 400g) in sixth. Aldi's Specially Selected Pork Sausages (£2.49 for 400g) were in seventh place tied with both The Jolly Hog's Proper Porker Sausages (£4 for 400g) and Co-op's Irresistible Pork Sausages (£3.60 for 400g). And at the bottom of the list were Iceland's Luxury Ultimate Pork Sausages (£4 for 400g), Waitrose's No. 1 Free Range Pork Sausages (£4.50 for 400g) and Heck's 97% Pork Sausages (£3.25 for 400g). All of the sausages were blind-tasted and rated by a panel of 65 people in April 2025. The panel was made up of people who buy and eat pork sausages, and who broadly represent the demographic profile of adults in the UK (age range, gender split and more). More Trending The sausages were cooked according to pack instructions and served in a fully rotated order to avoid any bias. Each tester had a private tasting booth so they couldn't discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others. The tasters then rated the flavour, aroma, appearance and texture of each sausage, and shared what they liked and disliked. View More » The overall score given was based on 50% flavour, 20% appearance, 15% aroma and 15% texture. These weightings are based on what people ranked as the most important attributes when tasting pork sausages. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: What to do in London if you didn't get tickets to Chelsea Flower Show MORE: Cadbury is launching brand new colour-changing Dairy Milk chocolate bars this summer MORE: Chocolate fans overjoyed as 'best' Maltesers return 11 years after being axed
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Bargain supermarket beats out big name brands in blind sausages taste test just in time for BBQ season
Keep reading to find out which huge major retailer's sausages were marked down as bland WHAT A BANGER Bargain supermarket beats out big name brands in blind sausages taste test just in time for BBQ season A BARGAIN banger has beaten big-name brands in a blind taste test, just in time for BBQ season. Consumer champion Which? put a variety of supermarket and branded sausages to the test, including premium labels Heck and The Jolly Hog. 4 A group of taste testers put a selection of sausages to the test Credit: Getty - Contributor The panel was made up of 65 people, and multiple factors were taken into consideration, including the texture, taste, and price. Of the 12 tested, three superior sausages stood out and were made Which? Best Buys. The testers crowned Lidl's Deluxe Pork Sausages the winner with a score of 77 percent after they ticked all the boxes. 4 Lidl's Deluxe Pork Sausages were the winner Credit: Gary Stone The juicy texture got people's taste buds tingling, and the flavour of the sausages was marked as "perfect" by an impressive 80 per cent. Lidl's sausages were also the cheapest of the 12 tested - so it's good news all round. The herb and spice seasoning also hit the spot with two-thirds of our tasters. Around three-quarters liked the salt levels and two thirds said the texture was good – neither too coarse nor too fine. The Which? team did point out that Lidl's sausages are pretty high in saturated fat. Two sausages contain 11.5g, which is more than half the recommended daily maximum for women and more than a third for men. Lidl Deluxe Pork Sausages are £2.49 for 400g, which works out as 62p per 100g. Save with secret codes Coming in second place was M&S Collection British Outdoor Bred Pork Sausages with a strong score of 75 percent. Almost double the price of Lidl's at £4.50 for 400g, the sausages are £1.13 per 100g. The flavour, juiciness and salt levels won three-quarters of the voters over. Two-thirds enjoyed the all-important texture, but while 58 Pper cent said seasoning was well-balanced, the remainder were divided on whether it was too much or too little. 4 The Black Farmer Premium Pork Sausages were in the top five Credit: The Black Farmer 4 Sainsbury's pork sausages are made from 93 per cent pork Credit: Sainsbury's These succulent sausages from M&S are a Best Buy, but note that they are also joint priciest on test. They are available in store only and at Ocado. In third place is Sainsbury's Taste the Difference British Pork Sausages, scooping 75 percent. These are £3 for 400g, which works out 75p per 100 - so they are an excellent all-rounder. The pork flavour was highly rated, while more than 70% said the juiciness, saltiness, and herb and spice seasoning were perfect. The texture was also enjoyed by two thirds. They lost a few marks on plate-appeal compared with the other Best Buys, and around a third said these sausages looked too pale. They are available in store and online. In fourth place is the first brand, The Black Farmer Premium Pork Sausages. Costing £3.50 for 400g (88p per 100g) they were well liked across the board. More than three-quarters liked their juiciness, while around two-thirds said the pork flavour and salt levels were good. A few points were lost on seasoning, as a third of our tasters wanted this to be punchier. These UK-based artisanal sausages are available on Amazon, Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco. Last but not least, in fifth place was Asda with its Exceptional Classic Pork Sausages. These are pretty good sausages at a pretty good price, third cheapest after Aldi and Lidl. More than 70 per cent enjoyed the pork flavour and pleasing texture. A similar proportion thought they looked the part and that the salt levels were right. Herb and spice seasoning didn't always hit the spot, though: nearly half felt this was lacking. So if you prefer a spicy sausage you might find these ones a bit bland. They cost £2.98 for 400g (75p per 100g) and are available in store and online at Asda. Here is how the rest of the supermarkets did: Morrisons The Best Thick Pork Sausages – 70 percent. Mostly well-liked sausages that scored well on flavour and aroma, though barely a half were fans of their somewhat coarse texture. £3.25 for 400g (81p per 100g). Aldi Specially Selected Pork Sausages – 69 percent. Worth considering with a satisfying texture, but somewhat bland compared with the higher-scoring sausages. £2.49 for 400g (62p per 100g). Co-op Irresistible Pork Sausages – 69 percent. These juicy bangers were reasonable all-rounders, though a bit on the pale side. £3.60 for 400g (90p per 100g). The Jolly Hog Proper Porker Sausages – 69 percent. Pretty good all-rounders, though no particular highlights. Around a third of our tasters wanted a stronger meaty flavour. £4 for 400g (£1 per 100g). Iceland Luxury The Ultimate Pork Sausages – 65 percent. Fairly juicy, but rather pale and bland compared to the higher scoring sausages. They come in eight-packs, rather than the standard six. £4 for 400g (£1 per 100g). Waitrose No.1 Free Range Pork Sausages – 62 percent. Juicy sausages, but they lost marks for looks and aroma. Less than half of our tasters found the texture and the seasoning worked for them. £4.50 for 400g (£1.13 per 100g). Heck 97 percent Pork Sausages – 54 percent. Low in saturated fat, but also low in enjoyment factor for our tasters. More than 60 percent said the pork flavour of these pale sausages was too weak while over half wanted more seasoning. Note that the casings of these sausages are made from beef collagen. £3.25 for 400g (81p per 100g). Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: 'Sausages are a summer barbecue staple for many, so it's important to pick the right ones that will have your guests queuing up for more. 'Lidl came out on top for our taste tests, impressing with their juicy texture and meaty flavour. While pricier than Lidl's, M&S and Sainsbury's also dished up impressively succulent sausages.' The sausages were tested in April 2025 at Which?'s specialist test lab. The sausages were cooked according to pack instructions. The taste test was blind, so the testers didn't know which brand they were trying. They tasted the sausages in a fully rotated order to avoid any bias. Each tester had a private tasting booth so they couldn't discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others. The tasters rated the flavour, aroma, appearance, and texture of each sausage, and told Which? what they liked and disliked. The overall score was based on: 50 percent flavour, 20 percent appearance, 15 percent aroma and 15 percent texture. How to save money on your food shop Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year: Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price. Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30. Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash. Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public. Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio. Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount. Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses. Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap. But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here. Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds. "Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands. The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
