I tried chocolate digestives from eight different supermarkets and brands and the results were different to what you might expect
For many people, McVitie’s is the reigning champion in the biscuit world. But I was curious to see how supermarket own-brand chocolate digestives stacked up — and one supermarket emerged as a clear winner.
There’s nothing that pairs better with a cuppa than a chocolate digestive biscuit, but with a packet of McVitie’s now at £2.25, they’re not exactly budget-friendly.
With this in mind, I set out to discover if a cheaper pack of digestive biscuits could hold its own against the renowned McVitie’s brand. My shopping list included Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S and Waitrose. The biscuits were judged on taste, texture, chocolate quantity and dunkability (how well the biscuit withstands being dunked into a hot brew).
McVitie’s
Kicking off with the legendary McVitie’s chocolate digestives, they are the priciest of the lot and the brand is famed for its top-notch products. I found the biscuit had a pleasantly sweet yet understated flavour. The biscuit melted delightfully in the mouth and it passed the dunk test with flying colours. When submerged in tea, the biscuit moistened swiftly, yet maintained its form. I was let down by the lack of crunch in these biscuits, but the taste was agreeable nonetheless.
Rating: 6.5/10
Sainsbury’s
I was certainly taken with these chocolate digestives from Sainsbury’s, retailing at £1.25. They boasted a rich, buttery taste, exuding a sense of luxury that surpassed even McVitie’s. The biscuit offered a splendid crunch, albeit a tad too sweet for me.
Score: 7.5/10
Tesco
Straight off the bat, it was evident that these 80p biscuits from Tesco were lacking in their chocolate coating. The chocolate didn’t quite hit the mark for me, leaving an odd aftertaste. The biscuit crumbled more than its counterparts and failed to hold up when dunked into a cuppa.
Score: 4/10
Asda
Opening the pack of Asda’s 89p biscuits revealed a pleasant aroma and a satisfyingly crunchy biscuit. However, the chocolate coverage was inconsistent, with some areas devoid of any chocolate.
Score: 7/10
Aldi
Aldi has always been my port of call for budget-friendly alternatives to pricier brands, offering quality products at a steal. I decided to put their 89p chocolate digestives to the test. Upon taking a bite, I was pleasantly taken aback. The chocolate layer was thick, surpassing McVities in generosity. It was also noticeably sweeter, with the milder biscuit accentuating the chocolate flavour. Despite being smaller in size compared to the others, this is a fantastic alternative.
Score: 9/10
Lidl
Upon comparing Lidl’s 89p biscuits’ design with other supermarkets, it bore a striking resemblance to Aldi’s. Upon the first nibble, the biscuit crumbled into several fragments and was rather dusty. The chocolate coating was uneven, and the biscuit itself was overly sweet.
Score: 7/10
Waitrose
Given that the pack I grabbed from Waitrose cost the same as Sainsbury’s, these were a letdown. The immediate shortcoming was the visible digestive part through the chocolate on the biscuit’s reverse, indicating a stingy chocolate application. For £1.25, I anticipated a more generous chocolate-to-biscuit ratio. This accounted for the lack of sweetness in the biscuit compared to the others.
Score: 4/10
M&S
Marks and Spencer is renowned for its high-quality goods, typically commanding higher prices than other supermarket brands. With a price tag on par with Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, I was keen to compare the taste and quality. The biscuits boasted a decent amount of chocolate covering, and they held up well when dunked, remaining intact. However, I found the biscuit’s flavour somewhat lacklustre and underwhelming. It couldn’t hold a candle to most of the brands above.
Score: 5.5/10
Morrisons
As I prepared to take a bite, the biscuit’s scent was more pronounced than the others – the sweet fragrance of milk chocolate wafted up before I could even taste it. The biscuit packed a punch in terms of flavour, striking the right balance between sweet and salty. The chocolate was pleasant, albeit a tad grainy.
Score: 8/10
Verdict
I was taken aback by how the luxury supermarket brands didn’t perform as expected. The taste of Tesco chocolate digestives also surprised me, as I anticipated giving them a higher score. There was a distinct victor amongst the bunch. Aldi emerged as the champion, and considering it’s one of the most affordable digestive biscuit brands compared to the rest, that’s a fantastic bargain.