Walkers crisps are a firm favourite – but with prices rising, many are looking at more affordable options. We put eight supermarket own brand crisps to the test to see if they’re worth the savings
Having previously put the eight biggest supermarkets to the test for things like cheese, chocolate, digestives, coffee and toilet roll, this week I was focused on crisps. Crisps are one of those staple food items in many households, enjoyed as part of a lunchtime meal or afternoon snack.
One brand that has continued to dominate the crisp aisle is, of course, Walkers. The name is legendary, and everyone knows it.
However, with prices soaring in recent years, many are looking to more affordable options when picking up their weekly snacks, with many supermarket brands costing 50% less than the brand leader, Walkers. When reviewing them, I looked out for not just the taste and texture, but also how full the bags were, reports the Express.
Walkers
Starting with the famous crisps brand Walkers. Since my childhood years, these crisps haven’t changed in the slightest. Not too thin, but a little bit on the salty side.
The packet contained a decent amount of crisps, but there was a downside-the price. Walkers Ready Salted Crisps cost £2.20 for a pack of six, one of the most expensive of this selection
Rating: 9/10
Tesco
In terms of taste, these crisps were very dull and tasteless. There is a little bit of salt, but it is a half-hearted and bland effort from Tesco.
The slight positive is the price, as you get six packets for just 85p.
Rating: 4/10
Aldi
Aldi’s crisps were crunchy but bland as they lacked the salty taste you want from these potato snacks. They also had an oily aftertaste and left a greasy feeling in the mouth.
Although these were among the cheapest crisps, retailing for 85p, they wouldn’t be a great swap if you love the taste and texture of Walkers.
Rating: 5/10
Lidl
These crisps were thicker and had a little more salt than Aldi’s; however, they were more on the oily side.
At less than half the price of Walkers, they were a steal – but you might notice the difference in flavour.
Score: 5.5/10
Asda
Despite them not looking the best, the £1 Asda crisps surprisingly seem to hit the nail on the head when it comes to the texture of a good crisp. The packet was also pretty full, unlike a few of the others.
However, they did fall short on the taste front, as they were rather bland.
Score: 6/10
Sainsbury’s
These £1 Sainsbury’s crisps felt thinner than Walkers and had a strong potato taste, with a little too much salt.
They had a good quantity and still packed a punch in terms of taste – a solid alternative to the branded product, especially considering they were 54% cheaper.
Score: 7/10
Morrisons
The £1 Morisons’ crisps were thin, oily and tasted so salty it made me wince, which was surprising as the actual salt content shown on the packet was lower than Walkers.
But it seemed like the balance of salt and fat was off with these crisps. Although they were nearly half the price of Walkers, these weren’t a great substitute.
Score: 3/10
Marks and Spencer
While all the other brands bore a resemblance to Walkers, this six-pack and the individual bags stood out. Once opened, the crisps also looked different.
The crisps were lighter in colour and very crunchy. While I could taste the salt, it wasn’t very flavoursome.
Score: 7.5/10
Waitrose
The crisps were nicely shaped and rounded, and they were decent-sized as well. They were also thick and had just the right amount of crunch to them.
In terms of taste, these were spot on. Not too much salt, extremely fresh and boasted a wonderful taste that I preferred to Walkers.
Score: 10/10