A taste test of own-label baked beans from seven major supermarkets has revealed a clear winner, with one budget tin beating rivals from Tesco, Lidl and Aldi. The comparison focused on supermarket own-brand baked beans eaten exactly as they come, without any added seasoning. While beans are often customised with ingredients like paprika, cumin, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, this test removed all extras to assess flavour, sweetness and texture on their own merits.
Each supermarket tin was cooked according to pack instructions by Liverpool Echo writer Brian Dillon and scored on consistency and sweetness out of five and overall flavour out of 10, for a total possible score out of 20.
7. Aldi – 7.5/20
At the bottom of the rankings, Aldi’s baked beans proved the blandest of the group. The sauce was noticeably watery and lacked depth, leaving the flavour underwhelming even after full cooking time. With limited sweetness and a muted overall taste, they were judged to need significant seasoning to improve. However, at 40p a tin, they remain one of the cheapest options.
Price: 40p
Consistency: 2/5
Sweetness: 2/5
Overall flavour: 3.5/10
6. M&S – 9.5/20
Marks & Spencer’s baked beans stood out for having no added sugar, but that also left them lacking in richness. The flavour was relatively flat, with only mild sweetness. The texture was acceptable and the sauce consistency reasonable, making them a solid option for those planning to add their own seasoning.
Price: 55p
Consistency: 2/5
Sweetness: 2.5/5
Overall flavour: 5/10
5. Sainsbury’s – 10/20
Sainsbury's offered the cheapest tin in the test at 30p, but the beans were let down by a thin, watery sauce and a weak overall flavour. While sweetness was slightly better than some lower-ranked entries, the overall taste lacked depth. They could, however, work as a low-cost base for heavily seasoned meals.
Price: 30p
Consistency: 2/5
Sweetness: 3/5
Overall flavour: 5/10
4. Waitrose – 15.5/20
Waitrose delivered a more balanced tin, with a better consistency and a pleasant sauce-to-bean ratio. Flavour was decent but not particularly strong, and while the beans were enjoyable, they did not stand out compared with higher-scoring competitors.
Price: 55p
Consistency: 4/5
Sweetness: 3.5/5
Overall flavour: 7/10
3. Lidl – 16.5/20
Lidl performed strongly for value, with beans that were well-textured and visually appealing. The consistency was rated highly and the flavour was solid, though slightly more sweetness would have improved the overall profile. At 40p, they were considered an impressive budget option.
Price: 40p
Consistency: 5/5
Sweetness: 3.5/5
Overall flavour: 8/10
2. Tesco – 17.5/20
Tesco secured second place with a well-balanced tin offering good sweetness and a rich flavour. The only weakness was consistency, which required slightly more cooking to reach the ideal texture. Even so, the beans were considered excellent value at under 50p.
Price: 42p
Consistency: 3.5/5
Sweetness: 5/5
Overall flavour: 9/10
1. Co-op – 18/20
The top spot went to Co-op, whose baked beans stood out immediately for their darker colour and richer appearance. That visual cue translated into flavour, with a strong, sweet sauce and well-balanced taste that outperformed all other tins in the test. Consistency was also rated highly, making them the clear overall winner.
Price: 47p
Consistency: 4/5
Sweetness: 5/5
Overall flavour: 9/10
The verdict
While budget beans from across various supermarkets showed surprisingly close results, Co-op’s offering came out on top thanks to its depth of flavour and balanced sweetness. However, Tesco and Lidl also delivered strong performances, proving that good-quality baked beans are available at low prices across most major retailers.
