Coca-Cola has long marketed itself as the ‘real thing’ but what happened when we put the king of the fizz up against a clutch of supermarket-brand wannabees in a taste test for the ages.
We got our panel of expert tasters to see whether Coke really is it, or whether far cheaper alternatives can give it a run for its crown.
We also took the winning supermarket cola out on to the streets to see if the public preferred it to Coca-Cola.
Supermarket colas may lack the branding power of the world’s best known soft drink, but fame might not be all it’s cracked up to be.
And, as the supermarket brands sell for a fraction of the price, there’s a lot to be gained from switching sodas.
We’re back with our sixth instalment of Battle of the Brands, our weekly series aiming to help readers grab a food shop bargain as the cost of living crisis continues to affect everyone across the country.
This week, Coca-Cola is in the spotlight as it goes up against some supermarket favourites. But what wins out?
Who knows, you may even find yourself preferring the alternatives – and your wallet would likely thank you for it, too.
The items and supermarkets we tried against Coca Cola include:
- Aldi Vive Cola
- Asda Cola
- Morrisons Cola
- Tesco Classic Cola (winner)
Coca Cola
Price: £1.70
Much to the surprise of the team, this was Karla’s first taste test of full-sugar Coca-Cola.
Unfortunately, it was a bit of a disappointment – all she could taste was sugar. That is hardly surprising, considering that The Coca-Cola Co decided to retain Coke’s high sugar levels after the UK sugar tax was introduced a few years back.
Other colas reduced their sugar content, which is why Coca-Cola is sweeter – and more expensive – than rivals.
Overall, however, the team preferred the taste of Coca-Cola. Everything else just didn’t seem quite right.
Overall team scores:
- Value for money: 2/5
- Nutritional value: 1/5
- Taste: 4/5
- Mouthfeel: 4/5
Tesco’s Classic Cola
Price: 60p per two litres
The Tesco cola was deemed not as “synthetic” as the other supermarket colas, which is certainly damning with faint praise.
While not as popular with the team as Coca-Cola, Tesco’s attempt was at least a decent try compared to the other options on the table.
Overall team scores:
-
- Value for money: 4/5
- Nutritional value: 2/5
- Taste: 2.5/5
- Mouthfeel: 3/5
Public’s verdict
Some of our previous battles came out fairly even, but Coca-Cola walks it this week. Tesco’s cola was powerless against the mighty soda king, and almost everyone we spoke to knew exactly which was which.
Tesco’s chances weren’t helped by the sheer coincidence of one of our tasters coming from Atlanta, the home of Coca-Cola. But even without that, Coca-Cola would have easily won.
Tune in next week where we’ll be putting Kellogg’s cornflakes up against supermarket brands to find out if their versions are better.
Conversation