COCA-COLA and Pepsi fans both insist that theirs is the favourite when it comes to a battle of the brands.
But what about when it comes to supermarket alternatives – how do cheaper own-brand colas stack up against the big boys?
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Consumer champions Which? pitted Coca-Cola and Pepsi against six supermarket versions in a blind taste test, to see which fizzy drink would come up trumps.
They tickled their tastebuds with cola from Aldi, Morrisons, Asda, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
The brands still came out top with Pepsi just pipping Coca-Cola to the post, but Aldi Vive cola was not far behind.
Aldi Vive cola came in at a very respectable third place and is a good option if you are looking for a cheaper alternative.
If you tend to get through a bottle a week of branded cola, switching to the Aldi Vive could save you an impressive £92.56 each year.
The taste test was blind so the panellists didn’t know which brand they were trying, and the panel was made up of consumers who regularly buy and consume the drink.
The overall score was based on 50% taste, 20% appearance, 20% mouthfeel and 10% aroma.
Pepsi
- Overall score: 70%
- Cost: £2.15 for 2L (11p per 100ml)
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Pepsi pipped Coca-Cola to the post in this taste test to be crowned the overall winner with the highest proportion of tasters rating it as having the exact amount of fizziness.
It was also spot on for most on the strength of flavour and sweetness.
Coca-Cola
- Overall score: 68%
- Cost: £2.25 for 1.75L (13p per 100ml)
Securing second place was Coca-Cola, with most of the panel rating it as having the perfect amount of carbonation, cola flavour.
Taste testers also said it was sweet enough without being sickly.
It does come at a premium though – it’s the priciest out of all.
Aldi
- Overall score: 67%
- Cost: 47p for 2L (2p per 100ml)
Aldi Vive Cola came out as the best budget option cola.
Most tasters found it had the right strength of cola flavour, but one in four found it overpowering.
It is a good choice if you love a punchy cola taste, and it will save you significantly against the big brands.
Morrisons
- Overall score: 67%
- Cost: £79p for 2L (4p per 100ml)
Morrisons Cola had the panel split on whether it had the right level of cola flavour, sweetness and carbonation.
But eight in 10 of the tasters loved the colour of the Morrisons cola.
It is also less than half the price of branded options, so it’s worth a try if you’re nearer a Morrisons than an Aldi.
Asda
- Overall score: 66%
- Cost: 70p for 2L (4p per 100ml)
Most of the panel found Asda cola the ideal level of sweetness, though for half it wasn’t quite fizzy enough or with a strong enough cola flavour.
Lidl
- Overall score: 65%
- Cost: 47p for 2L (2p per 100ml)
Nearly half of the tasters thought the Lidl Freeway Cola could be sweeter and taste more strongly of cola, but the fizziness and colour was just about right
Sainsbury’s
- Overall score: 65%
- Cost: 65p for 2L (3p per 100ml)
The panel thought that Sainsbury’s Cola could be fizzier and a little stronger, though they did rate its level of sugar and the appealing dark brown colour.
Tesco
- Overall score: 58%
- Cost: 70p for 2L (4p per 100ml)
Bringing up the bottom of the table is Tesco, falling down on colour (too pale for most of the panel) and a flavour two-thirds of tasters found too weak.
