Beanz meanz, er, Lidl

Own-labels defeat branded products

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SUPERMARKET own-label baked beans taste better than more expensive top brands, a study has found.

Lidl and Morrisons beans beat Heinz and HP – not only on price, but also for taste, quality, texture and appearance.

Consumer experts say the findings are good news for shoppers feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living.

Baked beans are a cheap source of fibre and vitamins, and have been a

UK favourite for decades. Last year, Brits spent more than £300million on the kitchen essential.

Consumer group Which? compared 12 brands – three from branded labels and nine from supermarkets. Each was rated on taste, texture, aroma and appearance, with Lidl and Morrisons coming joint top.

Tasters said Lidl’s, at 32p a can, had the perfect colour and the texture of the sauce was “just right”.

They were also impressed by Morrisons (39p), which scored the same as Lidl for appearance.

M&S (35p) had the lowest-ranked beans. More than half of the tasting panel found the sauce too watery and the beans overly hard.

Natalie Hitchins, of Which?, said: “Opting for supermarket own-label groceries is not only a good way to save, but can result in tastier and better quality products as well.”