There's nothing like a nice cool refreshing glass of coke on a warm day, or a cold day for that matter, but sometimes the cost of our favourite fizzy drink can really add up.
Whether you're a fan of full fat coke, diet or Coke Zero, it's safe to say that there are plenty of different options to choose from, all varying in price. A box of 24 cans of Diet Coke costs a whopping £7.99 from Tesco, with a 2L bottle of Coke Zero costing £1.77 too.
It begs the question, is supermarket 'value' cola actually just as nice as the real deal? There are plenty of affordable alternatives for those on a budget, and with the cost of living crisis in full swing, many shoppers are looking for useful hacks to save money.
READ MORE: We tried 'value' baked beans from Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury's and a 21p tin made us give up Heinz
We tested 'value' own-brand cola from Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury's to see if it's really worth switching to save money. Our results were mixed.
Sainsbury’s Cola
Cola isn’t something I drink very often but I do know whenever I pick up a bottle how big the price difference is between supermarket own brands and the self proclaimed ‘Real Thing’.
Coca-Cola in Sainsbury’s will set you back £2 for a 1.75L bottle whereas its own brand Cola is 47p for a 2L bottle. Made with sugar and sweeteners it’s 50 calories per 250ml glass, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.
If you get through a fair few bottles of Coke, the price can really rack up, so switching to an own brand will certainly save you money at Sainsbury’s. Branding wise, the supermarket has followed in Coca-Cola’s footsteps and gone for a bright red label, with white letters spelling out Cola.
I poured myself a glass to see how it compared in taste and the liquid quickly fizzed up creating a sparkling froth on top. However, once poured out the bubbles soon faded, leaving it with that kind of look you get with a 'flat pint'.
Colour-wise it looked the part and to taste it didn’t fare too badly, though I think Coca-Cola devotees may disagree. Mostly it lacked that intense bubbly sensation, you get with every sip of Coca-Cola.
This had a caramel syrup-ness to it and tasted a bit like Cola does just before it goes flat. Personally, fizzy drinks aren’t something I’m overly keen on, so I’m happy to buy supermarket own brand versions to save on money and this one- definitely gives you a bit of money back in your pocket.
Price: 47p for 2L
Rating: 3/5
Where to buy: Sainsbury’s stores or online
Aldi Cola
I don't drink cola often, as I'm not a fan of fizzy drinks. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've had it in my lifetime. When I've drank it in the past, it's always been Coca-Cola, so I was interested to see how a budget version would compare.
Aldi's Vive Original Cola has the familiar red branding that Coca-Cola has, but of course, it's all about the taste. I poured myself a glass and the cola didn't look particularly fizzy. After taking my first sip, my original thought was confirmed as there wasn't much fizz at all.
As someone who isn't keen on fizzy drinks, this didn't bother me too much, but if you're wanting a fizzy cola drink, I think you'd be disappointed. I also had problems with the taste of the cola. It was very sweet and tasted more like Diet Coke rather than the iconic Coca-Cola.
For 47p, it's not terrible, as there is a familiar cola taste. However, if you're looking for an exact cheaper alternative of Coca-Cola, I don't think you'll find it in Aldi's Vive Cola.
Price: 47p or 2L
Rating: 2/5
Where to buy: Aldi stores
Lidl Cola
I'm a big fizzy drink lover (much to my dentist's dismay) and I often have a can of Coke Zero to keep me going throughout the day. Don't get me wrong, I try not to have too much, but sometimes it's a nice alternative 'pick me up' drink choice instead of coffee.
I managed to find Lidl's own version of Coca-Cola called 'Freeway' and after hearing Peter Kay's 'Rola Cola' joke countless times, I didn't have high hopes for this one, I'll be honest.
To look at, the bottle is very similar to the iconic Coca-Cola branding with a red label and the bold white font. I poured the coke into a class and dubiously took a sip.
I was actually really pleasantly surprised. At first, I'd say the coke tasted a lot like Cola Bottle sweets, sort of artificial, but the general after taste was very similar to Coke Zero.
For those who like Coke Zero like myself, I'd say Lidl's Freeway is very similar, but I'll be honest, it tastes nothing like the classic full fat version we all know and love. For 56p for 2L, I'll take it for a my sweet sugar rush fix!
Price: 56p for 2L
Rating: 4/5
Where to buy: Lidl stores
Tesco Cola
I'm a big fan of fizzy drinks and after years of being addicted I do tend to stick with the branded versions of my favourite drinks - I've been burned before. I managed to find a bottle of Tesco's own brand Classic Cola this week, and I was shocked to find that there were only a few left on the shelf.
Surrounded by Coca Cola and Pepsi products, Tesco's Classic Cola certainly seems a popular choice for many. With that in mind, I picked up a 2L bottle for 60p. There was a rather large price gap when looking at the Coca Cola products around it - Tesco charges £1.77 for a 2L bottle of Coke Zero or Diet Coke.
Price: 60p for 2L
Rating: 3/5
Where to buy: Your local Tesco store
Get the top stories straight to you inbox by signing up to one of our free newsletters.
