The cost of living crisis has resulted in a number off essentials to rise whether it's petrol prices, energy bills or house prices.
But on top of this, shopping bills have also seen a sharp increase which is causing many people to cut back on how much they spend when doing their weekly food shop and only getting items that they need.
However as Christmas approaches, people will naturally want to treat themselves and because of this, Which?, the UK’s consumer champions, have uncovered a selection of cheaper options that scored highly in its festive taste testing – proving that shoppers can save money without compromising on taste.
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Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “No one wants to overpay for festive treats, especially with so many households under huge financial strain in the run-up to this year’s Christmas.
“Our taste testers sampled festive favourites from the biggest supermarkets in the UK to find out which ones will make the holiday season extra festive this year and found some great options which won’t break the bank.”
Here's what they found...
Champagnes and sparkling wines
When it comes to celebrating, it's always nice to have champagne to hand. And thankfully shoppers can save on this by option for something similar and instead buying sparkling wine.
The most expensive bottle of champagne Which? tested cost £39 however in its sparkling wine test, the consumer champion found great-tasting options for as little as £8.99 – a potential saving of £30 by switching to sparkling wine over expensive champagne.
They said: "Aldi’s Specially Selected Crémant Du Jura tied in first place in the sparkling wine test, securing a Which? Best Buy endorsement. It was also one of the cheapest bottles tested costing £8.99. The panel commended it for its crisp and refreshing taste, hints of green-apple, guava and grapefruit and its smooth, creamy finish.
"Another supermarket bottle that impressed the judges was the Co-op’s Irresistible Prosecco, costing just £9. The judges enjoyed its zesty aroma and notes of ripe peach, pear and jasmine. They also noted that it was fresh-tasting and decent value, branding it a ‘crowd-pleasing’ choice. However, crémant is a closer match to champagne if you want a similar-tasting drink for less."
Red wine
If sparkling wine isn't for you, maybe your usual glass of wine is. And whilst some supermarket red wines can cost more than a bottle of fizz, the panel found that shoppers don't have to fork out a lot to get good quality wine.
They found a Best Buy bottle for just under £8. Aldi’s Chateau les Trois Manoirs Medoc 2019 was awarded a Best Buy and scored an impressive 77 per cent – costing £7.99 per bottle. They say: "The panel commended its smoky oak aromas, which contrasted well with notes of ripe redcurrants and a peppery finish."
Baileys
If wine isn't your taste at all, Baileys may be the better option for you. Which? pitted supermarket versions of Irish cream liqueur against popular brand Baileys. While Baileys, according to the consumer champion, couldn’t be beaten on taste – coming top with 76 per cent – they say that the "panel of 72 consumers were impressed by several supermarket options and crowned a Great Value pick costing less than £8.
"Aldi’s Specially Selected Irish Cream Liqueur scored an impressive 74 per cent and costs just £7.99 per bottle – £8.51 cheaper than a full-price bottle of Baileys. While its smell might not be quite as enticing as Baileys, tasters thought its appearance, flavour and mouthfeel were on par with the branded version."
Christmas pudding
In the Christmas pudding category, Asda’s ‘Extra Special’ Christmas Pudding stood out from the crowd and was awarded a Which? Best Buy and Great Value endorsement. They add: "Coming in just behind Which?’s overall winning pud, it received high scores for aroma and texture, with tasters enjoying its sweet smell, moistness, and great taste. It was the joint-cheapest pudding on test costing £8 (£1 per 100g) and was noted as a worthy pick if you’re after a brilliant budget pudding."
Brie
Cheese is a staple at this time of year - or at any time of year, let's be honets - and to help pick the best, Which?’s expert cheese-tasting panel blind-tasted seven premium supermarket Brie de Meaux cheeses for the 2022 festive season.
They tested brie from supermarkets such as Asda, Aldi, M&S, Sainsbury’s and more, and uncovered a cheaper brie that impressed the judges with its well-balanced flavour: Asda’s Extra Special Brie de Meaux, £3.20 for 180g. This near-champion cheese missed the top spot but came second overall – it was marked as a solid, cheaper pick by the panel.
Mince pies
Which? also put mince pies to the test. They say: "Waitrose’s Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac came top for taste. However, proving that paying less does not have to mean compromising on quality, Aldi’s mince pies also earned a Best Buy award as well as Which?’s Great Value endorsement.
"Aldi scored an impressive 73 per cent in Which?’s test, just a fraction behind the top-rated premium pies. As the cheapest tested, Aldi’s Specially Selected Mince Pies are almost 50 per cent cheaper than those sold by Waitrose, costing just £1.75 for 6, or 29p per pie."
Which? state that "only awards its Best Buy logo to those products that hit the gold standard for quality in its independent tests. The consumer champion recently launched a Great Value award for items which cost significantly less than the typical price in a category but still score well overall."
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