BRITISH families are facing huge increases on some budget food items including pasta, crisps and bread.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed the price of bread rose by 16 per cent in the year to April 2021.
Market leader Hovis admits profits fell significantly in 2021 due to rising costs and challenges associated with the pandemic.
But do you need to buy a big brand for a tasty sandwich or slice of toast?
Supermarket loafs are often on sale for a fraction of the cost, but are they any good?
We asked Sun writer and mum-of-three Lynsey Hope, 40, from West Malling, Kent, to see how they compared to Hovis.
Read more on taste tests
Here’s what happened:
Lynsey says: “This loaf would have cost you 59p in January, now it’s 70p, so beware even own brand items are going up in price.
“It was very soft and tasted lovely lathered in butter. I really liked the taste. The kids loved this one toasted with butter for breakfast.
“It’s 50p cheaper than Hovis for an 800g loaf and I couldn’t find a fault. I’d go back for this – my winner.”
TASTE: 10/10
FRESHNESS: 10/10
VALUE: 8/10
OVERALL: 10/10
TOTAL SCORE: 38/40
Lynsey says: “A good solid loaf from Aldi. It was soft and stayed fresh for a decent amount of time.
“At just 65p, it’s a great budget option for families who get through a lot of toast and sandwiches. Nearly half the price of the market leader. I loved it.”
TASTE: 10/10
FRESHNESS: 9/10
VALUE: 10/10
OVERALL: 9/10
TOTAL SCORE: 38/40
Lynsey says: “Lovely and soft, square-shaped bread that was perfect for sandwiches and toast.
“It lasted a good four days and I thought it tasted better than pricier alternatives. Great value from Asda.”
TASTE: 9/10
FRESHNESS: 8/10
VALUE: 9/10
OVERALL: 9/10
TOTAL SCORE: 35/40
Lynsey says: “An absolute bargain from Lidl at 36p and less than a third of the price of a Hovis loaf.
“Lidl is well-known for its bakery and this didn’t disappoint. Even though it’s a cheap loaf, it was soft, fresh and lasted well in the cupboard.
“Buy this instead of Hovis every week for a year and you’d save yourself over £43 – a saving not to be sniffed at.”
TASTE: 6/10
FRESHNESS: 7/10
VALUE: 9/10
OVERALL: 8/10
TOTAL SCORE: 30/40
Lynsey says: “I thought this was a nice fluffy bread and it lasted well.
“It is thinner than most medium sliced loaves and each slice is noticeably smaller, so I don’t think it represents great value for money.
“You are paying more for the brand.”
TASTE: 8/10
FRESHNESS: 8/10
VALUE: 6/10
OVERALL: 7/10
TOTAL SCORE: 29/40
Lynsey says: “Another loaf that has shot up in price from 55p at the start of the year. Nothing much to complain about.
“It was good enough for a budget loaf and stayed fresh for a few days. But beware the price rise.
“My personal opinion is that there are better options out there for the price.”
TASTE: 6/10
FRESHNESS: 6/10
VALUE: 5/10
OVERALL: 5/10
TOTAL SCORE: 22/40
Lynsey says: “This is described as ‘thick’ but not much different to any other of the other medium brands. It made lovely toast but not sure it’s the best for sandwiches.
“It’s actually more expensive than Hovis but I’m not convinced it’s worth the extra pennies. There are better, cheaper options out there.”
TASTE: 6/10
FRESHNESS: 7/10
VALUE: 4/10
OVERALL: 4/10
TOTAL SCORE: 21/40
Lynsey says: “I found this quite dry and coarse compared to other brands.
“It also got stale quite quickly so it’s only good value if you get through a loaf quite quickly.
“The slices were also a bit big and awkwardly shaped for the toaster. Not my favourite.”
TASTE: 4/10
FRESHNESS: 3/10
VALUE: 3/10
OVERALL: 3/10
TOTAL SCORE: 13/40
We’ve also tested the best cheese melts for your BBQ burgers.
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We tried supermarket own brand instant coffee and one was better than Nescafe.
And these supermarket own brand mustards are less than half the price of Colman’s.
