A food reviewer sampled own-label baked beans from seven leading UK supermarkets to crown the best – and the winner beat M&S and Sainsbury'sBrian Dillon What's On and Travel reporter08:15, 10 Jun 2026I put own-label baked beans from seven of the UK's biggest supermarkets to the test — and there was one clear winner.‌Baked beans are a staple in my household, yet I'd never actually got round to finding out which supermarket's own-brand tin comes out on top.‌Needless to say, I jumped at the chance. Although I usually jazz up my baked beans to boost the flavour, I was eager to find out which tin delivers the most satisfying taste straight out of the can.‌Normally, I throw in paprika, salt, pepper and cumin, and occasionally splash in extras such as soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.On this occasion, however, I kept things completely plain in order to identify the very best supermarket tin of baked beans, reports the Express.To do this fairly, I heated each tin strictly according to the instructions on the packaging, then rated them on sweetness, consistency and overall taste.‌I scored the first two categories out of 5 and overall taste out of 10, giving each tin of supermarket baked beans a maximum possible score of 20.Here's what I found.‌7. AldiPrice: 40pDespite Aldi performing brilliantly in my recent taste tests, it unfortunately propped up the table on this occasion, scoring below 50%.In my view, these beans were the most lacking in flavour of the entire bunch. I genuinely needed far more flavour, and found myself reaching for the spice rack to give them a bit more complexity. The sauce is quite thin compared to the other beans I tried, even after cooking for the specified time.‌6. M&SPrice: 55pM&S baked beans contain no added sugar, and unfortunately, this is far too noticeable in the flavour. Overall, the taste lacks richness and depth, and a bit more sweetness would have made a substantial difference.Having said that, the texture was decent, and the beans stayed nicely saucy when cooked according to the tin's directions. For anyone who prefers to add their own seasoning and wants to reduce sugar intake, these represent a reasonable choice.‌5. Sainsbury'sPrice: 30pThe first aspect that caught my attention about Sainsbury's baked beans was their thin consistency. The sauce-to-bean proportion seemed marginally imbalanced, which undermined the overall dining experience somewhat.‌The flavour is fairly subdued, missing both sweetness and richness. That said, these beans were the cheapest of the seven tins tested. With a sprinkle of salt and a few spices, they could deliver a fairly affordable and straightforward lunch for families watching their spending.4. WaitrosePrice: 55pWaitrose baked beans deliver an acceptable flavour, though it stops short of being especially noteworthy. The texture is satisfying, with a proper balance of sauce to beans.‌Nevertheless, a bolder flavour would have been appreciated, and resisting the urge to add seasoning proved challenging. They are, by all accounts, a perfectly decent tin of beans, though several others in the taste test delivered far superior results.3. LidlPrice: 40p I was pleasantly surprised by Lidl's baked beans, especially considering they were among the cheapest options tested. They delivered a nice sweetness, though they could have been slightly sweeter still.‌That said, the texture is absolutely right. The colour is also quite appealing, and the bean-to-sauce ratio is spot on. At just 40p, this represents a reliable budget choice that I'd happily buy again.2. TescoPrice: 42pThis tin of baked beans offered a lovely sweetness without going overboard. It had a strong flavour and appealing aroma. The only issue was the texture; it just needed a bit more cooking time to reach the perfect consistency.‌For under 50p, it definitely offers good value, and it thoroughly deserves a spot in the top three.1. Co-opPrice: 47pArticle continues belowThe first thing that struck me about the Co-op own-brand baked beans was the colour, which looked noticeably darker than the other varieties sampled during this taste test. This was promising, as it hinted they would pack a more powerful flavour.This turned out to be spot on, and they came out on top. The rich taste and sweetness were instantly noticeable, and the sauce was without doubt the most delicious of the entire taste test.