Cheddar is a core part of the supermarket shop for many. It’s a versatile and popular cheese that originated in the village of, you guessed it, Cheddar in Somerset. While it’s known for its tang and mellow creaminess, there’s now a lot of variety within the category, with mild, medium and mature offerings often quite different tastes and textures. According to cheese writer and educator Patrick McGuigan, this comes down to ageing. “Traditionally, mild would be three months, medium six months, mature 12 months, extra mature 18 months, vintage 24 months,” he explains. “But in reality, these ages are probably much lower in most block cheddar versions.” This means it's worth checking the specified ageing time on the block. But as with lots of items in your weekly food shop, the cost of cheddar cheese has risen significantly. If this has led you to turn to supermarket own-brand options, you’re not alone – and I’ve put a range to the test to find the best supermarket cheddar cheeses.Read more: The best supermarket wines, according to sommeliers and expertsI paired the cheese with crackers and apples (Alice Reynolds/The Independent)The best supermarket cheddar cheeses for 2026 are:Best overall – Tesco finest mature English cheddar cheese: £4, Tesco.comBest budget buy – Aldi emporium British mature cheddar cheese: £2.49, Aldi.co.ukBest for versatility – Sainsbury's British mature cheddar cheese: £2.50, Sainsburys.co.ukBest for a cheeseboard – Aldi specially selected West Country vintage cheddar cheese: £3.39, Aldi.co.ukBest organic – Waitrose duchy organic mature cheddar cheese strength 4: £4.75, Waitrose.comRead more: Best supermarket sourdough for 2026, taste-tested by a food editor