Ahead of the pack: supermarkets beat brands in the battle of posh salt and vinegar crisps, Which? finds

Well-known crisp brands including Pipers, Kettle Chips and Tyrrells have been rated worse than supermarket rivals in a new Which? taste test. 

In a blind taste test of 72 crisp enthusiasts, Which? found ASDA's Extra Special Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.34 for 150g) came out top – scoring an impressive 78 per cent. Tasters gave them high ratings on the texture, thickness and flavour of ASDA’s posh crisps, earning them a Which? Best Buy. Costing around half the price of the big brands, these crisps also earned a Great Value recommendation. 

The Which? test compared 10 premium salt and vinegar crisp varieties, including offerings from household names like Kettle, Tyrrells and Pipers as well as supermarket alternatives from Aldi, ASDA, Co-op, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

Also impressing Which?’s panel and earning the Which? Best Buy was Co-op Irresistible Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps (£1.70 for 150g), which scored 75 per cent. Tasters thought they had an appetising aroma and appearance, and most agreed they were the right thickness and crispiness. The majority of tasters said the saltiness of Co-op’s crisps was good – though some found that the vinegar was slightly too much, so these would be a good choice for fans of especially zingy crisps.

Aldi’s Specially Selected Sea Salt & Chardonnay Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.09 for 150g) scored 69 per cent and were both the cheapest on test and a popular choice among Which?’s tasters who were impressed by the crispness and thickness. There was also general agreement that the seasoning was about right, though some wanted them to be a bit more salty, while others would have liked the crisps to be more vinegary.

Morrisons The Best Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Suffolk Cider Vinegar Crisps (£1.30 for 125g) scored 67 per cent. Most of the tasters in Which?’s test said these looked appealing and two thirds thought they were the perfect thickness but lacked flavour compared to the Which? Best Buys.

M&S Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar Crisps (£1.80 for 150g) scored 66 per cent. Half of Which?’s tasters found the salt level of these crisps to be perfect, though others wanted an extra shake or two. A third said that a sharper vinegar kick would be good.

Despite their high-end reputations and prices, none of the branded crisps in Which?’s taste test scored as highly as the supermarket versions. 

Tyrrell’s Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Crisps (from £1.75 for 150g) scored 63 per cent. While it was the best of the brands on test, they did not wow Which? tasters. Most of the panel enjoyed their thickness and crispness, but nearly half found these crisps pale-looking and lacking in flavour.

Kettle Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Potato Chips (£2.40 for 130g) scored 60 per cent. These widely available Kettle crisps were judged to be mediocre, with thickness and crispiness being their stronger points. Many of Which?’s tasters thought they were bland, and would have liked them to be more salty and more vinegary. 

Pipers Burrow Hill Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt Crisps, the most expensive crisps tested at £3 per 150g, came in last with a disappointing 57 per cent. While Which? tasters agreed these had a good thickness and crispiness, very few felt the salt and vinegar flavour hit the spot. Most wanted more flavour out of these pricey crisps. 

Jessica Carson, Which? Food and Health Editor, said:

“Our Which? taste tests show you don’t have to splash out on the more expensive brand name crisps to get great flavour and a satisfying crunch.

“If you're after that classic salt and vinegar zing, a supermarket own-label is the best bet. Asda’s and Co-op’s posh crisps wowed our panel of crisp connoisseurs – outperforming the big names on every front.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Research:

How Which? tested salt and vinegar crisps

All the crisps were blind-tasted and rated by a panel of 72 people in July 2025 at a specialist test lab.

Which? recruited tasters who buy and eat crisps, and who broadly represent the demographic profile of adults in the UK (age range, gender split and more). 

The taste test was blind, so testers didn’t know which brand they were trying. They tasted the crisps in a fully rotated order to avoid any bias. Each tester had a private tasting booth so they couldn’t discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others.

The tasters rated the flavour, aroma, appearance and texture of each brand of crisps, and told Which? what they liked and disliked. 

The overall score was based on:

1. 50% flavour
2. 20% texture
3. 20% aroma
4. 10% appearance

All results are checked and analysed by Which?’s in-house statistical team.

Full results:

Best Buy and Great Value: Asda Extra Special Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps – 78% £1.34 for 150g (89p per 100g)

Best Buy: Co-op Irresistible Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Chardonnay Wine Vinegar Crisps – 75% £1.70 for 150g (£1.13 per 100g)

Aldi Specially Selected Sea Salt & Chardonnay Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps – 69% £1.09 for 150g (73p per 100g)

Morrisons The Best Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Suffolk Cider Vinegar Crisps – 67%

£1.30 for 125g (1.04p per 100g)

M&S Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar Crisps – 66% £1.80 for 150g (£1.20 per 100g)

Sainsbury’s Take the Difference Sea Salt & Suffolk Cider Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps – 65%. These crisps were a good thickness and most of our tasters liked their crispness, too. However, seasoning divided opinion: more salt was wanted by many, while half of our tasters found the vinegar eye-wateringly overpowering. £1.25 for 150g (83p per 100g). 

Tesco Finest Sea Salt & Chardonnay Vinegar Hand Cooked Crisps – 64%. Two thirds of our tasters approved of the colour and thickness of these crisps and half said salt levels were good. Most felt they could do with a punchier vinegar hit, though, and a third wanted them crispier. £1.25 for 150g (83p per 100g). 

Tyrrells Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar Crisps – 63%. The best of the brands, and found in most supermarkets, but these crisps didn’t wow our tasters. Most enjoyed their thickness and crispness, however nearly half found these crisps pale-looking and bland-tasting. From £1.75 for 150g (£1.17 per 100g).

Kettle Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar of Modena Potato Chips – 60%. These widely available Kettle crisps were all-round mediocre, with thickness and crispiness being their stronger points. Many of our tasters thought they were bland, and would have liked them to be more salty and more vinegary. From £2.40 for 130g (£1.85 per 100g). 

Pipers Burrow Hill Cider Vinegar & Sea Salt Crisps – 57%. Good thickness and crispiness, but very few tasters felt the salt and vinegar flavour hit the spot. Most wanted more flavour out of these pricey crisps. £3 for 150g (£2 per 100g). 

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