Stocking up the freezer with ice cream is an absolute must to get us through the scorching summer days, and who can say no to the satisfying crack of a chocolate-covered number?
Of course, the top chocolate-covered ice cream brand in the UK is Magnum. However, you could make some savings by buying supermarket own-label ice creams instead – but how do they stack up against a Magnum Classic?
Consumer champions Which? tested nine supermarket own-label ice creams in a blind-tasting that involved 60 people, and found that while none of them trumped a classic Magnum, one supermarket did hold a candle to it.
A close runner-up came from a budget supermarket, giving ice cream fans more bang for their buck. In fact, two budget supermarket ice creams got higher ratings for flavour and value compared to posh supermarkets like Waitrose.
Jessica Carson, Which? Food and Health Editor, said: ‘Cooling down with a delicious ice cream on a hot day is the stuff that summer holidays are made of, so having a box full in the freezer is bound to please – whether you are entertaining or if you’ve got kids.
‘While the Classic Magnum wasn’t beaten in our test, one supermarket brand matched it and a bargain alternative from Lidl wasn’t far behind – and is less than half the price.’
The supermarket own-brand ice cream that matched Magnum’s rating was none other than the M&S Chocolate Sticks. Both ice creams were rated at 82% and tasters said they loved the balance of chocolate and vanilla flavours, as well as the creamy texture of the ice cream within its chocolate shells.
Which? advised customers to look out for deals on the Classic Magnums, which cost £3.50 for a pack of three, making them the most expensive of the lot. However, they are frequently on some kind of deal, so it’s best to keep an eye out for special offers to get the most value for money.
Magnum Classic is an unbeatable favourite, but one supermarket own-brand version matched it for flavour and value
Classic Magnums are currently £2.75 for three for loyalty card holders at Tesco and Sainsbury’s, according to the consumer website.
It can also be cheaper to buy Magnums in bigger multipacks of six, if you have the freezer space for them.
Here’s how Which? rated the nine supermarket Magnum dupes.
M&S Chocolate Sticks
£2.40 for three 110ml ice creams (80p per stick)
These were the only supermarket own-brand ice creams that matched up to Magnums in the Which? taste test, with tasters loving the sweetness and strength of the chocolate flavour, as well as the vanilla flavour.
They are the most expensive own-label ice cream tested, but are still over a pound cheaper than full-price Magnums.
Lidl Gelatelli Classic Ice Cream Sticks
£2.85 for six 120ml ice creams (48p per stick)
Rated at 79% for great value, Lidl’s ice creams are cheap and cheerful. Tasters said they had ‘just the right sweetness, creaminess and vanilla flavour’.
These ice creams are slightly bigger than Magnums (120ml vs 100ml) yet are less than half the price of Magnum Classics, so customers will be getting more bang for their buck.
Aldi Gianni’s Milk Chocolate Ice Creams
£1.69 for four 100ml ice creams (42p per stick)
German budget supermarket Aldi offers the cheapest ice cream tested by Which? and received a decently high rating for flavour. It came in at a 77% rating.
While the flavour was good, tasters said they weren’t creamy enough, but at just 42p per ice cream, they’re a good budget-friendly alternative to Magnums.
Iceland Belgian Milk Chocolate Majestics
£2 for four 120ml ice creams (50p per ice cream)
The frozen food specialists’ ice cream treat rounds off the Which? top five list, scoring well at 77% for looking great and offering a satisfyingly creamy texture. However, nearly a third of tasters complained they were too sweet.
Waitrose Milk Chocolate Sticks
£2.25 for three 100ml ice creams (75p per ice cream)
Waitrose has a reputation for being posh and expensive, but their ice creams are 5p cheaper than M&S – however, nearly half of tasters thought the vanilla flavour was far too weak.
Morrisons Classic Milk Chocolate Amour Sticks
£2.25 for three 110ml ice creams (75p per ice cream)
Half of the tasters thought Morrison’s Magnum dupes ‘weren’t bad’, but they also were not creamy enough.
Asda Milk Chocolate Coated Ice Creams
£2.10 for three 110ml ice creams (70p per ice cream)
Asda scored decently for sweetness and strength of chocolate flavour, but the vanilla ice cream within let it down by not being creamy enough.
Tesco Milk Chocolate Ice Creams
£1.39 for three 110ml ice creams (46p per ice cream)
Whilst this was among the cheapest ice creams that Which? tested, over half of the tasters thought the vanilla flavour was too weak.
Co-op Dipped Milk Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream
£2.10 for three 100ml ice creams (70p per ice cream)
Despite being more expensive than three of the top five ice creams, Co-op’s Magnum dupes ranked the lowest because the ice cream wasn’t creamy enough and the chocolate wasn’t chocolatey enough. ‘A bit of a letdown, but not terrible,’ Which? said.
