I tried grapes from Lidl, M&S, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s – winner was less than £2

A taste test of red grapes from five major UK supermarkets found one clear winner for crunch, sweetness and value, and it cost just £1.94.

The cost of fruit came as quite a shock when I first moved out all those years ago. And sadly, things have only got worse since then, with the price of being a fruit lover seemingly rising by the day.

That said, there are certainly some fruits that are easier on the wallet than others — and grapes are a perfect case in point. Unlike berries, they keep well in the fridge for quite a long time, and they aren’t very expensive either.

However, both the quality and the price can differ enormously depending on which supermarket you visit, so I decided to carry out a taste test to see whether spending more actually means better fruit.

Red grapes are my favourite. I find green ones can be overly tart and often quite unpleasant to eat, whereas red ones are reliably sweet and juicy. And naturally, they must be seedless.

Those are essentially my only two requirements when purchasing grapes, so I headed off to my nearest supermarkets to see what was on offer.

I picked up a packet of grapes from five supermarkets in total. With a bag brimming with fruit from Asda, Lidl, Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury’s, I returned home to determine which boasted the crunchiest, juiciest grapes of the lot.

While none of them were particularly disappointing, there was one clear winner — and it cost less than £2.

M&S – £2.65

I do enjoy a trip to M&S, particularly for fruit and vegetables, as I find the quality is often superior to other supermarkets and tends to keep for considerably longer too. However, as previously mentioned, grapes tend to have a fairly lengthy shelf life regardless of where they are purchased, so I was simply searching for that satisfying crunch and burst of juicy flavour.

This £2.65 packet certainly delivered on the juiciness front. There was no trace of any sourness, and they had a reasonably firm texture, although they were unfortunately not quite as crisp as I had anticipated.

If you have ever tried the M&S blueberries in the tub, you’ll understand exactly what I mean when I say that texture is everything. They were by no means poor quality, and I would purchase them again, but they were the priciest of the selection and I’m not entirely convinced they justified the cost.

Score: 3.5/5

Sainsbury’s – £2.20

Next, I tried the Sainsbury’s grapes, priced at £2.20.

These also had an appealing glossy appearance, not unlike the M&S ones, yet the taste was so different. It may sound obvious, but they had a distinctly boozy, wine-like flavour that was not necessarily unpleasant — it simply wasn’t the fresh taste I had been expecting.

They almost had a slightly gone-off quality to them, which was a real disappointment. I probably wouldn’t reach for these as a snack, but alongside a cheeseboard with crackers and an actual glass of wine, I think they would work well.

Score: 3/5

Lidl – £1.89

Moving on to Lidl, whose grapes were the most affordable of the bunch at £1.89. Regrettably, that lower price point was reflected in the overall quality.

Once again, while they were far from unpleasant, they were simply mediocre. After eating a few, the texture deteriorated from a moderate crunch to soft and soggy — something I really hate.

They were admittedly sweet enough, but let themselves down with their lack of bite. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily rule out buying them again.

They’re affordable, and I’ve popped them in the freezer for later snacking, which should resolve the texture problem.

Score: 2.5/5

Tesco – £2

These grapes stood out visually from all the others. Noticeably smaller and darker, I was hopeful this would translate into a sweeter, crunchier experience.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The taste was perfectly fine, but they were undoubtedly the softest of the entire bunch.

I only managed a handful before discovering several seeds, despite the packaging stating they were seedless.

At £2, you can’t really complain, but if a firm, crunchy grape is what you’re after, these probably aren’t the ones for you.

Score: 2/5

Winner – Asda, £1.94

And finally, we have our champion. Asda’s red grapes were the second cheapest of the lot, yet outshone the competition by a country mile.

The crunch was outstanding — every single grape I tried was absolutely spot on, and they were so good I just couldn’t stop eating them. Perfectly sweet and wonderfully juicy, and despite a slightly uneven appearance, the exceptional flavour and texture more than made up for it.

Asda may not be my nearest supermarket, but it will be my destination of choice for grapes going forward. If you’re a grape enthusiast who has yet to try these particular ones, I can’t recommend them enough.

Score: 5/5