As you can probably guess from this article, my local supermarket is Tesco. While it’s not quite as cheap and chirpy as Lidl or as upmarket as Waitrose, it’s a pretty decent student compromise. Sometimes, I get super low days where I just need a pick-me-up, and every now and then, chocolate comes along and saves me.
Tesco has a whole aisle dedicated to chocolate and confectionery, and on one of my many post-work trips I found myself staring up at the shelves, mentally ticking off what might be worth the purchase. So here is my list of the best (and worst) Tesco chocolate brands.
12. Hershey’s
I’m sorry, America, but your chocolate just isn’t in the same league as British chocolate. There are scientific reasons to this, of course, but to be honest, I’m happy to just trust my tastebuds. Hershey’s, you’re coming in last place.
11. Milkybar
I’m not a white chocolate fan; it’s too sweet and what’s the point of having chocolate if it doesn’t actually taste like chocolate? Aside from a few bars that salvage their reputation, Nestlé have never quite managed to keep up with the other British chocolate brands and the Milkybar is just another classic example of this.
10. Bournville
The Bournville bar is where Cadbury falters momentarily. Dark chocolate should be rich and bitter and should certainly not leave you feeling like you just ate a spoonful of sugar — which, I’m sorry to say, Bournville does.
9. Tesco Everyday Value
Tesco does a decent job with their 45p bars of chocolate. Available in milk, dark, and white, they’re good for a quick fix and the fact that you can get 100g for just 45p just makes them even better.
Disclaimer: the above photo is not Tesco Everyday Value chocolate. Surprisingly enough, no one proudly Instagrams Everyday Value bars (I totally would)!
8. Galaxy
Whoever said that Galaxy ever seriously rivalled Cadbury needs to re-evaluate their life. Galaxy flavours are simple and classic but fall short of the rich cocoa taste that just settles on your tongue when you delve into a Dairy Milk.
7. Chocologic
Chocologic scores a safe middle spot due to the fact that it’s the only chocolate bar on this list that I’ve never actually tried. Chocologic gets its health kick by replacing sugar with stevia. It’s an interesting idea that will either flop entirely or taste no different to your standard chocolate. It’s a 50/50 chance.
6. Tesco’s Own
Tesco’s own comes in a range of different flavours and mimics the higher end chocolate brands such as Green & Blacks and Lindt. While it doesn’t quite knock them off the top it does a pretty good job at giving you a slightly more affordable version that definitely deserves a word or two of praise.
5. Milka
Milka is one of just a few (originally) Swiss brands of chocolate that has successfully filtered onto mainstream shelves in Britain. While we tend to associate Swiss chocolate with fancier, bite-sized treats, Milka gives you a decent amount of melt-in-your-mouth that won’t break the bank in the slightest.
4. Aero
Sure, Aero might be 90% air but have you ever tasted such yummy air before? Mint Aeros are the taste of my childhood and honestly, one of those big sharing bars just about keeps me happy! Aeros are one of Nestlé’s few strokes of genius (alongside Smarties) and they definitely deserve to have someone shouting about them!
3. Green & Black’s
There are few chocolate brands able to top the sheer brilliance of Green and Black’s. Offering an array of different flavours, G&B’s largest pitfall is its price, which doesn’t really adhere to a student budget.
2. Lindt
Like Milka, Lindt bars are one of the only Swiss brands that can be found in nearly every place that sells chocolate. And for good reason, too — Lindt literally melts in your mouth. It’s creamy, it’s beautiful, it’s wholly worth the runner-up prize.
1. Cadbury
It should come as no surprise that Cadbury’s chocolate ended up on top. Lindt was a very close second, but in the end, when comparing taste, price and the range of flavours available, there can only be one true winner — and Cadbury takes the crown. Can anything truly beat the perfect cocoa to sugar balance that Cadbury’s achieves in its classic Dairy Milk? I think not.
Overall, it’s got to be said that Hershey’s, the only American chocolate not sold in the foreign aisle at Tesco does not really come anywhere close to its European rivals. However, the battle between British and Swiss chocolate lives on. Admittedly, I may be a little biased when it comes to the winner, but if you doubt me, do a taste test and draw your own conclusions!