Best supermarket mayonnaise named — cheaper and tastier than Hellman's and Heinz

The UK's finest mayonnaise has been revealed — and it isn't from household names such as Hellmann's or Heinz. Remarkably, it's a supermarket own-brand product that costs £1.10 less per bottle than Hellmann's.

In a bid to crown the ultimate mayo, consumer watchdog Which? assembled 62 volunteers at its testing facility to sample nine different mayonnaises with chips. Seven were supermarket own-brands, including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco, alongside the two market leaders, Heinz and Hellmann's. Two mayonnaises were awarded Best Buy status — and both were supermarket own-brands rather than the big-name rivals, reports The Mirror. Here's how each mayo stacked up:

9. M&S Classic Mayo - 68%

Its thick texture and creaminess were well liked by testers, but a third found the flavour too sharp. Cost: £1.40 for 500ml (28p per 100ml).

8. Heinz Seriously Good Mayo - 68%

A disappointing result for Heinz. Two thirds were happy with its creamy thickness, but close to half found the flavour and sharpness lacking. Cost: £2.84 for 540ml (53p per 100ml)

7. Morrisons Mayo - 69%

Testers found it dark in colour and a bit bland, but most liked its creamy thickness. Cost: 95p for 500ml (19p per 100ml)

6. Tesco Mayonnaise - 70%

Tasters thought it had a pleasing thickness, creaminess and colour. Nearly half enjoyed its flavour, but a similar proportion deemed it overly tangy. Cost: 86p for 450ml (19p per 100ml)

5. Asda Classic Real Mayonnaise - 70%

In the test, most testers appreciated the colour, creaminess and texture, but around a third found the flavour too weak. Cost: 96p for 500ml (19p per 100ml)

4. Lidl Batts Real Mayonnaise - 71%

A fraction cheaper than Sainsbury's, Lidl's mayo matched Hellmann's in the taste testers' estimation. The majority were happy with its thickness and creaminess, though some found it a touch bland, with a bolder flavour and additional tartness better suiting their palates. Cost: 95p for 500ml (19p per 100ml)

3. Hellman's Real Mayonnaise - 71%

While falling short of the top scorers, Hellmann's won out over Heinz in the battle of the brands. Most testers were satisfied with its appearance, creamy consistency and thickness, while half were firm admirers of its flavour. However, more than a third felt the taste was too mild, and more than four in 10 noted an absence of sharpness.

If you're a devoted Hellmann's fan, keep an eye out for promotions. Hellmann's squeezy mayo comes in a variety of sizes (250ml, 430ml, 580ml, 750ml), with the cost per ml decreasing progressively as the size increases. Cost: £2.45 for 430ml (57p per 100ml)

2. Sainsbury's Real Mayo - 73%

The testers said it was a "great-tasting, creamy mayo that looks good too". More than two thirds praised its thickness, while over half enjoyed both its depth of flavour and tanginess. All in all, this is a solid crowd-pleaser that earns both a Best Buy and Great Value accolade. Cost: £1 for 500ml (20p per 100ml)

1. Co-op On The Side Real Mayonnaise

Testers called it an appetising-looking, creamy mayo with a flavour that the majority of our tasters appreciated. Two thirds said the all-important thickness was just right, and most savoured its sharp tanginess. Co-op's mayo is the joint most expensive of the supermarket bottles, but remains less than half the cost of the leading brands, so it isn't excessively indulgent. Cost: £1.35 for 500ml (27p per 100ml)

How Which? tested mayonnaise

All the mayonnaises were blind-tasted and assessed by a panel of 62 individuals in May 2026 at the Which? test laboratory. Which? assembled a panel of consumers who purchase and consume mayonnaise and who broadly reflect the demographic profile of adults in the UK.

The taste test was conducted blind, meaning testers were unaware which brand they were sampling. They sampled the mayos in a fully rotated sequence to prevent any bias. Each tester occupied a private tasting booth so they couldn't discuss what they were sampling or be swayed by others. The tasters evaluated the flavour, aroma, appearance and texture of each mayo brand and shared what they liked and disliked. The overall score was determined by:

• 50% flavour
• 20% texture
• 15% appearance
• 15% aroma

These weightings are derived from the attributes people ranked as most significant when tasting mayonnaise. All the findings were verified and analysed by Which?'s in-house statistical team.

Is mayonnaise healthy?

Mayonnaise has long had a reputation for being an unhealthy choice, yet the reality is rather more nuanced. Comprising roughly three quarters oil, mayo is undeniably a high-fat, calorie-dense condiment — a single tablespoon adding approximately 100 calories to your sandwich. That said, the fat content found in mayonnaise is predominantly unsaturated, which is widely regarded as more beneficial to heart health than saturated fat.

The majority of well-known brands opt for rapeseed oil, though sunflower, soybean or other oils may also be used. Additional key ingredients typically include egg yolk, vinegar or lemon juice, along with modest quantities of sugar and seasoning. Most commercially produced varieties will also contain emulsifiers.