I compared a range of raspberry jams from UK supermarkets.
Raspberry jam is a tasty addition to toast, sweet treats and baking. There are plenty of different options available, from supermarket own to branded options.
You can also pick between seeded and non-seeded jams or conserves. The many different options can make it hard to know which one will taste best whilst also providing value for money.
Hartley’s and Bonne Maman are the most popular branded jams available across a range of supermarkets. However, they usually come up more expensive than many own-brand options.
After pitting supermarket strawberry jams against each other, I decided it was time to test if supermarket raspberry jams could stand up to the branded versions. I chose jam from Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, Asda and Marks and Spencer, and was surprised by the results.
Lidl – 89p
I picked up the seedless Lidl raspberry jam as there were no seed options in my local store. It had a darker colour than most of the other jams in my taste test.
When I dipped my spoon into the jar, the jam felt very jelly-like and thick. The flavour was more delicate than all the other jams, which was a drawback for me as I prefer a much stronger taste. The texture was also too thick for me.
Rating: 3/10
Hartley’s – £1.70 from Asda
The branded jam with no seeds had a faint smell upon opening the jar and tasted sweet with a twang. Again, I found the jam jelly-like and a bit thick for my liking. I thought it could have a stronger flavour as there wasn’t much aftertaste. It is a good pick if you like a thick jam that isn’t too sweet.
Rating: 6/10
Asda – £1.15
Asda’s seedless jam was more spreadable than the previous ones. It was thick and provided a nice sweet taste. This jam was more sweet than tangy and had a pleasant aftertaste.
Rating: 7/10
Tesco – 89p
I picked up Tesco’s raspberry jam that had seeds, and there were plenty of them in the jar. Of all the seeded jams in the taste test, it had the most. The jam was dark and slightly jelly-like but not as much as Lidl’s or Hartley’s. It had a sweet taste but not too much of a twang.
Rating: 8/10
Bonne Maman – £3.95
The branded jam had a dark colour without much of a smell. It packed plenty of flavour though as it wasn’t too sweet or too twangy. I thought it had the perfect balance of both and melted in the mouth upon tasting it.
Rating: 9/10
Aldi – 89p
Aldi’s seedless jam was lighter coloured than others and quite runny. It had a nice melting texture in the mouth and has a perfectly sweet yet tangy flavour. For me, it was the best seedless jam on the taste test and beat Hartley’s by far.
Rating: 10/10
Marks and Spencer – £2.70
The raspberry conserve from Marks and Spencer says it has a sharp and sweet taste, which it certainly did. I enjoyed the sharpness of the jam paired with the sweetness of the raspberry. It had a very pleasant consistency and ranked as my best seeded jam.
Rating: 10/10
