Revealed: the mince pies that topped a taste test and beat more expensive rivals

Mince pies from Iceland, Tesco and Co-op all shared first place in Which? Magazine’s annual Best Buy mince pie survey.

Iceland’s Luxury All Butter Mince Pies cost just £1.89 for a box of six, while Tesco’s Finest Mince Pies and Co-op’s Irresistible All Butter Luxury Mince Pies are £2 for six.

The less expensive mince pies have beaten pricier rivals Marks and Spencer's and Morrisons.

Why did the less expensive mince pies win?

Iceland’s mince pies were praised for their zesty taste, according to Which?.

The mince pies from Iceland include yuzu juice, cider, port, brandy, and assorted vine fruits.

Iceland’s mince pie delicacies have now earned a Best Buy award for the second year running.

Tesco’s mince pies were also commended for their strong mince pie filling, while Co-op’s were described as “packing plenty of festive flair”.

What about mince pies from other stores?

Marks and Spencer’s Collection Mince Pies which are on the pricier side costing £2.50 for 6 were defeated by the cheaper supermarkets.

Morrisons’ The Best Deep Filled Mince Pies, £2 for 6, also fell short.

However, the mince pies from both of these supermarkets were still complimented by the judges.

As for Sainsbury’s mince pies, costing £2 for 6, and Aldi’s pricing at £1.49 for six, both were said to have left a poor taste.

What has been said?

"Our panel of enthusiasts have tasted pies from the biggest supermarkets in the UK to find out which ones will make the holiday season extra festive this year,” Lisa Barber, Which? magazine’s home products and services editor, said.

The Which? ranking was conducted by 66 demographically representative consumers who regularly eat mince pies.

Ms Barber said: “For many of us, mince pies are the taste of Christmas.

“Iceland has triumphed for the second year in a row but competition was tight between the top contenders in our blind tests, and there is a bigger than ever range of Best Buy pies at affordable prices this year.”

A version of this article originally appeared on NationalWorld.com

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