I tested all the supermarket Coke dupes from Asda to LIDL & winner tasted just like real thing at fraction of the price
COCA-COLA is one of the biggest brands on the planet, a feelgood treat enjoyed by billions with ice and a slice.
And so is Diet Coke, for those worried about their sugar intake, teeth and waistline.
But before you chuck your cola into the shopping trolley or online order, it may pay to check out supermarket own-brand versions – which can be loads cheaper.
Laura Stott does that and gives verdicts and marks out of five, as well as their sugar content per 100ml . . .
Coca-Cola
£2 for 1.25l, 16p per 100ml, 10.6g sugar
THERE’S no mistaking the unique, caramel flavour of the Original Taste cola.
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The real thing, the UK’s top-selling cola, hits the spot perfectly, especially with ice and a slice.
But it is also very expensive and packs a mighty sugar hit of 10.6g per 100ml, which does no favour for either your pearly whites or waistline.
Rating: 3/5
Diet Coke
£1.79 for 1.25ml, 14p per 100ml, 0g sugar
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STILL the top pick for most people looking to rein in their sugar habit when they feel like a fizzy drink.
The original Diet Coke is made with plant extracts and chemical sweeteners instead of sugar, which keeps those saccharine levels in check.
Delicious but also pricey if compared to own-brand buys.
Rating: 3/5
Tesco Classic Cola
70p for 2l, 4p per 100ml, 4.4g sugar
MADE with artificial sweeteners, this own-brand classic cola is of a very dark brown, treacle-like colour and I found the taste pretty unpleasant.
As colas go, it is extremely sweet and saccharine, with an artificial aftertaste that left my mouth dry and my thirstiness unquenched.
Not very refreshing after a long, hard day.
Rating: 2/5
Asda Cola
70p for 2l, 3.5p per 100ml, 4.5g sugar
A GOOD all-round cola alternative with no artificial sweeteners, this will save you plenty on the family shop if you buy lots of fizzy drinks.
A very dark caramel colour and a smooth taste with plenty of gas to keep it carbonated in the glass.
Good value and the deep flavour would make for a useful cut-price mixer with booze.
Rating: 3/5
Morrison's Diet Cola
89p for 2l, 4.5p per 100ml, trace sugars
SLIGHTLY pricier than most other own-brand cola options, although still easier on the wallet than the big-name original.
The flavour of this was kind of middling, it doesn’t taste exactly like the market leader but it’s an OK imitation.
I found it a bit watery but it will save a little of your hard-earned and quench the thirst.
Rating: 3/5
Lidl Freeway Cola
55p for 2l, 2.8p per 100ml, 4.9g sugar
IF you need to save cash on cola, this dark caramel-coloured carbonator compares very well as one of the cheapest own-brands.
It is sugary and left my teeth feeling a bit sticky but the sweetness level and aroma match the market leader.
I’m not sure you can tell much difference between this and the real deal in a glass.
Rating: 4/5
Diet Cola by Sainsbury’s
65p for 2l, 3p per 100ml, 0.5g sugar
DECENT diet option, made with sweeteners, which has less sugar than the store’s standard cola so is better for your body.
The flavour is pretty good.
My bottle was a bit flat.
But while it’s not indistinguishable from the market leader when you glug from the glass, it’s not far off the same flavour.
Solid saver substitute for weekly shop.
Rating: 4/5
Aldi Vive Cola Original
55p for 2l, 2.8p per 100ml, 4.9g sugar
ALDI’S own Cola will do the job if you simply want a big bottle of the brown stuff for the family to help themselves to without bank-rupting you on the weekly shop.
I have to say, though, this wasn’t my favourite for taste.
It seemed extremely sweet and the initial fizz in my glass went flat all too quickly.
Rating: 3/5
Aldi Vive Diet Cola
0.55p for 2l, 2.8p per 100ml, 0.1g sugar
I ENJOYED this diet cola.
Not a bad substitute for the market leader at all and it will save you a lot of money, especially if you glug gallons of the stuff.
Almost half the price of the big-brand version so it’s definitely worth a sup to see whether you like it.
Very fizzy, so beware of bubbles up your nose.
Rating 4/5
Morrison's Cola
89p for 2l, 4.5p per 100m, 4.8g sugar
SORT of “not quite but almost” copy of the real thing, this is costlier than some other super-market options but the flavour and matching caramel colour would fool you if you didn’t know you were drinking a stand-in.
Has sugar, sweeteners and, unusually, barley, which might be what delivers such an intense flavour.
Rating: 4/5
Asda Diet Coke
55p 2l, 2.8p per 100ml, 0g sugar
BARGAIN-price treat that tastes good as well as offering excellent value for money.
Ticks all the diet cola boxes, with a decent amount of fizz and bubbles and a refreshing “almost the real thing” taste.
It isn’t too sweet or sickly, either.
Your tastebuds will barely feel a difference from the original, but your wallet surely will.
Rating: 5/5
Lidl Freeway Cola XX
55p for 2l, 2.8p per 100ml, 0g sugar
WITH full-fat flavour but zero sugar, this is a fine option for those who want to be a bit more nutritionally aware, or get through a lot of cola but don’t want a traditional diet version of the drink.
Very fizzy and gassy, so I found once opened the contents of the bottle did go flat very fast.
But you can’t argue with the price.
Rating: 3/5
Cola by Sainsbury's
70p for 2l, 4p per 100ml, 4.8g sugar
I WAS really impressed with this. It does a very good job of emulating the taste and smell of the original, probably because it contains sugar as well as chemical sweeteners.
The flavour is also remarkably similar to the real thing and it retains its fizz well.
Not the cheapest alternative version but one of the most convincing.
Rating: 4/5
Tesco Diet Cola
65p for 2l, 3p per 100ml, 0.1g sugar
TESCO’S diet cola fares a little better than its full-fat offering.
But a glass of this was rather too sweet for my liking and it left an un- enjoyable aftertaste.
It is closer in flavour to a classic cola than a diet drink.
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So this is perhaps one to try if you like the richer taste but want to save a little money and be a bit healthier.
Rating: 2/5