I tested supermarket honey against Rowse – the winner was less than half the price
Well-heeled shoppers buy honey from posh store Harrods, which costs a whopping £750 per jar.
Busy Bees’ amber products have risen in popularity in recent years as mounting evidence shows their health benefits.
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But what are the cheaper alternatives to spread on toast, add to porridge or drizzle into Greek yoghurt?
Lynsey Hope, tried supermarket own brands and rated them a bee out of five.
(454g), £1.75, 38.5p per 100g
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THE tasty light gold color looked good, but it has a medicinal taste that I wasn’t too fond of.
While most honeys in the test are prone to crystallization, this one was definitely crunchy and not that smooth to eat.
It also doesn’t offer much value for money, when it’s the same price as better tasting options.
Judgement: 2
Rowse Clear
(340g), £3.88p per 100g
10
THE Rowse brand was born in beehives in Oxfordshire – but that’s not where this came from.
The jar simply states that it is a mixture of honey from more than one country.
With its warm amber color, it has a taste of mild caramel and fruit.
Although it tastes good, it is pricey compared to the others and you get less.
Judgement: 4
Aldi Grandessa Clear
(454g), £1.45, 32p per 100g
10
As you’d expect, this comes with a low price tag, but no explanation is given as to where the honey comes from – other than to say it’s a “blend of honey from more than one country”.
Thick and velvety, it was less sweet, which I thought was a plus.
Budget-friendly honey is perfect for spreading on your toast.
Judgement: 5
(454g), £1.75, 38.5p per 100g
10
VERY runny compared to the others, this was very sweet and more like golden syrup.
It has one of the highest sugar contents at 12.1 g per 15 g tablespoon.
It had a sweet aroma and a nice deep amber color. It is competitive in price and nicely packaged.
If you’re on a budget, this is for you.
Judgement: 3
(454g), £2.10, 46.3p per 100g
10
Although this is more expensive, it tasted and looked like a premium brand.
It was bright gold in color and had more flavor than the lighter, cheaper varieties.
It’s blended with honey from a mix of non-EU countries, so it may not be top quality, but for a cheaper, everyday pot this is great.
Judgement: 4
Lidl Highgate Fayre Runny
(454g), £1.45, 29p per 100g
10
FOR a cheap jar, this honey was a hit.
It had a nice depth of flavor and richness.
It was very amber in color and there was a bit of crystallization, but I didn’t mind the slight cracking.
It’s one of the cheapest you can buy, so if you’re just using this as a sweetener, it’s not a bad choice.
Judgement: 3
(454g), £1.75, 38.5p per 100g
10
THIS was the sweetest flavor of all the own brands.
With 12.2g of sugar per tablespoon, this Tesco offering was nice and syrupy.
On the other hand, it was a bit watery and didn’t quite have the texture you’d imagine.
On the plus side, it was one of the easiest jars to open.
Judgement: 3
Asda Pure Clear
(454g), £1.75, 38.5p per 100g
10
VERY runny and sickly sweet, which I thought gave an unpleasant, artificial taste.
This was more like sugar syrup – but it’s good value for money, so if you go through a lot and mix it into things, maybe it wouldn’t taste so bad.
It was very orange compared to the others.
I also found the jar difficult to open.
Judgement: 2