I tested Sweet Chilli crisps after it was named UK’s favourite flavour – winner was copy of Walkers and half the price
TRADITIONAL crisp flavours are being snubbed in favour of spicier varieties.
Research for The Grocer magazine found salt & vinegar and cheese & onion are being left on the shelf as younger consumers choose hotter snacks.
The survey, by analysts Vypr, found 26 per cent favour sweet chilli, 14 per cent prefer barbecue and six per cent like Thai curry.
Only 13 per cent said the brand was important.
You could save cash, and ditch Walkers for supermarket own labels instead.
But do they taste as good?
Lynsey Hope finds out.
Kettle Sweet Chilli & Sour Cream (130g)
£2.40, £1.85 per 100g
DELICIOUS, with a subtle hint of chilli and a bit of paprika seasoning.
These are the worst in terms of value, though.
It is a smaller bag, costs more per 100g than Walkers and Tyrrells and more than double the supermarket brands.
This would put me off buying it again.
3/5
Tyrrells Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper (150g)
£2, £1.33 per 100g
PRICEY but better value than the other big brand names.
These hand-cooked crisps had a slight sweetness along with the spicy flavour, which went down a treat.
Very moreish, which made it difficult to not devour the entire bag in one sitting.
A top choice.
5/5
Walkers Sensations Thai Sweet Chilli (150g)
£2.50, £1.67 per 100g
THE creme de la creme of sweet chilli crisps. These taste divine.
They pack a generous amount of spice and are also well cooked with the perfect bite.
The only downside for me is the price.
The bag costs more than Kettle but there are more crisps in the bag.
4/5
Asda Extra Special Sweet Chilli (150g)
£1.35, 90p per 100g
BLAND compared to some and not enough chilli.
The coriander flavouring was quite strong but it really needed more spice.
I found it a bit over-cooked and some of the edges were also tinged with green, which didn’t look terribly appealing.
Not my favourite, I’m afraid.
2/5
Aldi Perfections Thai Sweet Chilli (150g)
£1.25, 83p per 100g
THESE Aldi crisps are clearly designed to be a dupe of Sensations, with the packets looking very similar indeed.
Flavour-wise they are almost identical.
You would never know it isn’t the Walkers brand in a blind test.
Tastes delicious and less than half the price, which is ideal.
5/5
Tesco Finest Thai Inspired Sweet Chilli (150g)
£1.35, 90p per 100g
I FOUND the consistency of these a little chewy, perhaps due to the rapeseed oil used to make them.
They were also lacking a little in chilli too – so could have done with a bit more kick.
One plus is there is no milk, which makes it a suitable pick for vegans.
3/5
Lidl Deluxe Thai Sweet Chilli (150g)
£1.25, 41p per 100g
HAND-cooked in small batches, I was impressed by these crisps.
They had a sweet and subtle chilli flavour which was balanced out by fragrant herbs.
If I was being picky, I would say these were a little oily. But they had a lovely crunch and are budget-friendly.