Pringles vs Aldi vs Lidl: can cheap own labels compare on taste?

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to Pringles, you might be tempted to switch to a supermarket own label. 

But we've found they don't taste as good – and they won't always save you money either.

We pitted Pringles against Aldi and Lidl's potato snacks in a blind taste test, asking a panel of 102 people to taste and rate each option on flavour, texture, aroma and appearance.

Pringles were the overall favourite, while Aldi and Lidl were less liked overall. See how the snacks compare below – and how to get the best value.

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Best sour cream and onion crisps

Pringles Sour Cream & Onion - 77%

£2.25 for 185g (£1.22 per 100g)

Pringles proved its crisps are a classic for a reason, with tasters awarding them the highest score overall. 

The crisps were rated better than both Aldi and Lidl snacks on appearance, aroma, flavour and texture.

Three quarters of tasters thought the saltiness was good, while an impressive 92% thought the crunchy texture was spot on.

While Pringles are typically pricier than the crisps from Aldi and Lidl, it's worth keeping an eye out for special offers as they can be the best-value option – we've seen them on sale for just £1.50 (81p per 100g). 

Available from Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

Discover more of our top summer food and drink picks, including the best pork sausages, best beef burgers and best veggie burgers

Lidl Snaktastic Potato Snacks Sour Cream & Onion - 69%

£1.55 for 175g (89p per 100g)

These Lidl chips aren't a bad choice if you're after a budget-friendly alternative to Pringles, but they didn't quite hit the heights of the big brand in our test.

Most tasters thought they looked the part, but nearly half thought the flavour was too weak, and a third said they weren't crunchy enough.

They contain the most saturated fat of all the crisps we tested, and the pack is slightly smaller too.

Available from Lidl (in-store only).

Aldi Snackrite Sour Cream & Onion Crisps - 67%

£1.49 for 165g (90p per 100g)

Aldi's crisps came in last of the three, just a smidge behind Lidl.

There's not much separating them from Lidl on either price or taste, although our tasters weren't as keen on their paler appearance.

While they offer a decent saving per 100g over full-price Pringles, bear in mind the pack size is still smaller, with 20g less per tube compared to Pringles.

Available from Aldi.

Best cheap supermarket food and drink – see which budget options beat the big brands in our taste tests

Cheapest place to buy Pringles

A full-price pack of Pringles will set you back around £2.25, but they're usually on special offer somewhere (typically for £1.50) so it's worth keeping an eye out for deals.

They're currently £1.50 at Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s (with Nectar). 

The bigger pack size vs Aldi and Lidl means that buying them at this offer price works out cheaper per 100g than the own-label options.

Are Pringles healthy?

All of the crisps we tested are classed as high in fat as they contain more than 17.5g fat per 100g, while salt and saturated fat get a medium traffic-light rating. So they're best enjoyed in moderation.

Keep an eye on portion sizes too, as a serving might be smaller than you think. 

A 30g 'recommended serving' works out at around 15 crisps, with each tube containing five to six servings per pack.

The problem with portion sizes – from Pringles to popcorn, we uncover the small serving sizes that could catch you out

Are Pringles vegan and gluten free?

No, sour cream and onion Pringles are not gluten free or vegan, as the flavouring contains dairy. 

Other popular Pringles flavours including Salt & Vinegar, Paprika and Texas BBQ also contain dairy. Original Pringles is the only flavour that's suitable for vegans.

How we tested

The crisps were assessed in June 2024 by a large panel of consumers who regularly buy and consume Pringles-style crisps. The make-up of the panel broadly represents the demographic profile of adults in the UK. 

Each product was assessed by 102 people. They rated the taste, texture, aroma and appearance of the crisps and told us what they liked and disliked about each one. 

The taste test was blind, so tasters didn’t know which brand they were trying. The order in which they tasted the crisps was fully rotated to avoid any bias. Each person had a private booth, so they couldn’t discuss what they were tasting or be influenced by others.

The overall score was based on:

• 50% flavour
• 20% aroma
• 15% texture
• 15% appearance.

These weightings are based on how consumers rank the importance of different attributes of Pringles-style crisps.

Are Pringles tubes recyclable?

Pringles and Aldi state that their packaging is recyclable – the tube can go in the paper bin and the cap in the plastic bin. The seal is not recyclable.

Lidl advises that its packaging is not recyclable.

Prices and availability checked 5 July 2024.