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Original poster

AIBU to think Heinz is poor value and overrated?

105 replies

stoow · 09/05/2026 17:32

I’m wondering if those people who ‘have’ to have Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Heinz Baked Beans, Heinz soups, Heinz salad cream etc. Have never tried other brands including supermarket own lines?

Heinz is a brand which is a rip off and products don’t taste nice or have some weird texture.

I have no Heinz products at all in my home.

One of my friends’ DH used to be ‘everything has to be Heinz’. My friend got fed up with the rip off prices and bought the supermarket own. Then one day, she and DH had beans on toast for lunch. He said the beans are very nice and nicer than before. She confessed that the beans were Aldi’s own. Plus could buy almost 4 cans for the price of 1 Heinz can.

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cupfinalchaos · 15/05/2026 16:35

Ottersideofthebridge · 14/05/2026 22:43

I buy their pasta sauces, the ingredients are surprisingly wholesome - no sugar or sweeteners and they are often on Clubcard.

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That’s interesting- I’ll have a look.

Ottersideofthebridge · 14/05/2026 22:43

cupfinalchaos · 14/05/2026 11:39

The only thing I’ve ever bought from Heinz is ketchup for my kids but since they’ve left home it wouldn’t occur to me to buy Heinz products. What’s the attraction? Sugared baked beans? No thanks!

I buy their pasta sauces, the ingredients are surprisingly wholesome - no sugar or sweeteners and they are often on Clubcard.

Purplecatshopaholic · 14/05/2026 11:42

I used to always buy Heinz but recently I have moved away from more and more of their products as the price went up and the quality went down. There’s literally nothing now that ‘has to be Heinz’ in my house - and I never thought I would say that, lol.

cupfinalchaos · 14/05/2026 11:39

The only thing I’ve ever bought from Heinz is ketchup for my kids but since they’ve left home it wouldn’t occur to me to buy Heinz products. What’s the attraction? Sugared baked beans? No thanks!

Dweetfidilove · 14/05/2026 10:35

Grace tomato ketchup - Heinz now taste like sugar ☹️.
Waitrose own brand beans.
Sainsbury's own brand salad cream and mayo, as I use them so infrequently it always expires. Not buying expensive ones.
No version of canned soup.

Rhaenys · 14/05/2026 10:16

So far the only supermarket own brand item I’ve found that is as good as Heinz, is the Tesco tinned vegetable soup. Branston baked beans are as good as Heinz too. Ketchup is Heinz all the way. I’ve currently got some Daddies ketchup, just for a change, and it’s definitely not as good. I haven’t noticed Heinz going downhill.

Theyreeatingthedogs · 10/05/2026 20:59

We have no Heinz shite in our house. We make our own baked beans subs, homemade soup and mayo.

Scarlettpixie · 10/05/2026 20:21

I prefer Heinz tomato ketchup and like their soup. Also the beans and vegan sausages are good but no one else does them. I prefer Branston beans and buy shops own spaghetti hoops!

magicpotion2026 · 10/05/2026 19:06

7catsisnotenough · 09/05/2026 19:53

My go to when ill or upset always used to be Heinz tomato soup and sliced white bread... Sadly Heinz tomato soup is no longer the same (could it be because of the reduced sugar so the tomatoes are still acidic? No idea, just a thought?)
if anyone can suggest a comparable comfort soup for a vegetarian I'd be very grateful!

I like the Aldi own brand tomato soup, it tastes like it actually has salt and sugar in still!

BleedinglyObvious · 10/05/2026 15:35

Tinned soup is rarely nice.

tripleginandtonic · 10/05/2026 15:34

Yabu.

BleedinglyObvious · 10/05/2026 15:33

I buy their beans and vegan sausages as, AFAIK, it’s the only brand that offers such a product. The vegan sausages are crap.

@JMSA , they had a yellow sticker. The can looked so promising. The contents were disappointing. I usually put chilli sauce on my beans anyway.

chocolateaddictions · 10/05/2026 15:13

I never buy the soup. My home made soup is much nicer.

we’ve started making our own baked beans.

I do buy the ketchup for DC and the mayonnaise.

I also think their newish pasta sauces are quite good. Relatively unprocessed.

JMSA · 10/05/2026 08:15

BleedinglyObvious · 09/05/2026 17:39

Was it really worth starting a thread about this?

And yet 4 minutes later, you disagreed with someone (shocker!) about beans.

You’re like the moody kid at a party who has to be cajoled to join in … but you get there eventually! 😁

Myblueclematis · 10/05/2026 08:09

stoow · 09/05/2026 18:39

Why not put half a tin in a tuppaware style pot? Then use it within 4 days of opening the can.

I live alone and never buy the small sizes of everything as it’s usually cheaper per 100g/ml. I do the above.

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Obviously I can do what you suggest with a large tin and have done occasionally. I happen to prefer the small tins.

vincettenoir · 10/05/2026 08:01

I think one of the reasons people have historically preferred Heinz is because people grew up eating their products and they were associated with nostalgia and childhood memories. But I think the brand will continue to lose its value as less people are growing up eating Heinz because the products have become increasingly overpriced over the years.

MynameisnotJohn · 10/05/2026 07:55

We eat loads of beans. Branston definitely our favourite. Not the cheapest but the best. I’m quite anti brand as I hate being ripped off by marketers.
But I will admit to being illogical because I buy lots of stuff from M&S because the packaging is attractive. All my cleaning products are from there as I love the quiet understated labels.
A few glass jars of M&S soup are also so much more inviting than garish tins 😁

Bikenutz · 10/05/2026 07:46

Heinz products seemed very dry dependent on salt and sugar for their flavour, and since manufacturers were urged to cut back, their product does not taste as good.

Scrumbless · 10/05/2026 07:43

I think Asda beans are the best.

Sartre · 10/05/2026 07:27

BleedinglyObvious · 09/05/2026 17:39

Was it really worth starting a thread about this?

In the UK, yes. It’s clearly quite contentious to call a big brand like Heinz out! I personally still rate their ketchup above home brand versions but agree regarding beans and soup. My DS loves tomato soup but particularly Tesco’s, he isn’t keen on Heinz. I used to be a bean snob years ago because home brand beans were genuinely awful but I think Aldi changed the game.

CurlewKate · 10/05/2026 06:09

I tried to fool my DS with non Heinz beans when he was little and he could always tell.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 10/05/2026 06:05

Mixed bag for me. The ketchup stands up well - tbh I don't notice a difference with supermarket own brand but DH does. Beans - I prefer Branston. Heinz went rubbish about ten years ago. Smaller beans, more watery. I get supermarket own brand mayonnaise. Just trying their sriracha mayo but it's not all that. I don't buy tinned soup.

QuizzlyBears · 10/05/2026 05:59

Heinz mayonnaise is the one I like best.

MinnieMountain · 10/05/2026 05:52

I haven't had baked beans for ages but we all prefer Lidl tomato soup to Heinz.

AhBiscuits · 10/05/2026 05:36

DogBallad · 09/05/2026 21:17

I’ve just googled why and it’s actually done like that on purpose as a marketing thing to get more space and be noticed more on supermarket shelves apparently.

Yes, I’m very bored to have googled that. 😂

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Yes I knew this was a conscious decision they had made. They don't want shops to stack the cans as they feel it cheapens the brand. Well being able to stack them would make it much easier for me and my small kitchen. They should think about what the consumer wants.

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