'I bought potted basil from 8 UK supermarkets and one thing became very clear'

Price reflects quality, some might think. However, a recent test comparing eight different from eight revealed some surprising results. The verdict: it’s not all about the money.

TikTok user @graceforell, also known as The Sustainable Spender, bought the potted basil from different supermarkets, including , , , , and others. She watched them for over a week by consistently watering them and giving them their needed sunlight every day. At the end, she ranked them by their appearance and how long they lasted.

When it comes to food shopping, some brands might be better than others in terms of quality and pricing. However, when it comes to fresh produce, what’s the best place to go to? Well, this TikTok user just proved that there’s no need to spend a lot of money.

READ MORE:

'Disappointed with two major branded supermarket basil plants'

She said: “I was disappointed with Sainsbury’s, which had rotting dead leaves from day one. It was a similar story with , despite it being one of the more expensive pots at £1.50. Also, it only has a one-day freshness guarantee online, which includes the day of delivery.”

Grace revealed that the worst contestant was Lidl, as she described it to be “sparse and virtually keeling over”, justifying that it only cost 79p. Nonetheless, she said to be really impressed with supermarkets Waitrose and Tesco for their size and appearance. But they weren’t the winners of this test.

The winner was named to be . Grace explained: “Look how perfect it is, and at only £1 it was one of the cheapest plants as well, proving that brilliant basil doesn’t have to be expensive.”

READ MORE:

Fresh produce purchased from the supermarket can last from a few days to several weeks, but this only depends on the type of fruit and vegetable. Most importantly, how it’s been taken care of and how it’s stored.

When it comes to potted basil, or similar products, they typically don’t last long after buying them at the supermarket. As they don’t have a long-term growth, it’s recommended that they’re consumed sooner rather than later, to ensure their quality and best taste.

The price of potted basil plants also varies from supermarket to supermarket, with prices ranging from 79p to £1.50. By conducting this test, it proved that shoppers don’t need to spend a lot of money, as it might not always mean the best quality.