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I find shop-bought coleslaw hard to stomach because it’s sharp, gloopy and often made with copious amounts of poor-quality mayonnaise and spirit vinegar. Pungent ingredients, such as cabbage and onion, are better eaten fresh, otherwise they break down and give off a disconcertingly sulphurous and sweaty aroma.

I judged each product in this test on appearance, aroma, texture and, above all, taste, and awarded extra points for value. I marked down for an off-puttingly strong raw onion aroma.

Preservatives and stabilisers aren’t essential (the better-tasting products don’t use them), and often give a slaw an unappealing, moussey texture. All that said, I was surprised to find some great products out there and most retained a surprisingly satisfying crunch.

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The best supermarket coleslaw

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Best overall:
Waitrose deli-style coleslaw with red onion and chives

★★★★☆

A lovely, crunchy, finely shredded slaw with a creamy sauce and with no stabilisers or gums. Red onion and chives are present, but not dominant. The mayo includes a little whipping cream, free-range egg yolk and UK dairy.

***

Best bargain:
Aldi Specially Selected rich & indulgent coleslaw

★★★☆☆

A creamy, chunky coleslaw that’s unctuous and moreish. Fresh, crunchy and well balanced with sweetness and acidity, this is cabbage-forward, with a little carrot and a subtle onion flavour, and a relatively straightforward mayo made with guar and xanthan gums.

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And the rest …
Lidl Deluxe creamy coleslaw

★★★☆☆

A veg-heavy, fine-cut cabbage and carrot slaw with a subtle onion twang and a refreshing sauce. A little tart, but arguably that’s what one wants from a slaw. Free-range egg, too. Flavoured with mustard, but also includes a preservative (potassium sorbate) and stabiliser (xanthan gum).

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Morrisons The Best extra crunchy coleslaw

★★★☆☆

A medium-thick, crunchy coleslaw in a rich, free-range egg mayo. Sweet with some mild acidity and a subtle onion flavour. One of the simpler recipes (carrot, cabbage, onion, mayo), but it does contain xanthan gum.

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Tesco Finest coleslaw

★★★☆☆

A thinly shredded slaw that’s simple, creamy and crunchy, and has a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. Onion present, but not overpowering. No cream, but the thick mayo is thickened with citrus fibre, guar gum, xanthan gum and pectin.

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M&S Food deli-style coleslaw

★★★☆☆

Medium thick-cut slaw with a strong chive and onion flavour. Attractive with the pink cabbage, and one of the more mayo-heavy contenders. Includes a pinch of soft brown sugar, ground allspice and turmeric, though none is prominent. No gums, but potato starch and citrus fibre are added to stabilise.

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Asda Exceptional classic coleslaw

★★☆☆☆

A rich, saucy, medium-thin slaw that’s sweet and crunchy but has a dominant onion and chive flavour. The mayo, made with xanthan gum and citrus fibre, is slightly moussey, though.

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Iceland Luxury coleslaw

★★☆☆☆

Finely shredded crunchy carrots, lots of sweet sauce made creamy by the addition of creme fraiche, and a sharp finish. Contains acetic acid, stabilisers (guar gum, xanthan gum) and a preservative (potassium sorbate).

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Co-op Irresistible deliciously rich coleslaw

★★☆☆☆

A finely shredded slaw with heaps of flavour, a warm dijon undertone, nice acidity from white-wine vinegar and great crunch. Colourful, with pink cabbage, carrot, red onion and chives, and a relatively strong onion flavour, but a slightly overcomplicated ingredients list, including potassium sorbate, maize starch and xanthan and guar gums.

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Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference coleslaw

★★☆☆☆

A ribbon-cut, saucy coleslaw made with a splash of single cream. Subtle acidity from lemon juice, but a complex recipe including stabilisers (guar gum and xanthan gum), potato starch and citrus fibre.

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