We ranked five own-brand mince pies - and there was one clear winner

We’re not sure if you’ve noticed but Christmas is on the way and as well as the festive season it’s very much mince pie season.

So put the kettle on as we compare five supermarket own-brand pies to see which came out on top.

Here’s how we got on.

M&S Classic Mince Pies - Rating ♦♦♦♦

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By far the most expensive choice, but you can see where your money is going. The filling, with discernible bits of fruit rather than in a homogenous lump, packs a citrus hit with plenty of peel and it’s all inside a rich, perfectly crisp all-round pastry. £2.75 – 45p per pie

Iceland Mince Pies - Rating ♦♦♦

The filling is a little looser than the rest and all the better for it but there’s not a soggy bottom in sight with the pastry uniformly crisp in good proportion to the mincemeat. £1.45 for six – 24p per pie

Sainsbury’s Mince Pies - Rating ♦♦♦

The pasty is nicely buttery, there’s a little too much of it. The filling is mellow, not too sweet, and pretty good. £1.70 for six – 28p per pie

Lidl Favorina Mince Pies - Rating ♦

Proved difficult to find in packs of six, but even just the one feels like a chore. Soft, gummy pastry around a featureless, jammy filling. £2.49 for 12 – 21p per pie

Spar Deep Filled Mince Pies - Rating ♦♦

The definition of perfectly fine. Decent pastry and acceptable filling, with the odd pleasantly juicy raisin popping up. £1.45 for six – 24p per pie

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