ParrotPalSupermarket Protein Wars: which UK supermarket packs the most protein?
Ten supermarkets, four rounds and one question: whose own-label food packs the most protein, judged on what our UK members actually logged.
Round 1: The league table
Own-label foodAll time: ranked by protein-packed share. Iceland leads, Aldi second. Now tap “Protein per 100 kcal”.
| Pos | Supermarket | Protein-packed share | Shoppers who logged one | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 32.9% | 42.6% | 6.6 g | |
| Aldi | 28.3% | 50.6% | 7.7 g | |
| Waitrose | 19.4% | 28.3% | 4.5 g | |
| 4th | Lidl | 17.7% | 39.7% | 9.5 g |
| 5th | M&S | 15.9% | 36.6% | 4.6 g |
| 6th | Asda | 13.8% | 29.5% | 4.6 g |
| 7th | Morrisons | 13.5% | 25.5% | 4.5 g |
| 8th | Tesco | 13.4% | 36.5% | 4.5 g |
| 9th | Sainsbury's | 13.2% | 33.5% | 4.6 g |
| 10th | Co-op | 12.7% | 20.9% | 4.8 g |
Data up to 2 September 2026 · updated 1 October 2026
Protein-packed: 15 g of protein or more, with protein making up at least 30% of the calories. That’s ParrotPal’s definition for this page, not an official one. A row marked “a smaller group of members” rests on fewer members, so treat it with more care.
Aggregated and anonymised ParrotPal food diaries from UK members. These are patterns in what members logged, not a ranking of each supermarket’s whole range. How we scored it.
All time: Iceland leads, Aldi second. The twist. Lidl sits 4th on protein-packed share, then tops the table on protein per 100 kcal: about 9.5 g, against about 4.5 to 7.7 g everywhere else. Different measure, different champion.
Aldi has the highest share of shoppers who logged at least one protein-packed own-label item from it: 50.6%.
Title history
Monthly champions- JanLidl
- FebLidl
- MarLidl
- JanIceland
- FebAldi
- MarAldi
- AprIceland
- MayIceland
- JunIceland
- JulIceland
- AugIceland
Iceland, five months running.
Lidl has won protein per calorie every month on record. Each month’s champion has the highest protein-packed share.
Round 2: Head to head
Pick your fighters. Choose two supermarkets and see who wins on each of the three measures, for the period picked in Round 1.
Aldi v Lidl
All timeAldi takes it 2–1Three measures scored. Products are from February to August 2026, there for interest, not scored.
Every supermarket’s figures are in the league table above, so you can set any two side by side.
Round 3: The protein pudding showdown
Four chocolate and caramel protein puddings from the two discount supermarkets, as our members logged them.
Brooklea chocolate protein pudding
AldiBrooklea caramel protein pudding
AldiAldi chocolate protein mousse
AldiMilbona high protein chocolate pudding
LidlResult: a drawAll four gave 20 g of protein, for between 153 and 162 kcal. That’s 9 kcal between the lightest and the heaviest. The judges couldn’t separate them, so pick the flavour you like. Figures are as logged; check the label.
Round 4: Britain’s most-logged protein product
Of all the protein-packed own-label products our UK members logged, one came out on top.
Brooklea strawberry protein yoghurt
AldiAldi took four of the top five places. Lidl’s Milbona pudding broke up the party in fifth.
| Pos | Product and supermarket | Protein | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklea strawberry protein yoghurtAldi | 25 g | 145 | |
| Brooklea raspberry protein yoghurtAldi | 25 g | 148 | |
| Brooklea protein potAldi | 25 g | 148 | |
| 4th | Cowbelle protein chocolate milkshakeAldi | about 25 g | 206 |
| 5th | Milbona high protein chocolate puddingLidl | 20 g | 162 |
Median per portion as members logged it. Own-label products only, so branded bars and shakes aren’t in this list. Check the label on the pack you buy.
The final bell
Supermarket Protein Wars: Iceland and Aldi lead on protein-packed food, Lidl on protein per calorie. parrotpal.com/supermarket-protein-wars/
How we scored it
- Own-label means a supermarket’s own brands, including its sub-brands. Aldi includes Brooklea, Cowbelle, Harvest Morn and Specially Selected. Lidl includes Milbona, Chef Select and Deluxe. Tesco includes Finest, Stockwell and Hearty Food Co. Asda includes Extra Special and Just Essentials. Sainsbury’s includes Taste the Difference. Morrisons includes The Best, and Waitrose includes Essential Waitrose and Duchy.
- Protein-packed share is the share of the own-label items members logged from that supermarket that had 15 g of protein or more, with protein making up at least 30% of the calories. That’s ParrotPal’s definition for this page, not an official one.
- Shoppers who logged one is the share of members who logged that supermarket’s own-label food and logged at least one protein-packed own-label item from it.
- Protein per 100 kcal is the typical figure: the middle value, across every own-label item members logged from that supermarket, of grams of protein per 100 kcal.
- Group sizes are given in rounded words only. All time: Aldi and Tesco over 2,500 members each; Waitrose, Lidl, M&S, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Co-op over 1,000 members each; Iceland several hundred members. Each supermarket shown was logged by at least 50 members in that period, and a share resting on too few items or members is shown as “not enough data”.
- Periods. All time covers every month on record, with data up to 2 September 2026. Months with less than 20 days of data are left out. Before February 2026 the diary only includes members who logged by chat.
Aggregated and anonymised ParrotPal food diaries from UK members: the league up to 2 September 2026, the products February to August 2026. Figures cover each supermarket’s own-label food as members logged it, so they describe what our members chose to log, not a supermarket’s whole range. Every supermarket and product shown was logged by enough members to be reliable. Portion figures are the median as logged. These are patterns in what people logged, not recommendations.
Store by store
Each of the big six gets its own round, with its most-logged protein products.
- Read the Aldi round
- Read the Lidl round
- Read the Tesco round
- Read the Asda round
- Read the Sainsbury’s round
- Read the M&S round
Now find your own number
Whichever supermarket you shop at, it helps to know how much protein you’re aiming for. The calculator works it out in 10 seconds, and our snack list sorts everyday foods by protein per 100 kcal, the same measure as Round 1.
Work out my protein High-protein snacks Free LeanShield scoreQuestions people ask
Which UK supermarket is best for protein?
It depends how you measure it. Across all the own-label food our UK members have logged, Iceland (32.9%) and Aldi (28.3%) had the highest share of protein-packed items. On typical protein per 100 kcal, Lidl led, at about 9.5 g against about 4.5 to 7.7 g elsewhere. In August 2026, Iceland topped the table. These are patterns in what members logged, not a ranking of each supermarket’s whole range.
Is Aldi or Lidl better for protein?
Across all the own-label food our UK members have logged, Aldi takes it 2–1 on our three measures. Protein-packed share: 28.3% for Aldi against 17.7% for Lidl, so Aldi wins it. Shoppers who logged one: 50.6% for Aldi against 39.7% for Lidl, so Aldi wins it. Protein per 100 kcal: 7.7 g for Aldi against 9.5 g for Lidl, so Lidl wins it. Both sell high-protein yoghurts and puddings, so check the label on the one you pick.
What’s the most popular high-protein supermarket product?
Among the own-label products our UK members logged from February to August 2026, the most-logged protein-packed one was Aldi’s Brooklea strawberry protein yoghurt, at 25 g of protein and 145 kcal as logged. Aldi had four of the top five. The fifth was Lidl’s Milbona high protein chocolate pudding.
Are supermarket protein yoghurts worth it?
It depends what you want from them. A Brooklea protein yoghurt as our members logged it gave 25 g of protein for 145 kcal. A 150 g pot of plain skyr gives about 16 g for 95 kcal, and a 170 g pot of 0% Greek yogurt about 17 g for 95 kcal (approximate, check the label). For the calories, all three give about the same protein, around 17 to 18 g per 100 kcal. The protein pots give more in one go; plain pots give a little less for fewer calories.
How did you work this out?
We looked at the supermarket own-label food our UK members logged, with data up to 2 September 2026. Protein-packed means 15 g of protein or more, with protein making up at least 30% of the calories; that’s ParrotPal’s definition for this page, not an official one. Typical protein per 100 kcal is the middle value across every own-label item logged from each supermarket. Before February 2026 the diary only includes members who logged by chat. Every supermarket shown was logged by at least 50 members in that period.
Also from ParrotPal
Please read. This page is based on what our members logged. It’s not a recommendation of any supermarket or product, and it’s general information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, kidney disease, a food allergy or another medical condition, check with your GP or a dietitian before changing how you eat. Figures are typical values as members logged them; always check the label.
Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Co-op, Morrisons, Waitrose and Iceland, and the brand names Brooklea, Cowbelle and Milbona, are trademarks of their owners. ParrotPal isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by any of them, and none paid or was asked to appear. LeanShield™ is ParrotPal’s muscle protection score: it rates the habits linked to protecting muscle, is not a medical device and doesn’t measure muscle.