Digestives are a staple in British biscuit tins, but which brand actually tastes best?
In the Good Housekeeping Institute’s latest blind taste test, our experts – along with the help of a consumer panel – sampled a range of chocolate digestive biscuits from all the major supermarkets and well-known brands, including McVitie’s.
Each biccie was assessed on its aroma, flavour and texture. And this year, M&S took the crown, beating household favourite McVitie’s, with an impressive score of 91/100.
The best digestive biscuit, according to the Good Housekeeping Institute
M&S Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.25 for 300g
Score: 91/100
With a thicker, crunchier texture than most digestives, this own-brand buy impressed our panel with its rich malted flavour, subtle oaty notes and balanced sweetness. The generous chocolate topping had a deep cocoa flavour with a slight bitterness, while a touch of salt on the finish kept every bite perfectly balanced.
At £1.25 for 300g, the winning biscuit is also better value than the branded version.
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How McVitie’s performed
McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives Biscuits, £2.25 for 266g
Score: 89/100
McVitie’s narrowly missed out on the top spot, scoring 89/100. While judges praised its rich chocolate coating and classic caramelised flavour, M&S ultimately edged ahead thanks to its crunchier texture and more distinctive flavour profile.
Best milk chocolate digestive biscuits – the full ranking
- M&S Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.25 for 300g; Score: 91/100
- McVitie’s Milk Chocolate Digestives Biscuits, £2.25 for 266g; Score: 89/100
- Waitrose Essential Milk Chocolate Digestive Biscuits, £1.30 for 300g; Score: 78/100
- Sainsbury’s Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.25 for 300g; Score: 78/100
- Morrisons Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.20 for 300g; Score: 78/100
- Co-op Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.35 for 300g; Score: 71/100
- Asda Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.20 for 300g; Score: 70/100
- Tesco Milk Chocolate Digestives, £1.25 for 300g; Score: 70/100
Best-value buys
Both Morrisons and Asda came out cheapest on test, priced at £1.20 for a 300g pack. That said, Morrisons scored slightly higher with a score of 78/100, making them our best value buy for 2026.
While McVitie’s remains one of the UK’s best-known biscuit brands, our latest results prove that supermarket own-label alternatives can more than compete on taste.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
