‘Elaborately awful and all but inedible’: the best (and worst) supermarket ham and cheese sandwiches, tested and rated

A comparative test of supermarket ham and cheese sandwiches has rated M&S's honey-roast ham & cheddar as the best overall, while Unearthed's Spanish serrano ham & cheese rosca was deemed the worst [1]. The review highlighted widespread use of additives and a lack of clear welfare information. The test, conducted by a wholefood chef, found most sandwiches contained reformed ham bulked out with phosphates and water, though some higher-quality options used real sliced meat or shredded ham hock [1]. Every product reviewed contained additives, with counts ranging from three in the top-rated M&S sandwich to seven in Waitrose's oak-smoked ham & cheddar cheese [1]. The review noted a general lack of transparency on animal welfare and provenance, with many products claiming to use 'British pork' without meaningful certification [1]. The UK's supermarket sector is dominated by a handful of major chains, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Morrisons, which collectively accounted for more than three quarters of the market share in 2010 [4]. This concentrated market is the primary distribution channel for the prepackaged sandwiches assessed. Food safety in this sector remains a critical concern, as evidenced by a 2024 Shigatoxigenic E. coli outbreak linked to prepackaged sandwiches and salads sold at multiple UK supermarkets, which resulted in one death and 67 hospitalizations [3]. Among the specific products, Aldi's Specially Selected ham hock sandwich was named best bargain for being 'meaty and relatively good value,' though it also lacked welfare data [1]. In contrast, the Unearthed product was criticized as an 'elaborately awful and costly product that is all but inedible' [1]. The review concluded that the best options were merely 'acceptable, rather than exceptional,' citing the pervasive use of mayonnaise over butter and insufficient ingredient quality [1].