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Purpose in action

Making good food more joyful, accessible and affordable with Taste the Difference

13 February 2026

Taste the Difference has reached a big milestone, early! We hit £2 billion in sales at the start of February as our popular Nectar Valentine’s Day Dine In deal for two made its return.

We believe all of our customers should be able to enjoy brilliant food no matter their budgets – whether it’s a special family dinner or a cosy night in – and this achievement shows how much our customers value our great quality at affordable prices.

How Taste the Difference is making quality accessible

25 years ago, Taste the Difference transformed the way people thought about supermarket food. It was the biggest food brand launch UK retail had seen, built around products grown and made with extra care and attention to bring out their full flavour. This promise still holds true today but Taste the Difference has grown to mean more than that. It’s about discovering the joy of great food, trying exciting new flavours and recreating the feeling of dining out in the comfort of your own home.

As dining out becomes more expensive and UK households are increasingly dining in at home, supermarket ranges are more popular than ever. Kantar reports that over half of all grocery spend is on own label and Taste the Difference is leading the way as the fastest growing premium range on the market.

One of the ways we’re continuing to innovate is through our new Discovery range, which launched last year as part of our Taste the Difference premium tier. It’s all about bold flavours and high-quality ingredients, without the high price tag. Because of the success of the range so far, we’re continuing to add new products to this range.

Bringing restaurant-quality home for Valentine’s Day 

We want our customers to enjoy their nights in, filling them with flavour and fun. This is why we continue to make it easy for everyone to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home with Taste the Difference and Nectar.

Take our popular Valentine’s Day Dine In deal for two, for example. This year, it included a starter, main, side, dessert and drink for £18. With 40 products to choose from, like the irresistible Taste the Difference Duck Legs with Cherry Teriyaki Glaze and the indulgent new Taste the Difference Discovery Espresso Tiramisu, there’s something for every taste. 

“Hitting our £2 billion sales milestone early shows just how strongly customers are responding to quality, innovation and great flavour at accessible prices.”


“More customers than ever celebrated Valentine’s Day at home this year. People still want that restaurant quality experience, but they’re looking for it at great value and that’s exactly what Taste the Difference is designed to deliver. This Valentine’s Day, customers treated themselves to dishes from our Discovery range as part of the dine in meal deal for two.” 

James Campbell

Director of Food Innovation at Sainsbury’s

Our ongoing commitment to value and innovation

We’re committed to offering great quality and value and initiatives like Aldi Price Match, Nectar Prices and Your Nectar Prices help our customers save, offering outstanding choice and availability. In fact, over 60 per cent of our customers shop both Aldi Price Match and Taste the Difference in the same basket, which shows how customers are shopping smarter to make their budgets go further. 

Want to know more?  

Taste the Difference is Sainsbury’s premium own label food range, offering restaurant quality flavours and ingredients at accessible prices.

Launched in October 2000, it transformed the way people think about supermarket food. It was the biggest food brand launch UK retail had seen, built around products grown and made with extra care and attention to bring out their full flavour. This promise still holds true today but Taste the Difference has grown to mean more than that. It’s about discovering the joy of great food, trying exciting new flavours and recreating the feeling of dining out in the comfort of your own home.

We believe great taste begins with a story - of provenance, passion and craft. Our thoughtfully curated selection of Taste the Difference Discovery products celebrate the roots of exquisite flavour, taking you on a journey of discovery.

Taste the Difference Discovery is a premium tier within the Taste the Difference range. Launching in October 2025, it focuses on restaurant‑quality food with an emphasis on provenance, craftsmanship and exceptional taste. The sub‑range brings bold flavours, global inspiration and high‑quality ingredients at great value.

As dining out becomes more expensive, more customers are choosing to recreate restaurant quality meals at home and reaching for Taste the Difference. Premium own labels like Taste the Difference offer quality and value in one place and people are turning to non-branded products to help keep costs down.

Kantar reports that over half of all grocery spend is on own label and Mintel reports that premium own label food and drink launches have almost doubled since 2015, rising from 15 per cent to 27 per cent. This demonstrates how shoppers are embracing supermarkets’ own ranges as a savvy way to enjoy quality without compromise.

Taste the Difference has led the market as the fastest growing premium range. More of our customers are trading up to Taste the Difference from by Sainsbury's and we've also grown the number of customers shopping Taste the Difference across both online and in our Locals. Interestingly, over 60 per cent of our customers shop both Aldi Price Match and Taste the Difference in the same basket, which shows how customers are shopping smarter to make their budgets go further.