Dark chocolate has long had a “better for you” halo, and not without reason. Compared to milk chocolate, dark varieties contain more fibre, iron, magnesium and much-discussed polyphenols – plant compounds linked to heart health and reduced inflammation. While it’s hardly a substitute for a balanced diet, choosing a bar with at least 70 per cent cocoa does tilt things in a more virtuous direction, nutritionally speaking.
The rich, fruity and earthy can be an acquired taste. But what starts as a slightly bitter square at 70 per cent can, over time, become genuinely enjoyable. And you may find yourself reaching for 85 or even 90 per cent bars – personally, I’ve found myself gradually nudging up the cocoa scale as I satisfy that post-dinner treat.
That said, this habit doesn’t come cheap. With many branded bars creeping past the £3 mark, dark chocolate can quickly become one of those small luxuries that quietly inflate your weekly food shop. And while premium options often promise superior sourcing and flavour profiles, it raises an obvious question: are they always worth it?
So, in the interest of both taste and price, I set out to find the best supermarket dark chocolate, testing accessible 55 per cent options to punchy 85 per cent bars – and everything in between.
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The best supermarket dark chocolate bars for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Asda 73% Madagascan dark chocolate: £2.28, Asda.com
- Best premium – M&S collection Peruvian dark chocolate: £3, Ocado.com
- Best budget buy – Aldi Moser Roth dark 85% cocoa chocolate: £2.49, Aldi.co.uk
- Best low cocoa bar – M&S choc marks dark chocolate bar: £3.50, Ocado.com
- Best for baking – Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Belgian dark 85% cocoa cooking chocolate: £2.40, Sainsburys.co.uk
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