The UK’s favourite Aldi product has been revealed — and it’s the supermarket’s most controversial item ever

Since it first appeared on Aldi’s shelves in 2019, Cuthbert the Caterpillar Cake has certainly made a name for himself. 

He’s lit up children’s parties, skydived for charity and even appeared in a High Court case – and now he’s been crowned the nation’s favourite Aldi product.

The supermarket, which opened its first UK store in Birmingham in 1990, asked customers to vote for the items which keep bringing them back week after week. 

More than 420,000 shoppers voted in the survey, which spanned ten categories: Social Media Star, Cleaning, Sweet Treats and Snacks, Lunch, Dinner, Fakeaway, Store Cupboard Essential, Top Tipple, Health & Beauty, Best of British.  

The £6.49 chocolate treat was the most voted out of any product and scored the highest number of votes (30%) in the Social Media Star category.

Soon after Aldi introduced Cuthbert, he quickly became a firm party favourite and beloved by social media users who dubbed it the ‘best cake yet’, ‘iconic’ and an ‘Aldi hero’.

Cuthbert rivalled chocolate roll cakes sold by other retailers such as M&S’s Colin the Caterpillar cake – which got the budget supermarket chain into some hot water. 

The dispute resulted in a High Court case in 2021, meaning Cuthbert was temporarily taken off the shelves. 

Aldi’s social media team didn’t shy away from the drama though, launching their #FreeCuthbert campaign, after he went into ‘jail’, and dubbing M&S ‘Marks and Snitches’ and ‘Narks and Spencer’.

Much to the enjoyment of shoppers, Cuthbert made a dramatic return a few months after with a 40,000ft skydive to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. 

Aldi’s Magnum Original Washing Up Liquid, priced at just 69p, was the second most voted-for product in the survey, which scored 20% of the votes in the Cleaning category. 

Belmont Milk Chocolate digestives, which sell for 77p, came first in the Sweet Treats and Snacks category, while Nordpak Spreadable Slightly Salted topped the Best of British Category. 

In the Fakeaway category, Carlos Loaded Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza (£2.25) came first, while the nation’s ‘Top Tipple’ is the £6.29 Pierre Jaurant Sud De France Rosé.

The supermarket’s £1.79 Ready Set Cook! Classic Fajita Dinner Kit was crowned the winner of the Dinner category, while the £2.69 Specially Selected New York Deli Pastrami & Emmental Cheese Sandwich ranked first in the Lunch category.

Bramwell’s Baked Beans (42p) was declared the top Store Cupboard Essential, and finally, the Hotel Collection Luxury Hand and Body Wash No.1 Lime, Basil & Mandarin (£1.99) placed first for Health & Beauty.

Cuthbert, alongside the other category winners, will now be highlighted as a ‘Fan Favourite’ in stores, helping customers find the nation’s most-loved products. 

Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, said: ‘There’s never been anything like Cuthbert in Britain’s supermarkets. Well, maybe there have been a few similarities elsewhere, but we’re rightly proud of our iconic cake, and so it seems are our shoppers.

‘It’s been fantastic and fascinating to see what gets the seal of shopper approval across such a wide range of products. With our newly crowned winners set to be highlighted in-store, we hope customers will find it easier than ever to find their favourite product.’

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