Why a Discounter and a Nuttier Cream Beat Nutella in Stiftung Warentest's Latest Test
Summary: This article explains how Stiftung Warentest tested hazelnut nougat spreads, why a 50-cent Aldi product and a hazelnut-heavy cream outscored Nutella, and why a "good" rating does not mean a healthy product.
The German consumer testing organization Stiftung Warentest compared 18 Nuss-Nougat-Cremes, and Nutella did not win. The familiar jar came third. An Aldi spread and a far pricier hazelnut cream shared first place.
How the Scoring Worked
Web.de reported that twelve of the 18 spreads earned a "good" overall rating. Four rated "satisfactory," and two rated "adequate," including the only reduced-sugar product in the test. The assessment combined lab checks with taste panels, where testers judged appearance, smell, taste, and mouthfeel.
The same coverage noted deductions for sugar alcohols that can have a laxative effect, mineral oil components, unclear flavoring substances, and labeling errors.
T-online.de explained that nutritional quality was judged against German Nutrition Society recommendations for a 20-gram serving on 50 grams of mixed bread, weighing energy, sugar, fat, protein, and fatty acids. On that front, no product rose above "satisfactory."
What the Winners Did Differently
According to n-tv.de, Aldi's Nusskati Nuss-Nougat-Creme cost 50 cents per 100 grams and earned an overall grade of 2.0, with a sensory score of 1.5. Its hazelnut content was 13 percent, exactly the same as Nutella's. Web.de added that tasters found a strong cocoa note in it, one that reminded them of dark chocolate.
The co-winner, Goldhelm's Kräm – Herr Eichhorn Pur, took a different approach. It costs 5.94 euros per 100 grams, more than ten times the Aldi price, and contains more than 50 percent hazelnuts. It also achieved the best sensory score of the entire test: 1.0. Web.de described it as intensely aromatic, strongly hazelnut-forward, and clearly roasted.
Nutella reached a sensory score of 1.5 and an overall grade of 2.2. Its main weakness was sweetness: 57 percent sugar, the highest level among all 18 products. n-tv.de calculated that a 20-gram serving contains almost four sugar cubes' worth of sugar.
Why the Result Matters
The test shows that price alone says little about quality. The cheapest spread and one of the most expensive ended up tied at the top, while Nutella sat between them in price but finished third. It also shows that nut content is not the only factor: two spreads with identical hazelnut levels scored differently because flavor balance and sensory appeal carried more weight.
Vegan and organic spreads also finished among the "good" products. T-online.de highlighted Alnatura's Nuss Nougat and Gepa's Bio Cocoba as organic tips.
A "good" rating from Stiftung Warentest means a spread does what a hazelnut nougat cream should do, without hidden defects or misleading declarations. It does not mean the product is health food. Nutritional quality was never rated better than "satisfactory," so even the winners remain sweets in a jar.