Aldi chocolates named product of the year, beating Green & Blacks

The victory is the latest accolade for the European discount supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl, which over the last year have won increasing numbers of middle class shoppers to their stores.

The £1.49 box of Moser Roth Finest Truffles, made exclusively for Aldi, won 2009 Product of the Year, beating off Green & Blacks fruit and nut cereal bars in the luxury chocolate category. The fruit bars from the famous organic chocolate company usually come in a box of 12 and cost £13.50.

Though only these two products were submitted to 12,000 consumers for testing, it is understood that Mars and Nestle also entered chocolates into the annual award, but they failed to pass the initial vote from a jury made up of industry experts.

Aldi and Lidl are both German-owned discount chains that have lured millions of shoppers from Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, with their limited product range but very low prices.

TNS, the market research firm which closely monitors the grocery trade, calculates that sales at Aldi increased by 25.4 per cent in the last 12 weeks of 2008. Sales at Lidl increased by 11.6 per cent

Aldi claims that half its customers are now middle class - the ABC1 social category - while Lidl says its car parks are now full of Mercedes, BMWs and Audis, as professionals flock to enjoy luxury goods at very low prices. Both claim they are able offer such low prices by stocking a small number of products, ditching unnecessary marketing and keep shop-floor staff to a minimum.

Product of the Year is a competition run by the grocery industry in an attempt to reward the best new food, drink and household products. Any winner is allowed to put a distinctive red label on their packaging, boasting they are a Product of the Year.