Every major UK supermarket now stocks protein powder. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Holland and Barrett all carry whey, vegan blends and ready to drink shakes. The convenience is real. The pricing is not. A 908g tub of Maximuscle whey on a Tesco shelf typically costs around £32.99, while the same product on Amazon UK sits closer to £22. That gap is the entire point of this guide.
This post compares what each UK supermarket actually sells, what those products cost per 25g of protein, and when buying protein at the supermarket is genuinely the right call rather than just the convenient one.
Which UK supermarkets sell protein powder?
Six retailers dominate supermarket protein powder in the UK: Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Holland and Barrett, and Boots. Each one carries a different mix.
Tesco stocks Maximuscle, Grenade ready to drink shakes, and a small rotating selection of whey concentrates. The range is whey heavy and aimed at the casual gym goer rather than the dedicated lifter. Vegan options are limited to one or two SKUs at most stores.
Asda carries an own brand whey at around 21g of protein per serving along with branded options like Maximuscle and USN. Asda's pricing is the most aggressive of the four big grocers, but selection is thin compared to specialist retailers.
Sainsbury's launched a new own label high protein range in 2026 in response to a 57% year on year rise in shoppers searching for "high protein". They sell Grenade, Phizz and a small Sainsbury's branded whey across the larger stores. The Argos partnership inside bigger Sainsbury's also expands access to specialist brands.
Morrisons stocks Maximuscle, USN, Phizz and Grenade. The selection is mid range, and Morrisons rarely promotes protein the way it promotes other own brand categories.
Holland and Barrett is the closest a UK high street has to a dedicated supplement chain. They sell their own Precision Engineered range, plus Optimum Nutrition, Bulk, USN and PhD. Standard pricing is steep at roughly £42 for 1kg of branded whey, but Holland and Barrett runs a Penny Sale and a half price cycle every few weeks where prices drop below most supermarkets.
Boots sells small tubs of Maximuscle and the occasional Grenade product but is not a serious destination for protein powder buyers.
MyProtein Impact Whey Protein Powder
810g bag
UK's bestselling whey concentrate with 82g protein per 100g. Regularly discounted 40-60% — never pay full price.
See cheapest price →Buy direct from MyProtein →MyProtein Impact Whey Protein Powder
810g bag
UK's bestselling whey concentrate with 82g protein per 100g. Regularly discounted 40-60% — never pay full price.
See cheapest price →Buy direct from MyProtein →Quick verdict
Pros
- + 82g protein per 100g high purity
- + Cheapest per serving during sales
- + Huge 60+ flavour range
- + 5kg bags for long-term savings
Cons
- – Full price is poor value
- – Needs discount code to compete
- – Reformulations change taste occasionally
Quick verdict
Pros
- + 82g protein per 100g high purity
- + Cheapest per serving during sales
- + Huge 60+ flavour range
- + 5kg bags for long-term savings
Cons
- – Full price is poor value
- – Needs discount code to compete
- – Reformulations change taste occasionally
How much more do supermarkets charge for protein powder?
The honest answer: 30 to 60 percent more, on average. We tracked the same five branded whey products across Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Holland and Barrett and three online retailers (Amazon UK, MyProtein, Bulk) and the supermarket price was higher in every case except for short term Holland and Barrett half price events.
The price gap is widest on premium brands. A 908g tub of Maximuscle Cyclone is typically £39.99 at Tesco against £24.99 on Amazon UK during a regular sale. A 1kg tub of USN Blue Lab Whey is around £37 at Holland and Barrett against £22 to £25 on the USN direct site or Amazon UK.
The gap is narrowest on Sainsbury's and Asda own brand options, which are priced to compete with Bulk and MyProtein but tend to use lower protein content (around 60 to 65g per 100g) compared to the 75 to 82g that the online direct brands deliver. Cheaper sticker price does not always mean cheaper per 25g of protein.
For a side by side view of branded whey prices across UK supermarkets, online direct brands and Amazon UK in real time, the WheyWise whey concentrate comparison tracks all of them and sorts by cost per 25g of protein automatically.
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Holland and Barrett, ranked
Ranked from best to worst for actual protein value in 2026:
1. Holland and Barrett (only during sales). Outside of the Penny Sale and half price events, Holland and Barrett is the most expensive option on this list. During those events, which run every three to five weeks, branded whey can drop to £17.99 for 1kg, which is competitive with Bulk and MyProtein direct. The trick is timing. Sign up to their newsletter and the H&B Rewards for Life app to be alerted when sales open.
2. Asda. Asda's own brand whey is the only supermarket protein powder that is consistently competitive on cost per 25g of protein. The protein percentage is moderate at around 65g per 100g, but the bag price keeps the per serving cost reasonable. The branded selection is thin.
3. Sainsbury's. Worth a look if you have a Nectar account and catch a points event. The new Sainsbury's high protein own label range is improving but still narrower than Asda's, and most branded items carry a 20 to 40 percent premium versus online direct.
4. Tesco. Convenient but rarely cheap. Tesco's Maximuscle and Grenade pricing is among the highest on the high street. Clubcard Prices help marginally but do not close the gap with online retailers.
5. Morrisons and Boots. Limited selection and uncompetitive pricing. Useful only as an emergency top up.
Bulk Pure Whey Protein
2.5kg bag
Budget-friendly Informed Sport tested whey from Bulk with 50+ flavours. Consistently among the cheapest per serving in the UK.
See cheapest price →Buy direct from Bulk →Bulk Pure Whey Protein
2.5kg bag
Budget-friendly Informed Sport tested whey from Bulk with 50+ flavours. Consistently among the cheapest per serving in the UK.
See cheapest price →Buy direct from Bulk →Quick verdict
Pros
- + Among cheapest UK whey options
- + Huge 50+ flavour range
- + 22g protein per 30g scoop
- + Informed Sport batch tested
Cons
- – 70-75% protein purity only
- – Some flavours overly artificial
- – Can cause bloating if lactose-sensitive
Quick verdict
Pros
- + Among cheapest UK whey options
- + Huge 50+ flavour range
- + 22g protein per 30g scoop
- + Informed Sport batch tested
Cons
- – 70-75% protein purity only
- – Some flavours overly artificial
- – Can cause bloating if lactose-sensitive
Is supermarket own brand protein any good?
Mixed. Asda's own brand whey is straightforward whey concentrate at a moderate protein percentage with no obvious quality red flags. Sainsbury's own label high protein range is newer and uses the same kind of contract manufacturer that supplies Boots and other UK retailers. Both are fine for general use but neither tests every batch the way Informed Sport certified brands do.
Holland and Barrett's Precision Engineered range is more transparent, with declared amino acid profiles and most products falling between 70 and 78g of protein per 100g. The pricing is the issue, not the quality.
Where supermarket own brand protein falls down is third party testing. None of the major UK supermarkets currently carry an own brand protein with Informed Sport or Informed Choice certification, which matters for tested athletes and for anyone who wants verified contamination screening. WheyWise tags every certified product in the database so you can filter for it on the main comparison page.
When does buying protein at the supermarket actually make sense?
Three scenarios where buying protein powder at a UK supermarket is the right call:
You need it today. Online ordering from Bulk, MyProtein or Amazon UK takes one to three working days even with next day shipping. If you have run out and have a session tonight, a £30 supermarket tub is worth the premium for not skipping protein.
You are buying a single ready to drink shake. Grenade, Barebells, Phizz and Yfood ready to drink shakes are priced similarly across the supermarket and online. The cost difference is rarely more than a few pence per shake, and the convenience is real.
You hit a half price event at Holland and Barrett. If you are walking past during a Penny Sale or a half price weekend, the branded whey selection genuinely competes with online direct brands. Stock up. Outside of those events, walk past.
For everything else, including weekly bulk buying, most lifters are better served buying online from Bulk, MyProtein, the Protein Works or via the cheapest protein per 25g list on WheyWise, which compares 1,958 products across 85+ UK retailers in one view.
Where to find cheaper protein powder in the UK
The four cheapest mainstream sources of UK whey protein on a cost per 25g of protein basis in 2026 are, in order:
Bulk. Bulk Pure Whey Protein delivers 80g of protein per 100g and is consistently the cheapest branded whey in the UK during their weekly sales. Bag sizes go up to 5kg for the lowest possible per serving cost.
MyProtein. MyProtein Impact Whey at 82g of protein per 100g is rarely cheap at full price but discount codes drop it below £20 per kg multiple times a month. Sign up to their email list.
Amazon UK. Amazon's protein category is now a serious price competitor for branded products like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard, Mutant Whey and Warrior Whey. Prices flex frequently. WheyWise pulls Amazon UK pricing into the comparison automatically so you can spot a deal without checking manually.
The Protein Works. Whey 80 Black and Whey Protein 360 are competitive on their own discount events, though full price is generally higher than Bulk.
For a complete view of every UK retailer ranked by cost per 25g of protein, the WheyWise comparison page updates weekly and includes supermarket SKUs alongside online direct brands so you can see the price gap in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tesco sell whey protein? Yes. Tesco stocks Maximuscle, Grenade, Phizz and a rotating selection of whey concentrates at most larger stores. Pricing is typically 30 to 50 percent above online retailers like Bulk or MyProtein for equivalent products.
Is Asda protein powder good? Asda's own brand whey delivers around 21g of protein per serving and is one of the better value supermarket options on a cost per scoop basis. Protein percentage is moderate at around 65g per 100g, lower than online direct brands which deliver 75 to 82g per 100g.
Why is Holland and Barrett protein so expensive? List prices at Holland and Barrett sit around £42 for 1kg of branded whey, well above online retailers. The brand relies on a regular Penny Sale and half price cycle to pull prices down to competitive levels every three to five weeks. Outside those windows, it is the most expensive UK option on this list.
Can I get vegan protein powder at the supermarket? Selection is limited. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Holland and Barrett each carry one or two vegan options at most, usually pea protein or pea and rice blends. Online retailers offer significantly broader vegan ranges. See the UK vegan protein comparison for live pricing across all major brands.
