Supermarket Protein Powder UK: Best Options Compared for 2026

Six retailers dominate supermarket protein powder in the UK: Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Holland and Barrett, and Boots, and each carries a different mix.

Tesco stocks Maximuscle, Grenade ready-to-drink shakes, and a small rotating selection of whey concentrates. The range leans whey heavy and is aimed at the casual gym goer rather than the dedicated lifter, with vegan options usually limited to one or two SKUs per store.

Asda carries an own-brand whey at around 21g of protein per serving alongside branded options like Maximuscle and USN. Asda prices most aggressively of the big four grocers, though its selection stays 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." It stocks Grenade, Phizz, and a small Sainsbury's branded whey across larger stores, and the Argos partnership inside bigger Sainsbury's stores further expands access to specialist brands.

Morrisons stocks Maximuscle, USN, Phizz, and Grenade at a mid-range selection, and rarely promotes protein the way it promotes other own-brand categories.

Holland and Barrett is the closest thing the UK high street has to a dedicated supplement chain. It sells its own Precision Engineered range, plus Optimum Nutrition, Bulk, USN, and PhD. Standard pricing runs steep at roughly £42 for 1kg of branded whey, but the brand runs a Penny Sale and a half-price cycle every few weeks that drops prices below most supermarkets.

Boots sells small tubs of Maximuscle and the occasional Grenade product, but is not a serious destination for protein powder buyers.