Lidl has officially entered the caterpillar cake wars – and it’s serving up a latecomer with a sense of humour.
The budget supermarket has unveiled its own squishy centrepiece, ‘Cooper’, landing in UK stores today (19 June) with a £6.99 price tag. But that’s not all – shoppers also get a free book, The Very Late Caterpillar, bundled in.
Why so late to the party? Lidl reckons Cooper’s been… busy.
In a tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn post, the retailer joked: “Well, Cooper’s had a busy few years. He hasn’t just been sitting in a box; he’s been living.”
Apparently, that “living” includes strutting London Fashion Week and binge-watching Bridgerton – as you do.
Cooper becomes the ninth supermarket caterpillar cake to hit shelves, joining a surprisingly crowded field of chocolatey lookalikes. Here’s how the competition stacks up:
M&S
The original and, many say, still the best. Colin first wriggled onto the scene in 1990 and has since become a British icon – complete with chocolate sponge, buttercream and that signature white chocolate face. He’s also been at the centre of a rather serious legal spat.
Aldi
Cuthbert was Colin’s budget rival… until things got messy. After a high-profile dispute with M&S, he got a redesign in 2022 – but he’s still firmly in the game.
Tesco
Once known as Curly, Tesco quietly gave its caterpillar a glow-up and a new name: Slinky. Coincidence? Some think not.
Sainsbury’s
Wiggles has been slinking around since 2011, making it one of Colin’s longest-standing challengers. Bonus: it comes in mini versions, too.
Morrisons
Meet Morris – yes, really. He’s decked out with a blue bow tie and a “rich chocolate coating”.
Waitrose
Cecil is the posh pick and regularly impresses in taste tests, even taking the top spot in a 2026 Which? blind tasting.
Co-op
Charlie the Caterpillar is another fan favourite. While he placed second in 2026 taste tests, he actually topped the leaderboard back in 2024.
Now, Lidl’s Cooper is wriggling into the mix – fashionably late, but hoping to steal the spotlight.
