Do you buy the cheaper brands to save money?

[red37]

Yesterday I was in Asda and this elderly women asked me whether I use the cheaper brands, as she was unsure whether she should buy them. I told her that certain things I do as one they are nicer and two they are cheaper, do you do the same?

[cheltenhamgal]

yes, definately as with some foods IMO there really isn't any difference. I also raid the reduced shelves and compare prices on madaboutbargains

[threebob]

I buy the brand with the fewest ingredients (so less filler and more main ingredient), I will always buy the no preservative version, and won't buy anything with colours in.

Sometimes that is cheaper and sometimes not.

[Yorkiegirl]

I buy cheaper brands for some foods. Don't generally buy the premium range as there is often no difference between that and the standard range.

[tarantula]

yes absolutely. Lots of things are just as good and some better eg frozen fish Sainsburys basic fish (pollox) makes a pukka fish pie and has far more flavour than cod and their basic prawns may be small but what does that matter when they are jsut going into said fish pie anyway.

[zippitippitoes]

Yes or bogof etc

But we don't eat much prepared food

[BettySpaghetti]

Don't knock Lidl!!
There are some things you can't scrimp on but I do find that Lidl has some cheaper things that are better than other supermarkets own-brand/value items.
Look in archived messages for the Lidl recommendation thread -some excellent ideas.

[Piggiesmum]

Depends on the item, some things you really do pay for what you get, mince beef for example, expensive stuff is more meat, cheap stuff is full of fat and grizzle etc yuk

but having worked in a biscuit factory and seen the same biscuits come of the conveyor belt into 3 different types off wrapping for the same supermarket I tend to be a bit cynical about paying more for certain items.

[Aero]

Interesting point re packaging piggiesmum. I hardly buy any big brand names with the exception of Heinz tomato soup as nothing else comes up to scratch. Unless they're on a very special offer which makes them cheaper than store's own brand, then I leave them on the shelf. Saying that, I never buy the 'value' loo roll, but I buy 'value' biscuits etc all the time. 10p for a packet of bourbon creams in Asda. Hate them myself, but the kids love them!

[rummum]

I shop in tesco's and I buy their band equivalent to..
toilet roll
frosties... tesco's own is £1 cheaper
weetabix... again about £1 cheaper
kitchen roll..
bleach
bread flour
tesco's value mushrooms ... big box £1.29
foil... 30p.yes 30p.. just buy the refil
tesco's own bin bags
tesco's own lupak butter (tastes the same)
tesco's orange juice
tesco's soya milk

phew..can't remember the rest off the top of my head... these aren't the value range though just their own label
every little helps...

[jambuttie]

Aero agree with the asda smart price bourbons my 3 love them

[expatinscotland]

depends on what it is. i buy stuff like bog roll and kitchen towels in Lidl.

also if i buy spirits i buy store brand b/c i usually get it to mix w/something.

[Carmenere]

There is a really handy book called 'Supermarket own brand guide' by Martin Isark which has tested 2000 own brand products and rated them next to the market leaders. it makes interesting reading as it has all price comparisons too.

[joelalie]

I work for a company that supplies supermarkets and the differences between the own-brand medium range and the branded is generally minimal. The budget ranges are sometimes a bit dodgy but it's usually down to personal taste - if you happen to like Tesco Basics OJ then fine - it's not going to do you any harm. The premium ranges often use better quality ingredients but again, if you like the cheaper stuff that's a bonus!

I almost always buy own-brand. Apart from fairtrade coffee, tea etc.

Kate

[GDG]

The things I buy cheap versions of are nappy sacks and kitchen roll. Don't buy 'value' versions of anything else really. In most cases, I think you do get what you pay for.

[GDG]

Oh yes, buy Tesco own bleach, washing up liquid (but not value version), antibacterial spray (hmm, actually got Flash atm - must have been on offer ), discloths and sponges.

Tried Tesco own washing liquid but it made my skin itchy after a while.

[GDG]

Would not scrimp on meat at all - buy from butchers which is actually more expensive but I'm sure Tesco meat is just crap.

[SoupDragon]

I'm with GDG on the meat front. The words "value" or "economy" when used in conjunction with a meat range makes me shudder. Have no qualms with other stuff though.

[Bugsy2]

Depends on the products. Sometimes cheaper brands are a false economy (such as really cheap tinned tomatoes which turn out to be 80% water!)
I buy own brand loo roll, kitchen roll, hand wash, washing powders, bleach, cleaning products, dilutable squash, organic stuff. If I like the taste of own brand foods then I'll buy those too, but I have yet to find own brand tea & coffee that I like as much as named brands.

[Kelly1978]

I don't like cheap food very much. I've found a few exceptions that I do like, particularly Aldi's dill salad dressing.
Asda is nice for their fresh soup, esp the black bean one, it's nicer than most of the covent garden ones. I tried their own brand juice last week and it tasted like it was made from concetrate so won't be doing that again!
I think cheap loo roll is false economy. I used to buy sains own but it has gone really thin now so it's better to pay the extra 50p for andrex as it lasts longer.

[joelalie]

Kelly1978 - that's because it was! Most supermarket juice is made from concentrate and so is the branded stuff TBH. You pay a real premium for non-concentrate stuff for obvious reasons. Happy to say that we no longer supply that shop's own-brand juice - they wouldn't pay our new prices so they've gone somewhere cheaper..... obviously it shops

[Kelly1978]

noooo, it wasn't. It says 100% pressed. maybe they meant 100% pressed water and concentrate rather than pineapples.