To wonder why anyone buys branded products?

[superstarheartbreaker]

When they are so much more expensive?

Especially things like washing powder; Persil etc ; at least £4.00 for a bottle of fabric washing gel. Tescos own; £2.00 for a bottle of similar gel often with added conditioner. Does the job fine.

Admittedly some products have no equal like Marmite or Nutella and there are certain value products that don't cut it but it does strike me as odd that so many stick to brands that are so expensive and then moan about the price of shopping nowadays. It is possible to be savvy even in these difficult times. (Although I still baulk at the price of butter and cheese recently branded or not.)

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

I don't believe it either, Feminine, there is most definitely a taste difference and nothing at all to do with the packaging. If it were a blind test, even if I couldn't tell which was the branded and which was the other, I could certainly distinguish between the taste and have a distinct preference.

An example - M&S walnut cake tastes nothing like Sainsbury's walnut cake, which tastes nothing like Aldi's walnut cake. For me, for that cake - only M&S is worth the calories.

[Feminine]

You like your walnut cake then lying

I'm now tempted to try it also!

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

I steer well clear of it, Feminine - or at least I whizz past the M&S version and never pick it up... I really DO love it far too much!

See you in the cake aisle... don't say I didn't warn you!

[mrstowers]

I worked in the food industry for over 10 years. Our product (biscuits) was produced for all of the supermarkets and many, many other brands also. Hand on heart I can tell you that Sainsburys custard creams are identical to Happy Shopper custard creams apart from the price! Regardless of the customer and the packaging all of the biscuits that we produced were identical in the recipe. Marketing is a very powerful tool!

[Feminine]

mrstowers :)

Are you saying they use exactly the same ingredients?

Custard creams are notoriously difficult to differentiate between I suspect?



I might try a taste test.

Baked beans are not created equal, not ketchup either...or mayonnaise!

Or disgusting cup-a -soup! to be fair.

[Feminine]

lying I'll see you there

[deleted203]

Depends on what it is, TBH.

Mayonnaise has to be Hellmanns. Nothing else tastes as good.
Ketchup - Heinz
I like Lurpak far better than any other butter.
Pepsi or Coke - can't stand Spar/Virgin/American cola. They are vile.

But, yeah...if I'm buying chopped tinned tomatoes to go in something then value will do me as well as expensive brand.

[Tortington]

for coloured washes - own brand is fine

for whites - you want some branded shit - or it's a false econony becuase you wash it, dry it and don't realise there is a stain on it until you have 3/4 ironed it which is when you punch the cat in the tits.

there is a different taste to heinz beans and own brand - but i prefer own brand

i prefer heinz ketchup - but i dont use it that often, so i do buy own brand and just remember that when you tip it up, 5mm of liquid comes out before the actual sauce.

tinned toms - who cares all the same

cereal - there is a difference. no one who knows better can possibly eat own brand cornflakes. they are disgusting.

cheap bread breaks when you fold it. you can't therefore make a decent chip butty.

[Fillyjonk75]

Most cereal is disgusting anyway and I don't eat it. The kids can't tell any difference between Bran Flakes and Weetabix and the Sainsbury's version though so I buy the cheaper on.

I buy very few branded things. Ten to fifteen years ago unbranded goods really did used to be rubbish but nowadays there is no discernible difference for most things. The only branded things I buy are where there is no cheaper alternative.

[Fillyjonk75]

The only branded washing stuff I buy is Napisan. I use Sainsbury's or Waitrose own brand washing powder, a spoonful of Napisan and a bit of (unbranded) conditioner in a decent washing machine and it works really well at 40C for everything.

[gabsid]

I shop at Lidl, Tesco and Asda. I don't buy own brand washing powder but wait until a branded one is on offer. Loo paper XXL offer from Lidl I find is good value, Birds Eye chicken pie and beef pie from Lidl. Own brand cornflakes, rice crispies and weetabix are fine for us.

We just try the cheaper versions and keep what we like.

[gabsid]

With tinned tomatoes I find the branded at 1/2 price much better value than the own brand as you get more tomatoe and less water.

[mrstowers]

Feminine yes exactly the same ingredients. Production would be 24/7 on the custard creams in particular. There would just be reel changes of the different film for the packaging. Not just custard creams either, ginger nuts etc. We used to laugh at people who would only buy a certain brand. Part of my job was actually carrying out taste tests.

[Fillyjonk75]

Actually I do spend more money on tinned tomatoes as I find the Cirio ones far better. But I always will spend more if something is actually worth it, especially with food.

[unlucky83]

Look out for special offers in supermarkets...when they are competing with each other they often price match on brands which can cause them to be less than own labels- eg a while ago birds eye ready meals (not lasagne ....thankfully) were cheaper than Tescos own label...
Also watch for smaller pack sizes of brands in cheap shops...
I mainly buy own label but eg I only buy Heniz ketchup tried Tescos and wasn't keen ...intend to try the Aldi one though...
I have noticed that own label wheat biscuits aren't as dense as 'weetabix' - they must weigh less per biscuit. Was going to switch back to weetabix until I realised that DD will have still have 2 for breakfast - so it would be a false economy! (If she decides she needs 3 I'll get Weetabix)

Cleaning products I buy Ecover - have tried others like BioD but eg their dishwashing powder was rubbish. I always buy these in bulk - used to be from Health food shops but now am part of a food Co-op - get things from same place as lots of the health food shops at the price they pay.
Only sad thing is sometimes getting small packets from Tescos can work out at same price or less so no way health food shops can compete...
I used to get Lidls cheap recycled toilet roll (DD2 has a habit of making 'toys' balls etc out of loo roll -DD1 just uses loads!) but they don't do it anymore - bought in bulk (60 rolls) through Co-op but then tescos started selling Nouvelle on special offer worked out less per roll! (and we don't get through less because it is thicker etc -just have come close to blocking the loo more times!)

[unlucky83]

Also - Tesco keep having Lurpak on special offer - 2 for £2 - cheaper than the value butter (only problem is I feel guilty using Lurpak for baking!)
Stock up on it and keep in freezer...

[gabsid]

I have to look out for Lurpak offers! Quite a few things I will only buy when they are on offer, e.g. yoghurts. We like the Mueller corners, but I will only buy them if they are £1.80 per 6 or less. 2 weeks ago I bought them from Asda, 2 for £3! Cheapest I have seen. Otherwise I will just buy the joghurt on offer, if none is I well get own brand.

I recently discovered the 12.5kg bags of local potatoes at Co-op for £3.75. The shop assistant said that it wasn't an offer but they are just not always out in the shop. I am not sure if that is just a local thing.

Have to have a look for the 60 rolls of loo paper at the Co-op, but I find that a roll is not a roll. I always squeeze them to see how substantial they are.

I recently looked around the £ shops and discovered the branded products there. Many packet sizes are smaller but for shampoo, baked beans ...?? it may work out better? I haven't shoped there yet.

mrstowers - the custard creams and other stuff, would it be the same for the branded and the same shop's own brand too? I find that very interesting, although I don't buy custard creams.

[unlucky83]

gabsid - sorry for not being clearer - the loo rolls were through the food Co-op I'm part of ...not the normal Co-op...they are a good make though Ecoleaf -and substantial...
I didn't set up the food co-op but basically there are a group of us who place an order every 3 months from a wholesale supplier to health shops etc -we get it ordered by one person, delivered to one address , need to spend (I think it is) £200 between us and pay on delivery...but eg when 10kg bags of Ecover washing powder were £39 from healthfood shops (which was the RRP) I was paying £29...
It is a bit like going to Cash & carry ...if you buy in bulk and pay cash you can get a day pass at some of them as an individual - but for lots of things big supermarkets are as cheap if not cheaper ...