To think that a supermarket's "own brand" stuff shouldn't be crap?

[gail734]

Basically I'm here to "name and shame" one product and to ask for your similar experiences. I grew up near a Safeway store and my mum often bought their own brand stuff. When presented with Heinz baked beans, my brothers thought they tasted funny!
Last weekend I bought Tesco's version of a Magnum (choc ice on a stick) lolly. It's called Chocolatino, three for £1. Literally inedible Weirdly chalky and went in the bin. I would have taken them back if I could work out the logistics of returning an ice lolly. Maybe I was BU to expect something decent at that price? Surely their own brand stuff should almost be a loss-leader, to get you into the store?

my dad used to work for Jacobs. they make M&S crackers. He says the difference is that M&S get the first pick of the crackers, so they get the uniformly coloured ones, the 'best' as defined by their standards. there are always fluctuations in oven temperature, mix etc, because although each ingredient is the same, ie 100g flour... the flour changes slightly from batch to batch because it is a natural ingredient

he said that there were a number of 'picks' then what was left over became the 'budget brands'

I agree with Sainsbury's digestives being horrible, they get bought for work and I won't ear them (will usually hoover up most biscuits).

I'm really not a fan of tesco and ime find tesco value/smart price stuff generally a bit naff.

We've just been through a really rough patch with money and have down graded to Sainsbury's basic's where possible and really wondering why we ever paid more for branded with some stuff. We won't be going back to branded on alot of items from now on. I think it helps that we've started buying base ingredients and making/baking our own stuff like bread.

Glad to hear Sainsbury's basics tea is good as I have a box sat in the cupboard! Glad I'm no longer a brand snob (except for baked beans and mayo!)

I do usually eat not ear biscuits

Aldi digestives are lovely, they taste very fresh.