Are you hooked on big brands?

caseydog said:
I am surprised that none of the Yurripeans have mentioned ALDI store brands. I have two ALDI stores ten minutes drive from me, and many of my friends rave about their store brands.
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I use Aldi (and Lidl) a lot when we're on holiday but sadly we don't have an Aldi near to us otherwise I would go there more often. There are persistent rumours that Aldi want to open store in my town....I just wish it would actually happen!

We do have a Lidl in the next town and we go there once in a while, but its a bit out of the way so its not a regular trip. We'll probably head over within the coming month though to stock up on Christmas goodies.
 
I always want to try the store brand if I see it. As caseydog mentioned, Kroger and Costco often have excellent alternatives to the name brands. In every case, they're cheaper than the name brand, and sometimes I like them better, too.

The only products I can think of where the name brand is better are:
  • ketchup: there's nothing quite like Heinz.
  • soft drinks: there is a lot of brand loyalty, so maybe I'm just giving in to brainwashing. I used to swear by Coke products, but my wife doesn't want to buy them anymore because they contain aspartame. I still like Diet Coke better than Diet Pepsi if given a choice.
Here's an interesting study that was done comparing name brands to store brands:

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/couponing/25-name-brand-vs-generic-face-offs-best-worst-revealed
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I always want to try the store brand if I see it. As caseydog mentioned, Kroger and Costco often have excellent alternatives to the name brands. In every case, they're cheaper than the name brand, and sometimes I like them better, too.

The only products I can think of where the name brand is better are:
  • ketchup: there's nothing quite like Heinz.
  • soft drinks: there is a lot of brand loyalty, so maybe I'm just giving in to brainwashing. I used to swear by Coke products, but my wife doesn't want to buy them anymore because they contain aspartame. I still like Diet Coke better than Diet Pepsi if given a choice.
Here's an interesting study that was done comparing name brands to store brands:

https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/couponing/25-name-brand-vs-generic-face-offs-best-worst-revealed
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Thanks for the link, that was very interesting to read. I was hoping they would do a mayo test. We use Hellmans's, but DH only buys it when it is on sale. lol I should make a note to myself, there are brands of a few things I like over other brands but between trips to the store, I forget which brand. Like gnocchi, and potato chips.
 
Yes and no.

We have a Costco membership. I actually comparison shopped many of their Kirkland brand with Walmart's Great Value.

Costco V.S. Walmart
- Paper Towels - less expensive, better quality
- Toilet Paper - less expensive, better quality
- Milk - less expensive
- Heavy Cream - less expensive and OMG WONDERFUL - the cream is so heavy that it is almost butter
- Butter - less expensive and better quality
- Kerrygold Butter - less expensive
- Block cheese - less expensive and equal or better quality
- Wheel cheese wedges - less expensive
- Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter - twin pack - less expensive
- Hellmann's Mayonnaise - less expensive
- Blue Diamond - smoked roasted Almonds - less expensive
- Kind Snack bars - less expensive (I plan to try the Kirkland brand of snack bars.)
- Queen olives (twin pack) - less expensive
- Kirkland Chicken Stock - less expensive - better than Great Value - as good as name brand
- Last week I found a 12 oz. container of Kirkland mixed, dried, wild mushrooms for $12.99 :hyper:
- Kirkland American Vodka - 1.75 L $14.99 - an excellent vodka - very smooth. One of their "loss leaders". They also have a French Vodka for $18.99 for 1.75 L. Very close to Grey Goose.
- Meat - I do not buy meat from Walmart. Costco meat is choice or prime. Very reasonable. Excellent quality.
- OTC vitamins - most are less expensive.
- Optical and Hearing Aids - the least expensive around
- Prescriptions - have to shop - many are less with Good RX than with insurance.

I do not use many canned goods. Old casseroles recipes are the exception. I do use Brands. I keep tomato products in the pantry. Cento San Marzano Peeled tomatoes only.
 
ElizabethB said:
- Kirkland American Vodka - 1.75 L $14.99 - an excellent vodka - very smooth. One of their "loss leaders". They also have a French Vodka for $18.99 for 1.75 L. Very close to Grey Goose.
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I've heard good things about Kirkland Vodka. I can't get it in Texas, the buckle of the Bible Belt. Spirits can only be sold in stand-alone liquor/wine/beer stores.

CD
 
We've switched away from Hellmans Mayo to Tesco own brand, and really can't tell the difference. Also Tesco own brand baked beans instead of Heinz. A slight difference, but not enough to justify the 400% price premium. Yet to be tried, but we've just bought a large tub of Bookers own brand English mustard, at under half the price of Colemans. I cant think of any other big brand items we buy in any quantity - we don't buy fizzy drinks or packet snacks or biscuits.
 
There was a TV series here where families who spent quite a lot on big brand foods took up a challenge. The presenters swapped a certain percentage of things they normally bought in their weekly shop for budget price alternatives. Some items remained as the original brand. All items were repackaged in plain packaging. The family then spent the week eating the 'substitutes'. At the end of the week it was revealed to them which rands they had been eating.

The outcome in nearly every case was similar - they simply couldn't tell the difference in a lot of cases. And sometimes when they could tell the difference they preferred the budget brand. There were also several very amusing examples of people eating the original brands and believing they were substitutes! One particular example sticks in my mind - there was a high end rather expensive ready meal which was a particular favourite with one family. They tasted the 'substitute' and said it was horrible - and not only that they said they could tell just by looking at it that it was a substitute inferior budget brand. It turned out to be their original high end brand.

All of which goes to show just how much branding and psychology come into play.
 
When something is an ingredient in a dish as opposed to being the main ingredient, I can see not being able to tell it from a brand name. Canned tomatoes for example. Most often we buy canned tomatoes when they are BOGO and usually that is between Hunt's and Del Monte. The store brand is almost never BOGO.
 
morning glory said:
There was a TV series here where families who spent quite a lot on big brand foods took up a challenge. The presenters swapped a certain percentage of things they normally bought in their weekly shop for budget price alternatives. Some items remained as the original brand. All items were repackaged in plain packaging. The family then spent the week eating the 'substitutes'. At the end of the week it was revealed to them which rands they had been eating.

The outcome in nearly every case was similar - they simply couldn't tell the difference in a lot of cases. And sometimes when they could tell the difference they preferred the budget brand. There were also several very amusing examples of people eating the original brands and believing they were substitutes! One particular example sticks in my mind - there was a high end rather expensive ready meal which was a particular favourite with one family. They tasted the 'substitute' and said it was horrible - and not only that they said they could tell just by looking at it that it was a substitute inferior budget brand. It turned out to be their original high end brand.

All of which goes to show just how much branding and psychology come into play.
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I think you're talking about Eat Well For Less? - I love this programme, especially the way that at the beginning they're saying how of course they'll be able to tell if their favourite brand of X has been substituted. Almost inevitably it turns out they can't :roflmao:
 
MrsDangermouse said:
I think you're talking about Eat Well For Less? - I love this programme, especially the way that at the beginning they're saying how of course they'll be able to tell if their favourite brand of X has been substituted. Almost inevitably it turns out they can't :roflmao:
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That's the one - I couldn't remember the title.
 
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