Which Brand-Name Items Have You Replaced With Store Brands?

November 7, 2008

More often than not, store brands are priced lower than name brands and sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between the two. Now that stretching our dollars is more of a priority, it appears that more consumers are catching on to the fact that buying store branded items can reduce your grocery bill.

According to a recent survey, 40 percent of primary household shoppers have started buying cheaper store-brand paper products. Which brand-name items have you replaced with store brands on recent shopping trips?

36 Comments

starangel82 4 years 27 weeks

I pretty much buy store brand. There are some things you just can't but store brand on thought: Velveeta (cause store brand is just plain disgusting), Quaker Instant Oatmeal (the store brand is not worth the savings), Yoplait yogurt (I just like collecting the pink lids), and White Cloud toilet paper. Malt-O-Meal cereals are usually really good. I actually like them better than the name brand. You can't go wrong with store brand medicines... they really are the same thing.

Spectra 4 years 27 weeks

I pretty much buy exclusively store brands, but the one name brand thing I do buy regularly is International Delight Sugar Free Hazelnut creamer for my coffee. I just can't find a generic equivalent to it.

runningesq 4 years 27 weeks

I recently compared the ingredients on Nuetrogena's face wash and the generic brand -- EXACTLY the same, and a $2.50 difference!

bluebird 4 years 27 weeks

It really just depends on what the item is... My clothing is still name-brand, but my food choices vary. Sometimes I even like the store brands better!

kristints 4 years 27 weeks

I eat nearly all organic, so, mostly Whole Foods 365 brand, but Trader Joe's sometimes too.

shoppindiva 4 years 27 weeks

love my hellmans, nothing can replace it..lol but i have replaced my ketchup, salt, pepper, sugar, pasta, frozen veggies, canned fruit and some paper products. i have tried name brand toilet tissue and boy was i never going to do that again. name brand is better when it comes to that

jennjennnbubba 4 years 27 weeks

I buy generic meds and store brand cleaning supplies, trash bags, zip bags and paper plates. Kroger's Everyday Value Wipes are a thousand times better than Clorox Disinfecting Wipes! :rock:

chatoyante 4 years 27 weeks

I've always bought store brands when they're cheaper than name brands...except store-brand fruit and cream instant oatmeal. Ugh! I try to balance quality with price, rather than religiously shopping for brands or generics. I try to buy organic dairy products because I'm leery of the medications they give the critters, which usually end up being name brand. I buy vegetables from the local farmer's market (where organic can be cheap - and it supports locals!) Otherwise I don't pay too much attention to the brand...

RockAndRepublic 4 years 27 weeks

$3.49 for milk here in the Bronx.

LadyLiLa83 4 years 27 weeks

I'm definitely not picky about store brands. The only things I won't buy store brand are tissue (I need the Puffs with Vicks) and Q-tips. I'll buy just about anything else generic.

fuzzles 4 years 27 weeks

I've been buying store brands for quite a while, and most of the time there is little, if any, differece. Cub Foods (SuperValu) has some super store brands, some that I actually prefer to the big brands. One of the few things that I really splurge on is high quality artisan cheese. A girl has to have a vice! :drool:

heartbreakerx62x 4 years 27 weeks

I always buy generic paper products and lots of other things too. But, today I just bought generic nuts in stead of planters, which I really think will not taste any different!

brilliance13 4 years 27 weeks

safeway criss cross fries are sooooo yummy

terryt18 4 years 27 weeks

I cut coupons and search out the best deal, whether generic or name-brand. Shopping, grocery shopping in particular, is like a game and the one to spend the least is the winner.

Shadowdamage 4 years 27 weeks

Our local store has excellent quality "own brand" stuff - I tend to buy staples like basmati rice and such with their brand label on it, and keep the extra money for pricier favorites like Halloumi cheese and organic meats. It evens out.

carak 4 years 27 weeks

i've been buying generic brands for a long time. i have to agree with Dana Ann & Psychobabble about the Hellman's mayo! i'm vegetarian so i buy 'namebrand' vegetarian food from Morningstar Farms. i do not buy generic soda, but i get generic green tea. the sodas just never taste right & i'm cutting back on them anyway. i think that if we bought all namebrand that we'd be spending $30-$50 more on each grocery trip. now we are planning out meals on a google calendar 2 weeks at a time & go to the store every other sunday. it's working out great & our grocery bills are even cheaper since we go by a list.

graylen 4 years 27 weeks

TidalWave- in LA it really depends on if it is organic or not. The price difference can range from $2.50 (on sale-normal milk, expiring in a week)-$5.50 (organic milk lasting over a month) depending. My gallon I just bought cost around the same as yours.

TidalWave 4 years 27 weeks

jnj213 brought up a good point. I am really curious what a gallon of milk costs in different places? last week, I bought 2% for $4.29 while my friend in just the county over (in nj) paid $4.50 for the same!

jnj213 4 years 27 weeks

I love Whole Foods' generic 365 cheese, milk, chocolate bits, milk. Why should I be paying $6.50 for a gallon of milk! The frozen hashbrowns are good and cheap, the pancake mix and maple syrup. I know I just went on a tangent but I just wanted to share my love; the generic allows me to shop at Whole Foods and not be completely broke. (being an undergrad this is pretty exciting)