Own Brand Comparisons

[ethandron]

There's an article today in the Daily Mail comparing own brand foodstuffs to branded ones. Apparently half the stuff sold in Asda is their own brand.
I've not tried all the ones they mention but have in the past tried a few and to be honest I wasn't very impressed in the main. The only two I can think of which I did like were laundry liquid....I'll buy any as I cant tell the difference, and mayo from Aldi. Someone here once recommended Aldi baked beans but I found them awful.
Have you tried many own brand things, what did you make of them?

[EcclesCake]

I also read the article and didn't think it was very well written as it was taking the views of just one person and her family, so not very objective.

I experiment from time to time with own branded stuff. Things like ketchup which I use an ingredient for BBQ sauce I'll happily pick up own brand as it has numerous other ingredients added.

From memory breakfast cereals never passed muster and loo roll is definitely one item where I cannot compromise.

I don't venture into Lidl and Aldi very often but having sat on taste panels as a judge I have no issue with either offering as they are frequently coming out way ahead of other supermarkets.

[grasscarp]

Aldi Fruit and Fibre is the best taste and there is a lot in the box. I think it is around 1.49.

[sherrardk]

I buy a lot of own brand stuff from Asda including cereal (but not cornflakes), coffee, fruit juice, squash, pop, ketchup, mayonnaise and baked beans. If I buy own brand and anyone doesn't like it, I switch back to branded stuff.

[gingejbee]

When Which? did a blind-tasting test on both tomato ketchup and tomato soup, Heinz didn't do very well at all. Best soup was Aldi and best ketchup came from Sainsbury/Tesco/M&S (same manufacturer).

[maggiebee]

I much prefer Branston beans (OK not own brand) to Heinz and agree with grasscarp that Aldi's Fruit 'n Fibre is the best on the market IMO. Would take a lot to beat Aldi's smoke back bacon too!

[gingejbee]

...Branston beans were another Which? winner of a taste test....

[Cloverjo]

Not necessarily Asda, but I always use supermarkets' own brands of porridge oats, noodles, tinned tomatoes, dishwasher powder and washing powder, as they are just as good, if not better, than the branded ones.

I don't eat them myself, but family members tell me it has to be Heinz for baked beans and soup.

[AlwaysConfused]

I buy a lot of ASDA brands, including their basic range - smart price. Especially items such as tinned tomatoes, peas, kidney beans along with items that noone else eats except me, as I feel guilty paying out too much (mayo, ketchup etc). I prefer Heinz beans, but prefer ASDA price. I don't shop in any other supermarket, so I can't compare between other own brands.

[ethandron]

I've just realised I buy more own brand products than I initially thought...jam, marmalade, frozen pizzas, frozen vegetarian bits and bobs, loo roll, kitchen roll, thick bleach, hand wash..to name but a few :)
You're right Eccles, it wasn't a very fair comparison using just one persons opinion.
Ketchup and tomato soup just has to be Heinz in this house, along with their baked beans. I don't eat cereal very often but if I do it has to be kellogs, having worked in a factory, when I was a student, which produced cereal and other similar products for supermarket own brands, and having seen first hand what went on, I would NEVER buy any other :(
I think Sherr has the right idea, try some and switch back if they're no good.

[Captain2]

Lidl's Fruit or Fruit and Nut Museli (about £1.80) is the best on the market IMO

[Cloverjo]

Ethandron, what went on in the cereal factory? Should I worry about my own-brand porridge oats?

[gingejbee]

There are a lot of people who believe the " it has to be Heinz" guff...full marks to their ad agency though!

[EcclesCake]

I am totally useless at remembering where I've bought what so I might pick up an Aldi or Lidl item but because it doesn't have their name on the packaging I am at a loss to remember if it was good, bad or indifferent.

[ethandron]

Ginge, there are a lot of people who trust their own tastebuds rather than believing advertising guff ;)
Clover, it was a long time ago so hopefully health and safety has changed since then, the memory lingers though...sweeping up cornflakes from the floor and putting them back on the conveyor belt, long term staff not being overly concerned with their personal hygiene and hand washing, angry staff putting all sorts of things in with the cornflakes. At the time, as a young student, it was all a bit of a laugh but in hindsight...

[trt]

Never found a brand to beat Fairy Liquid.

[cazza247]

Aldi fruit n fibre best supermarket own brand. I agree that you can't beat brand names for washing up liquid, soap powder but I buy any brand of mayo

[gingejbee]

ethandron....taste buds can only be relied upon in a "blind-tasting" when products are compared side-by-side.
We used to buy Heinz ketchup until Which? did the blind-tasting and bought some Sainsburys to compare. Quite surprised to find that the own-brand was thicker, more tomatoey and less vinegary....and less than half the branded price. Never bought Heinz since!

[MargoTester]

My OH always said Heinz beans were the only ones he would eat and that he could tell the difference, I gave him Sainsburys beans and he never knew the difference, so I carried on buying them. He also cannot grasp the concept of concentrated washing up liquid and puts so much in the sink that it takes a week to get rid of the suds, so I buy cheap own market brand now.

[ethandron]

That's great that you prefer a cheaper option ginge, saving yourself a few bob :)
But if, like us, you've tried a non branded food and didnt like it and prefer to stick with the branded item, purely by taste, then it doesn't matter what Which? or any other comparison site says that 100 people prefer.
We go by what our taste buds tell us rather than what other people say.

[diddlydo]

I have never understood why people buy branded loo paper - it all ends up down the pan!