Are You a Name Brand Fan or Do You Buy Store Brands?

Whether you refer to them as store brands or private label foods, generic versions of name brand products are widely available.

Some stores just package their products under their own name, while other stores get more creative with their own branded goods, like Target’s “Market Pantry” label, or Walmart’s “Good Value.”

Store Brands Are Always a Cheaper Option

No matter how they are labeled, these generic store brands are always cheaper than the easily recognizable brand names. In a lot of cases, they’re actually much cheaper. They can save you a ton on your grocery bill if you stick with store brands over brand names.

Why are they cheaper? The obvious reason is that there are no advertising costs. When’s the last time you saw a commercial for Food Lion’s “My Essentials” line? But they also have fewer middle men, and they don’t spend money to research and develop new products.

It’s a long-standing assumption that private label products are sub-par. And when I was a kid, that’s really what I believed. But over the years, I’ve discovered that a lot of those store brands are actually the same foods in different packaging.

Some Products Are the Same, But Some Are Not

No, really! Sometimes stores purchase the same exact food, and just put it into their own packaging.

Of course, there are plenty of products that are similar, but not quite the same. They’ve tried to copy something without the exact recipe, so it’s just a little off. Have you ever had a Diet Sam’s cola? Not exactly a Diet Pepsi, is it? (But the real question is, which one tastes the best, like really?)

Personally, I buy a ton of store brands. For me, I can’t justify spending twice as much money to have that brand name slapped on a box. However, every so often, I’ll treat myself to a name-brand soda, because the store brand versions are never the same.

What about you? Are you a name brand fan or do you regularly buy private labels instead?