Great 'disguised Own Brand' Hunt.

moggylover

jo_b wrote: »

Excellent first post! Welcome to MSE!

ditto - great post!

barrymung

jonnys2000 wrote: »

I work for the company that makes Daz, Ariel and Fairy and I have to say that it's not true that all detergents are the same.

Maybe you can answer a question I have?

Why isn't there a published specification for the "cleanability" of a detergent?

I mean, when you go to buy a new car, manufacturer's publish the spec, allowing you to compare BHP, top speed, boot space, 0-60 time etc, etc.

Foods display ingredients and calories, telling you how quickly they'll make you fat.

Industrial cleaners come with data sheets showing the chemical characteristics of the product. Why not domestic cleaning products?

moggylover

beachbeth wrote: »

I have a relative who works in a factory that deals with potatoes (bags them up I think!). She says that M&S and Sainsburys get the first pick of the best potatoes and then the other supermarkets follow. I think Asda were quite low down on the list! Im glad I shop at Sainsburys!

They pick from the same bins, they only pick the "best" shapes and sizes - not "better" potatoes! I don't want a spud that will win a beauty contest - I just want one that is going to cook well!

A friend of ours that farms locally was growing certified organic carrots a few years ago for one of these ridiculous "upper crust" stores! They had to be an exact size and shape to get through the inspections. The size and shape makes absolutely no difference to the food or the nutritional value and anyone who will buy them at a premium just to get them a particular size or shape has definitely lost the plot!

All the small carrots were returned to my friend - who then gave them away by placing huge pallet boxes in the middle of the village and letting everyone help themselves!

They were georgeous - and when you think that most supermarkets charge more for "baby" carrots - please tell me where the sense was in this?

The trouble with shops like M & S and Sainsburys is that they have so many of the public hoodwinked. VERY little difference if any - EXCEPT in their rip off prices!

BTW a friends son drives lorries, he often delivers Bananas to Tesco packing station - half the load will go in one door for packing as Value bananas - the others go in the other door for packing as standard bananas! Same bananas - different bags!

We need to REALLY wise up to ALL the ploys used in manufacturing and merchandising - otherwise we are wasting our time on sites like this - and deserve to get ripped off!

moggylover

chocogirl wrote: »

Hi, have just tried the sainsbury Chocolate digestives (mentioned earlier on this forum ) and agree, that they are very yummy. :T

Also personally, I think that Tesco's Mayo, is just as tasty as Hellman's and a lot cheaper, i have tried a good few other shop brand mayo's, and none beat Tesco.

Totally agree - and they make a smashing thousand island dressing - in a bottle not a jar, as well!

moggylover

marybishop wrote: »

Not sure who makes them but have you tried Tesco Value jaffa cakes - half the price of the Tesco own brand in fancy packet but virtually identical when you look at the ingredients. Taste exactly the same. Also bought Tesco Value after dinner mints, friends brought round a box of Waitrose own brand and they were exactly the same thing. Not sure of price of Waitrose ones but as a former Waitrose shopper who's now trying to save money bet they're roughly double the price of the Tesco Value ones. THey were very yummy too!

Try their own brand boxes of chocs (Value) as well - they are very nice, as are the different bars of choc which are on special at 2 for £1.40 at the moment!

I make a point of trying almost all of the Value products at least once - and use many of them all the time. Beans taste good - but have become rather short on beans and big on liquid lately - however, you would have to buy a lot of 9p tins to match the price of one tin of Heinz! Kids like the sauce to run all over their other food anyway.

Their Value noodles are apparently BETTER than the leading brand - and my 12 year old will not have the more expensive ones if Value ones out of stock! These are his "crap of the day" snack when he comes in from school - and the only rubbish he is allowed to eat! We tend to eat rather late here due to so many out of school activities and homework - and he loves these to tide him over!

We do not have many biscuits - but we have tried all the value ones (except Nice which no-one likes) and they are excellent. Also like their chocolate and strawberry breakfast cereal bars.

Youngest son is a weetabix-a-holic - but prefers Tesco own brand - we did a taste test together and I reckon the weetabix are drier! We prefer their own brand corn flakes - Kellogs are always over-cooked for our tastes - last time I bought a packet locally cos we ran out - no-one ate them, and we put some out for the birds and our pet rats enjoyed them mixed with their food!

Value porridge oats are lovely, Value butter a little bland for my own taste - and a bit hard when chilly - but then I am addicted to Kerrygold!

OH PREFERS value brown sauce to the leading brands, and also Tesco own brand pickle and salad cream! Considering his mother is one of those that has to have a brand on her goods, and his brother will not even try anything that hasn't got a brand on it (don't you just hate people like that) I would say that this means that value products must taste good - and surely that is the test?

My rule is: try it - if you don't like it then don't buy it again! If you do like it then what a cost saving!

Am about to try their Value Biological Washing Powder as they have changed their own brand one to a concentrated type and it doesn't dissolve properly and keeps blocking the machine drawer! Anyone tried the Value one? Is it any good? I have to admit that of all the things I buy in the shop - the price of washing powder is the one that makes me most annoyed - they are SOOOO expensive for some bio-chemical bi-products! Bet there is about 50p worth in each £5 - £6 big box!



P

moggylover

jobbingmusician wrote: »

Has anyone thought of organising a MSE tasting evening, where we can all get together and do blind tastings of all the items mentioned in this thread? :):):):)

great idea! Shall we all meet at Martin's?

moggylover

Clowance wrote: »

i agree, however it can be used for rice krispie cakes and its ok then

Personal taste of course - but we use it in the chocolate fountain for dipping fruit and mallows and stuff in - and it tastes lovely then - as does their cheap white chocolate - but then the kids love that anyway.

Both melt well, and drizzle well, for cooking.

stamford

moggylover wrote: »

The trouble with shops like M & S and Sainsburys is that they have so many of the public hoodwinked. VERY little difference if any - EXCEPT in their rip off prices!

:T Nominated for true statement of the month. The slogan that this pair of rogues don't advertise is - " never give a sucker an even break "

moggylover

karri wrote: »

This is all very well but some things just cant be made the same eg. cheap ketchup is vile, and cheap tea bags are nasty. some things just cant be skimpt on!

But again, that is personal taste! I don't like Heinz ketchup cos it is far too sweet and gloopy - and I HATE loathe and detest PG Tips - or any other tea which is orange when made. That does not make the cheaper products any less useable to other people - all that they need to do is try them! Personally find Tesco Value Tea Bags lovely - and the kids eat their ketchup perfectly happily as well.

We have a policy in this house. Best quality meat from local smallholders. Best quality veg - quite a bit home grown - and wonderful eggs from a friend with her own chickens. Milk, butter and cream has to be good quality as well. The rest of the stuff is junk food - prettied up with lots of good marketing - but junk food all the same - so only cheap end usually bought as it is of little nutritional value - seldom has more than a few pence worth of ingredients - so not worth more than a few pence.

Amazing how you can cut your food bill when you actually look at the contents list and find yourself thinking - well that isn't going to actually "feed" our bodies needs!

moggylover

grex80 wrote: »

Who actually cares? The 3rd world are their own worst enemy. I'll buy what I want from who I want when I want. If it wasn't the big bad companies that kill them it'd be something else. Plus if they actually stopped reproducing like rabbits the land they live on might actually be able to support them. jeez.

My God! Well, as long as the likes of you are not allowed to re-produce at all then maybe the World will improve!