Great 'disguised Own Brand' Hunt.

charlieheard

MarkVarley wrote:

(first post :j )
I bought a used jaguar a year or so ago and it came with Kumho on the front and goodyear on the back (kumho are much cheaper than goodyear), both part-worn about the same, I used to find the back-end came out more readily than I'd like (RWD) so swapped the tyres around and it gripped far better.

It could be because of wear patterns etc etc etc but that what I found, a few months later i replaced all the tyres with Kumho and found it gripped very very well and cost around half as much for the tyres. Perhaps won't last as long as goodyears, but i'd rather grip better.

Welcome Mark

The trade-off in tyres is not just between grip and longevity. Using more complex (and expensive) compounds in the tread will allow you to have more of both. Anyone can make a grippy tyre, but making one that lasts is expensive. And vice versa. Just have a look at the Which? website, where they've tested loads of tyres scientifically to assess all sorts of things.

Tyre manufacturing is a black art

tlck9

M_at wrote:

Sorry but this just aint true. I work in the IT department at work and we've recently had 4 computers all of the same type fail, smoke pours out of the back and the machine overheats.

Computers are not all the same - the different specifications on the power supply components make a big deal. Clean power makes a happy computer.

A high quality fan on the processor will be quieter than a cheaper one.


If you want a computer that will work properly and reliably you should buy a decent brand name computer that is well engineered.

I think the point I'm with stupid was trying to make, is that if you got two computers, both with the same internal components, eg both power supplied by XYZ and the graphic cards same manufactuer/model, same memory supplier/model but one with a brand on the front and the other non branded then it would run the same.,

I also work in IT and I can see what they mean, my old IT manager used to get the guys to build computers using components used by the latest branded models, put it together and they ran like clockwork and far cheaper than the branded

I think the point your trying to make that in general cheap computers dont have the same high quality components that the branded ones have,
however do a little research and some run exactly the same components

madbananas

i purchased a stainless steel microwave oven/grill from argos, it broke down around 1 year later, when i rang argos to find out if it would be exchanged for another, the lady i spoke to told me that it wouldnt, so i asked for de longhi's number, ans she told me there would be no point ringing them as argos manufactuer them and de longhi give them permission and badges to put on the appliances, she also stated that its the same with a lot of electrical products available from argos

BRENTUS

you have well researched this well done. just a word of caution regarding the free five year guarrantee at Hotpoint. The guarrantee is only free if you use hotpoints own engineer to fit the product. I discovered this after my fridge bottle holder cracked cost of part about a tenner i tried to get it under guarrantee no way unless i used thier engineer i dont need to tell you what the cost of that will be. No engineering was required you just drop it in a slot thats all and i think all moneysavers should be aware of that. I later bought a whirpool fridge freezer that was made in every part of the world but i will stand corrected sure it was owned by one of the companys you mention merloni springs to mind. Hope i have followed protocol here and entered everything correctly my first reply to forum.

garyclay wrote:

I recently had a repair man to my AEG dishwasher. "I've got the same model at home" he told me "But mine's Zannussi"

After a little confussion on my part he explained that there are very few individual manufacturers left. The badge is just a front. My AEG is exactly the same as his Zanussi but the external fascia is altered so that they look different so the consumer doesn't realise.

After a little research I found the following on the web

"Many appliances are no longer made by the companies shown on the logo. Successful brand name companies go bust or are taken over by bigger companies but they usually keep the "old" name for various tactical marketing reasons. In a way, it shouldn't matter who makes which brand, but a couple of concerns should be considered.

Firstly, if a customer is very unhappy with a product, or the service provided by a manufacturer, they are likely to avoid purchasing from that company again. They may well end up purchasing virtually the exact same machine with a different logo complete with the same company service engineers as well as the same company ethos.

Secondly, there are sometimes differences between brands made by the same company - even when the machines are virtually the same. An example of this is with Creda and Hotpoint, both of which are now made by the same company. Hotpoint machines have a free five year parts guarantee but Creda machines don't. There is little difference between the two makes inside, but they are priced differently too. A similar thing occurs with Hoover and Candy who are both owned by Candy. Hoover have a free 5-year parts guarantee, but Candy's don't.

Eventually, all washing machines are likely to be made by just a handful of companies and in fact we aren't that far off from this scenario already. Note that some brands retain all their original differences but are just owned by a rival company and some are virtually the same machine inside with different logos and trimmings. Here is a sample of some of the household names who are owned or made by the same company.

Electrolux: own well over 50 brand names (though not all of them washing machines) Among the more well known ones are AEG, Tricity Bendix, Zanussi.

GDA: manufacture Hotpoint, Creda, Cannon and GE, English Electric,

Candy: own Hoover, Zerowatt and Kelvinator among others.

Merloni: own Ariston, Indesit, New World, Philco, and have just bought a large interest in GDA (who make Hotpoint and Creda)."

So next time I'll be going for the cheap option!!!


If anybody out there is an appliance repair man, or married to one, do you know which models are the same under the different badges?

Hope you find this useful.

ItsAGirlThing

Hi All you Money Saving ladies,

Did you know that Avon only make for...Avon!!
If you observe when their high tech skincare ranges are introduced, it is generally BEFORE L'oreal etc., making them Market LEADERS. Their full price is usually cheaper, (on Average £15) If you wait for a brochure promotion you can get them for 1/2 price (£7.50) and if you become a Rep you can save upto a further 25%!! Meaning you only pay approx £5.63 for your really high tech luxury cream!!! How good is that!!:beer:

Jxx
PS. Anyone wanting more info on becoming a Rep - PM me with your email address. Cheers J

stefni

Hi Guys

I worked in an independant chocolate factory and the exact same chocolates were put in a Tesco value box and a Marks and Spencer very expensive box, but looking in the shop, M & S were nearly three times as much.

I've always gone for value anything since working there and from the look of this thread I've saved plenty of money and got the same result!

No_Future

I'm not convinced about all of these products being the same. Maybe they're made in the same factory, maybe the bacon comes from the same pig - that does not mean they are of equal quality! I definitely do agree that some own brand stuff does taste as good or better than leading brands, but to say because all of one product come from the same factory therefore they all taste the same, does not follow.

beer2006

Roccket990 wrote:

I used to work at Weetabix, Burton Latimer and Corby, as a contactor and they were the only plant in the world making "bix" type cereals.

They did have a competitor in South Wales but they bought them out, shipped all the machines to Burton Latimer, and used them themselves

As far as I know the situation hasn't changed. so any Weetabix type biscuits you buy, all come from Weetabix.

Well thats not true, I worked at a factory in Wellingborough that made these cereals and that must have been a couple of years ago. They made lower quality ones, can't remember the brand though.

natalie1980_2

antiville wrote:

Thanks for that, I'll make a point of NEVER buying chicken from M&S again when I'm back across the water - I used to work in the O'Kanes chicken factory in Ballymena, let's just say:eek:

In fact the more I think about it, I don't think I'll take the chance of buying chicken from any M&S now - just in case_pale_ lol

I work for M&S and the chicken comes from Grampian Chicken (formally Marshalls Chunky Chicken). All marks food is produced in a seperate part of the factory, I know that for a fact, marks and spencer bosses can turn up at anytime and shut the factory down if they dont like anything. I knew someone who worked for their meat supplier and seemingly u could have eaten ur dinner off the floors in the marks and spencer part. All marks products are made to marks recipes designed by their food technologists.

Think I posted on this thread before.

Bread - British Bakeries
Milk- Robert Wisemens
Chocolate - Thorntons (except the Swiss range rumour has it its Lindt)
Ready made meals - Some factory Ive never heard of in Hemel Hempstead, used to be sun valley some time ago
Biscuits - Burtons and McVities
Soup - Baxters (years ago my mother heard our store manager on the phone to Ena lol)

2Princess_Mum

Bought a Tesco value multipack dips today - absolutely AWFUL. It's like dipping pitta into thick vinegar in four different colours. Never again will I waste money on this nonsense. I still have an aftertaste 20 minutes later.

I agree with the general theory that "you get what you pay for" but this product is truly an insult to those who try to shop on a budget. In fact, I've just stuck it back in the fridge so that I can take it back tomorrow and get a refund.