Converting a Brand Snob

horizon

Hi

I am curious to know how many people out there are brand snobs like my wife.

She recoils in horror if I suggest buying cheaper or supermarket own brand products.

So we end up with a trolley full of very expensive products every week.

I am currently conducting a sneaky experiment, where I have bought some washing liquid from Lidl, and have been adding it to our bottle of Persil every week !!
I have now used up the whole container, and she hasn't noticed a thing.
No complaints about the smell or softness or anything else.

She would never consider using this product.

Should I tell her what I've been up to, or continue doing it, and start substituting other brands as well ?!!

Yours, feeling slightly guilty.....

Horizon

vickylee

I once did the same thing to my hubby. He insisted on Tetleys Tea Bags.
So I bought some own brand (not the economy ones though) and refilled the Tetleys bag with the cheaper ones, he never noticed the difference. I waited until he'd gone through the lot and then pointed it out to him. So now I try different brands until I find the cheapest (and bearable) alternative - with no complaints so far!

charliesmam

We did this to a friends kid who declared ' i only eat heinz baked beans' she never knew the difference.....

Tustastic

I'd carry on with the experiment and try getting her (unknowingly) to eat/drink something own brand without knowing. Tell all after a few weeks and have a friendly discussion about moneysaving.
You could also insist that she buys a couple of own brand products specifically for you, on the grounds that you think they are better and won't touch the branded version any longer.
You could probably both have a nice holiday on the annual savings on branded goods. Ask her which she'd prefer.:)
Forgot to answer the question - am I a brand snob? The answer is a resounding NO apart from always using Fairy Liquid because I think it is best value for money.

firespire

Good on you she is just wasting money on brand advertising. I only buy brands if they are on a very good offer and I have never been able to find a good cheap alternative. I think you should continue swapping Kelloggs cornflakes for others in the same box etc.
I catch some of that ITV Daily cooks programme and they seem to have a recommended product every day where they choose the best product to use in their recipes and it is common for the supermarket brand to win over big brands. eg. ASDA curry paste won the other day I saw it.
Sometimes I compare the ingredients of things in supermarket eg. on a cranberry sauce the other day I noticed there was more cranberries in the cheaper supermarket brand than the Ocean Spray.
Threads on this forum highlight that some manufactures produce the brand and the supermarket one exactly the same.
Our family think Sainsburys Tomato ketchup is the best and wouldn't dream of buying anything else.

horizon

vickylee wrote:

I once did the same thing to my hubby. He insisted on Tetleys Tea Bags.
So I bought some own brand (not the economy ones though) and refilled the Tetleys bag with the cheaper ones, he never noticed the difference. I waited until he'd gone through the lot and then pointed it out to him. So now I try different brands until I find the cheapest (and bearable) alternative - with no complaints so far!

I'm the only one who drinks tea in our house, so I tend not to moan about the tea bags, thou I do like Tesco's and Sainsburys own brands (in the Red boxes) best of all, but usually have to settle for a more expensive version !!

horizon

firespire wrote:

Good on you she is just wasting money on brand advertising. I only buy brands if they are on a very good offer and I have never been able to find a good cheap alternative. I think you should continue swapping Kelloggs cornflakes for others in the same box etc.
I catch some of that ITV Daily cooks programme and they seem to have a recommended product every day where they choose the best product to use in their recipes and it is common for the supermarket brand to win over big brands. eg. ASDA curry paste won the other day I saw it.
Sometimes I compare the ingredients of things in supermarket eg. on a cranberry sauce the other day I noticed there was more cranberries in the cheaper supermarket brand than the Ocean Spray.
Threads on this forum highlight that some manufactures produce the brand and the supermarket one exactly the same.
Our family think Sainsburys Tomato ketchup is the best and wouldn't dream of buying anything else.

I've tried to get her to try the cheaper brands of pasta, curry and casserole sauces etc, but no chance !

She is out shopping at the moment, be interesting to see what she brings home !

Elliebabe

I try own brands but I must admit Fairy washing up liquid lasts longer than own brands!

So its worth the extra!

pingua

For tea bags and the like you can usually find the tetleys in pound shop or home bargans. They also do other brand name food stuff no where near as expensive as the supermarkets.

Redbedhead

My H is a bit like that. I have suggested changing a few things and while he whinges, he will try them. We have agreed that if he can tell the difference we can go back to the one he likes and if he can't we stay with the cheaper brand.

So far the only branded item that has won is Heinz ketchup!

exel1966

I suggest you get your wife to remove her blinkers and read this thread ;-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=23002

Eyeopening stuff !!!!