Are Value Buys a False Economy?

want_to_save

90% of my groceries are value brand i dont buy value meat as i go to a local butcher. and dont get value washing powder as have excema but all other products are fair game and most of the time much nicer. I have to say that i prefer euroshopper tinned toms to smartprice /value ones tho

Peggybabcot

There are certain items we only ever buy the value/basic brands of and others we wouldn't touch with a ten foot barge pole, mainly because we have tried them and hated them. Orange juice, tin tomatoes, some fresh veg, flour etc I don't have a problem with but sausages, meat, cheese, wash powder has to be shops own at the very least. Having said that though we now do most of our shopping at Aldi and find we're getting named brand quality at value prices. I think most things are worth trying in the value ranges and just work your way up the brand levels until you get a happy medium between quality and price that suits your taste and pocket.

maman

Peggybabcot wrote: »

There are certain items we only ever buy the value/basic brands of and others we wouldn't touch with a ten foot barge pole, mainly because we have tried them and hated them. Orange juice, tin tomatoes, some fresh veg, flour etc I don't have a problem with but sausages, meat, cheese, wash powder has to be shops own at the very least. Having said that though we now do most of our shopping at Aldi and find we're getting named brand quality at value prices. I think most things are worth trying in the value ranges and just work your way up the brand levels until you get a happy medium between quality and price that suits your taste and pocket.

It really is worth trying Aldi washing powder or washing liquid, both are really good.


I try not to buy too much cheese but can recommend their Camembert and the blocks of mature cheddar are great for cooking and sandwiches/cheese on toast.


Also been perfectly happy with Aldi meat especially steaks, gammon joints and FR chickens.

LondonGal

Hear, Hear Poppy. Home Bargains loo roll 18 rolls £3.99 and better than any of the 'best' brands (Andrex, Velvet etc.....) Very good quality indeed.

N1AK

ScarletMarble wrote: »

Refuse to buy value meat products. The supermarket's value mince is like 23.5g fat per 100g. I rather have quality over quantity with meat.

Erm...
Tesco Everyday Value Mince 19.8% fat
Tesco Mince 19.8%

Now you could buy lean mince, or steak mince, instead if what you care about is fat content, though there's nothing that requires either of those to be 'better' meat.

Pretty much all the meat we buy these days is from 'value' ranges. It's a little annoying that they over-inject frozen chicken breasts with water to bump up the weight but even that can be worked around quite easily when you're used to it.

There's a couple of brands we'll always choose over generics. Shampoo and mayonnaise for example. But even then I force myself to try and down shift from time to time because recipes change.

NoGoodNamesLeft

I prefer Aldi washing powder to any of the big names, but I like Fairy or Persil washing up liquid.
I often prefer value range tinned food (beans, soup, etc) and I think the branded versions often taste very salty.
I don't usually buy value mince or sausages, but I do look for cheaper cuts like beef shin which often has more flavour in a stew than steak. I agree that Aldi free range chicken is very nice. Aldi also do the only 'cheap' sausages that I like.

AnnieO1234

Eurgh to the PP suggesting buying the expensive dish sponges because tey last longer. Yes, they're last as a brilliant breeding ground for things like campylobacter. I use the cheap ones (15p for 5 or whatever) and they get used today and binned today.

Aldi's washing powder is brilliant on whites but I prefer Ariel liquid for most washes. Also won't compromise on Lenor.

That said, I buy value tinned toms, beans for stews etc. Once it's all thrown in the pot it makes not one difference.

X

Idiophreak

I used to by value washing up liquid, but used about 40 times as much, so switched back to fairy.

I always buy Andrex (Shea Butter), just because my botty deserves it.

I buy the "pure" milk (cravendale et al) - it's a little more expensive, but worrying about gone off milk is a thing of the past and one thing of milk lasts a week easily.

Aside from that, I'll buy what's cheapest and looks nice.

SailorSam

anotheruser wrote: »

Washing powder, well I use own brand Gel as it foams better than powder, which doesn't always dissolve.

I use soap nuts which are more economical than washing powder and eco-friendly.

EndlessStruggle

We use the tesco value fabric conditioner, it's 90p for a huge bottle and has a lovely smell and doesn't make me itch like a lot of the others do.