Are Value Buys a False Economy?

LondonGal

After a lengthy illness once, I worked in a cheese factory in an attempt to get back into work.

I remember well the list on the blackboard of that day's jobs. We started with say the Cheddar - a HUGE lump placed into the machine. We did the run for one supermarket, then changed the labels and packaging for the next (same cheese) and so on .........

Until recently we had a 'Sunjuice' based near where we live. It was the same there with the orange juice etc..... The same juice, changed packaging.

It makes you think ........

Anatidaephobia

Echoing what others have said but I wouldn't buy value meat either but pretty much anything else is worth considering. Especially veg and tinned food. I usually do buy own brand but not necessarily value range. I find it to be a happy medium between value and expensive recognised brands. I check labels for sugar content etc and sometimes find value brands to be the best one to buy, other times they are the worst. It depends on the item.

surveyqueenuk

pawsies wrote: »

Yeah definitely. It's great stuff and its the best toilet paper I've ever found It is scented too.

Another vote for Nicky here - aside from the price and quality, it was also the name of the school bully so I get an evil pleasure from buying it!

Rolandtheroadie

Washing up liquid really has to be Fairy.
I'm currently on a Magnum from Aldi, it's nearly gone in 2 weeks. The same size from Fairy, I'd conservatively estimate lasts us 6 weeks.

Rolandtheroadie

SailorSam wrote: »

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

More eco friendly perhaps, possibly ok for washing things through but not really capable enough for us.

TravellingAbuela

Poppy9 wrote: »

Home bargains Nicky loo roll, 9 pack for £2 is excellent. You don't need to use more, it's quite substantial and soft.

As well as the loo roll I also buy the Nicky kitchen roll. 2 huge rolls of thick, absorbent paper towel for around £1.15 (depending on where you buy it!)

http://www.nickytissue.co.uk/product/nicky_maxi_lemon_2_pack/96

Niori

I vary which shop I buy from, between Aldi, Sainsburys and Asda - I wish Aldi would do a 'free from' range.

Sainsburys basics Mayo - we all like this better than hellmans
Peanut butter, always the basics/smartprice range. I prefer sunpat, but the basics stuff is decent anyway.
I use Smartprice wash powder, and it's fine for both me (psoriasis and eczema) and my youngest (eczema). I do use stores own brand softener though, didn't like the value stuff.

Black bags to me are a false economy. The value type ones are so thin they break the second you put anything in them. I tend to buy a decent thickness for a bit more money.

Value chicken breast....shrinks so much. These days I buy all of my meat from my local butcher. Much better quality, and since I buy in bulk, it's cheaper. I did a price comparison between what I bought at the butchers, and what it would have cost had I bought it at the supermarket. A £100 would have turned into £140 so a decent saving there.

I always buy branded loo cleaner too, we have really hard water so the value type stuff just doesn't touch the limescale, and although vinegar does a decent job (even the smartprice stuff :P) I need to use an entire bottle almost so not really making a saving.

Horseunderwater

Value tinned potatoes & mushy peas are fine. Buy the val passata as it is right size for what we want. For cool washes I use val liquid & hotter washes I use powder with some soda crystals added. We use tesco white vinegar as rinse aid in D washer, buy the salt in bulk from a plumbers merchant. 20kg for under £15 - the tablets we got 400 from approved food. Use a fairy one just to help clean DW out now & again. I have bought val mine beef, but since next one up is now same weight for 25p more I go with that. 2 meals out of 750g. We buy val streaky bacon which is fine to put in a pasta sauce or risotto. Tom sauce is fine as are baked beans. However I do agree with Aldi/lidles range, it has much improved over the years. Nappies were always good & my daughter will be 19 in Jan, so that was a while back now LOL! Did use their wash powder/wash liquid as that was good too. Got a petrol strimmer from them a few years back now as it was so cheap. Sometimes you can find things other than groceries there, that are good value. Agree with loo roll/kitchen roll.

NoGoodNamesLeft

For toiletries I find that value brands are sometimes false economy. I have very long, thick hair and the value shampoo and conditioner brands tend to leave it dry and don't go very far.
I usually use Aussie which is expensive, but I only use about a third as much as with other brands so it's not too bad.

On the other hand, I love Aldi's Lacura skincare range and Lidl's perfume, but don't know if I would class them as 'value' ranges.

robin58

Niori wrote: »

Black bags to me are a false economy. The value type ones are so thin they break the second you put anything in them. I tend to buy a decent thickness for a bit more money.
.

Our local council in a money saving exercise stopped supplying black bin bags to the whole of the town where I live.

I have been trying out various value types to find on thats best for price and strength. So far I have found that Sainsburys Value black bag at a price of 50p for twenty are good.

Plastic does not rip as soon as you put something in them. Was a bit surprised at this as they do not look like they would hold up when you look at them in shop.

But do not buy Value ones from Wilkinsons . Tear as soon as you just look at them.