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Are value / Basic brands disappearing from the supermarkets?

trinidadone
trinidadone Posts: 3,356 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
edited 18 February 2017 at 9:38AM in Gone off!
Last month, while shopping in Sanisburys, I notice all the basic soups were reduce to 10p. I bought a few cans, and notice they are no longer on the shelves.

When I went into Tesco's to purchase fairy liquid, I notice there was no value brand fairy liquid on the shelves.

Tesco's value toothpaste was reduced from 25p to 23p today, and a yellow sticker underneath it, which read "clearance price".

The one liter value foam soap was reduced from 50p to 45p, again with a yellow sticker saying "clearance price". None of these products are damage, so I can only assume the supermarkets are discontinuing some of there value/basic products linr products - Thoughts please???
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Comments

  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    Yes Trin, have also noticed this.
    No more Value powdered dried milk in Tesco or Sainsbury. Replaced by something much more expensive.
    Also Tesco Cornflakes gone up massively in price. Was 25p a year ago.
    Also no more Tesco Value English mustard.
  • DigForVictory
    DigForVictory Posts: 11,974 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I'll guess they're aware of Aldi & Lidl & thus dropping the least profitable &/or least beneficial to their corporate image?
    Value Rice Crispies never were, but if the value jam fades, I may have to pay over 20 pence for a jamjar...
  • trinidadone
    trinidadone Posts: 3,356 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I guessd the only options for us money-savers is to either buy bulk when we realize our favorite value / basic brands are discontinuing, or purchase at the higher price :( Every little helps!!
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  • ceb1995
    ceb1995 Posts: 388 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Tesco seem to have less than they used to but fortunately I haven't noticed Asda dropping any of their value products, just means being more careful between Asda deliveries.
  • VfM4meplse
    VfM4meplse Posts: 34,269 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Is this not just part of seasonal variation? By that I mean clearing more shelf space to provide for more profitable lines that have a short window of opportunity? (Eg pancakes, Easter stuff etc). Supermarkets keep a sharp eye on weekly sales to maximise their bottom line.

    I'd be interested to hear whether the lines noted make a reappearance in the summer.
    Value-for-money-for-me-puhleeze!

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  • VfM4meplse wrote: »
    Is this not just part of seasonal variation? By that I mean clearing more shelf space to provide for more profitable lines that have a short window of opportunity? (Eg pancakes, Easter stuff etc). Supermarkets keep a sharp eye on weekly sales to maximise their bottom line.

    I'd be interested to hear whether the lines noted make a reappearance in the summer.

    Hello VFM4, I would agree that most supermarkets clear shelving, to make room for seasonal / profitable variations, however in this instance, the products being withdrawn are not linked to the seasons on this instance. Value washing liquid for example is all year round. The value products have been around for a number of years, and it is really sad they are disappearing, and from a moneysaving viewpoint, suicidal :) I agree the main stance for thje supermarkets is to generate more profit. The supermarkets we all visit do seem to act very similar like the energy companies, once one withdraws a product or increases the price on another, the others follow suit. I really like the basic / value brands, I would hate for them to disappear!!
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  • Doc_N
    Doc_N Posts: 8,461 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    These basic lines were originally introduced to compete with the low prices available at Aldi, Lidl and Netto, and it worked for quite a long time, keeping most people out of those stores. The perception was that low prices in these stores meant poor quality, so it didn't matter that the value lines weren't very good.

    Then it became clear to large numbers of people that Aldi and Lidl (not so much Netto, which has now vanished twice in the UK) did actually sell products which matched supermarket own-label, and even brands, in quality. It became very clear that their brands were far superior to the big supermarket value lines, at much the same prices.

    Once that became clear, and large numbers defected to Aldi et al, the game was up for the value lines. Who in their right mind would pay the same price for a 'value' line in a big supermarket as the equivalent product in Aldi or Lidl, when the Aldi/Lidl product was so much better quality?

    Tesco and the others can't afford to bring the quality of the value lines up to match Aldi and Lidl, so the only alternative is to quietly drop them - the game is up.
  • Wednesday100
    Wednesday100 Posts: 61 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 20 February 2017 at 7:40AM
    ceb1995 wrote: »
    Tesco seem to have less than they used to but fortunately I haven't noticed Asda dropping any of their value products, just means being more careful between Asda deliveries.

    I think ASDA has dropped it's Smartprice (value) Branflakes, Rice Crispies and Coco Pops. These were discounted to 1/2 price a couple of weeks ago. I've not seen them in-store since and they are not currently available on line. Disappointed, because these were a staple of my shop and perfectly good.

    According to the website there are still 204 Asda Smartprice lines still available: https://groceries.asda.com/search/ASDA%20Smartprice
  • jon81uk
    jon81uk Posts: 3,869 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Also don't forget that Tesco is trying to invent new brand names in the same way Lidl & Aldi do (nothing actually has Lidl as the main brand). The value vegetables are no longer Tesco Value but now Redbridge Farm (or similar). I think on washing up liquid they have a brand called Daisy in Tesco.
  • deely
    deely Posts: 383 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    there's a few basic type things I buy, not just for the cost but they often have less calories in! For instance, the basic tomato soups don't have the cream in so less calories and Sains spaghetti tins is virtually the same as weight watchers but less than half price - both great for an occasional treat
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