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Atlanta Bargain Hunter

Store brands: smart shopping or waste of money?

10:57 am July 16, 2009, by Rana Cash

Which store brands supplant the power of name brands when you’re grocery shopping? The answer is probably more than in past years. In an economic crunch, shoppers are more apt to grab the grocery brand over the bigger ticket products that used to fill the pantry.

From milk to paper towels, store brands have made a resurgence during the recession.

“We find customers are shopping more for what they need versus what they want,” said Kroger spokesperson Meghan Glynn. “And they are definitely cooking at home more often, so they are looking for ingredients to prepare and eat meals at home. As a result, they are more willing to try store brands.”

Store brand purchases have surged during challenging economic times. Photo: Rich Addicks

Store brand purchases have surged during challenging economic times. Photo: Rich Addicks

Indeed, sales of store brands surged more than 10 percent in 2008 to a record $83.3 billion, according to industry data from the Private Label Manufacturers Association compiled by The Nielsen Company.

The savings can be sizable. Additional PLMA research showed store brand over name brand shoppers can save up to 30 percent. Items with the biggest gap, between 50-60 percent: aspirin, sinus spray, soda, saltine crackers and body lotion. Cereal and ice cream savings were around 30 percent, while store brand dog food was about 25 percent cheaper.

Publix has made monitoring its store brands, including label design and quality control, a major part of its focus.

“Publix Super Markets’ strategy in developing our private label items is to create products that will compete with national brands on quality and taste,” said Atlanta-area spokesperson Brenda Reid. “We have an ongoing campaign in our stores where we invite customers to purchase the national brand item and get the Publix private label item free. We want customers to try our brands to compare quality and taste in hopes that they will purchase and try more of our private label items in the future.”

Consumers want to save money without sacrificing quality. They are trying store brand products, keeping the costlier items on the shelves.

Hot items at Publix:
Milk, white bread, water, eggs, deli rotisserie chicken, deli fried chicken and southern potato salad.

Hot items in metro Atlanta at Kroger stores:
Milk, eggs, water, paper towel, tuna in water, white bread, hot dog buns and butter.

Which store brands are your favorites? Which wouldn’t you recommend? Have you switched to store brands for any of your purchases lately? Most important, was it worth it?

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19 comments Add your comment

Melynv

July 16th, 2009
11:42 am

I recently tried a Kroger pasta sauce($1.15) and my family enjoyed it. Compared to Prego($2.20), which is what I usually buy. If you’re penny pinching sometimes it’s good to compare name brand and store brand items. It’s more about quality for me.

Stan

July 16th, 2009
12:15 pm

I have no problem with most store brands, the exception to the rule is the Kroger brand coke and diet coke, but I think that is cause they are based on the pepsi line…boo pepsi :)

Mel

July 16th, 2009
12:16 pm

The name brands we buy are: trash bags, freezer bags and toilet paper. Everything else is fair game.

itamazesme

July 16th, 2009
12:17 pm

I buy alot of store brands. With food items, I compare the ingredients and if they are similar I get the store brand. I have run into some store items that lack quality as well as taste, but for the most part to save money – I buy generics.

Stephanie

July 16th, 2009
12:33 pm

I wish Kroger or Publix had a program like the Lowes Foods e-Offers progam. To bad they are only in the Carolinas. They have great store brand products that are significantly cheaper then the name brands plus they have a digital couponing program that gives additional savings. Currently they have about 130 digital coupons. Many of those are for store brand products making them even cheaper.

E

July 16th, 2009
12:34 pm

My father, who was a truck driver for 26 years and delivered to food manufacturing plants across the country, says a lot of the store brands and name brands are manufactered at the same facilities. So you’re getting the same products (maybe minus some key ingredients in some cases, but oftentimes not) at different prices.
I always shop at Kroger, and would recommend: Kroger brand milk, all breads (sandwich, buns), deli meats (comes in containers) Kroger Premium Ice Cream, pasta sauce, spaghetti, canned vegetables, canned chilli, cereal, cheese (deli-style that comes in a resealable pouch), french fries, union rings, hash browns, instant potatoes, instant flavored rices (or other side dishes), prepared salad, salad dressing, and drink mix (the store’s version of Crystal Light).
I won’t recommend: store brand refrigerated cookie dough, refrigerated cinnamon rolls, soda, and potato chips.

Jan

July 16th, 2009
12:42 pm

I buy lots of store brands-Kroger Cereal, Diet Dr. K (can’t beat it at .69 per 2 liter!), deluxe mac & cheese, sauces, breads, milk, eggs, cheese. This list goes on. I have yet to be disappointed.

Andrea

July 16th, 2009
12:43 pm

I have really tried store brands vs. generic and have really spent time and effort to get (what I consider) real test results. I have secretly switched items on my family to see if they know the difference.

Thumbs Up Cereals: Malt O Meal cereals. Much cheaper. Now, when testing cereals of Kroger brand vs. Publix brand, the Publix brand won every time.

Thumbs Up Peanut Butter: Publix
Thumbs Down Peanut Butter: Kroger – tended to get oily too quickly.

Thumbs Up Bread: Publix
Thumbs Down Bread: Kroger & Wal-Mart (my family didn’t like them)

Thumbs Up Condiments: All scored well (taste)
Thumbs Down: While the taste was good, the Kroger and Wal-Mart brands have a higher concentration of sugar per serving.

Frozen Dinners: I only tested these b/c I try not to give that to the family. I take them for lunch sometimes. NONE scored well with me.

Frozen Veggies: All scored well. The Kroger spinach for some reason is very watery. Overall, no complaints.

Milk: Whatever is on sale!!!

Butter: I am an avid baker and I found no difference with baking when using the generic brands vs. the name brands (Land o Lakes).

Sandwich meats – Try to get the deli when available, because ALL of them, name brand and generic, have too much liquid (which adds sodium).

Salad dressing: No difference. My family could not tell the difference between the generic brand and the name brand.

Crackers/Croutons:
Thumbs Up: Publix brands
Thumbs Down: Kroger brands

Thumbs Up Paper Towels: Wal-Mart brand and Publix brand.
Thumbs Down Paper Towels: Kroger – too much lint residue.

Thumbs Up Cleaners – Publix, Kroger, Target, & Wal-Mart all scored well, except the items listed below. I tested kitchen and bath products.

Thumbs Down Cleaners: Kroger brand window cleaner. Kroger brand pine cleaner.

Now, I could go on, but the best non-name brand I have found is the Costco brand. Their stuff is very good and well priced. Since I do have a family, the bulk sizes work well for us.

I have also found, that when you use your loyalty savings along with the manufacturer’s coupons, you can come out equal to or in some cases cheaper than the generic brand. It is work to clip the coupons and match the sales, but the savings for me have been worth it.

AfraidOfYourOwnShadow

July 16th, 2009
12:46 pm

I find that the quality of most PUBLIX and CostCo (labelled as Kirkland) store-brand products OFTEN is at least equal to – and in some cases superior to – the National Brand. The one exception I have found is Publix COOKIES (NOT bakery – the packaged competitor to Keebler etc) tend to have a bit of a hard “chemical-like” taste to them rendering them inferior. I will NOTE that I have NO PROBLEM substituting Publix Soft Drinks (12 pack of cans = $2.79) for the big name sodas – mostly prised around $4.69/12. All other products, work for me and save me money. With the National Brands – you are paying for all those commercials.

Tyree

July 16th, 2009
12:50 pm

I go the big box Sams warehouse club and buy there non perishable store brand items and find they work equally as well as the name brand items. To save money I also split the annual membership with a relative too. An example being toilet paper, aluminum foil, paper towels, laundry detergent and alike. Kroger has very good dairy products, canned goods, breads, and other assorted items that cost less without any sacrifice on quality. Publix is equally as good if not superior in the dairy avenue. I actively search out the house brands to save money. For some unknown bizarre reason the only item I won’t fudge on it ketchup. I must have Heinz. Go figure.

Rana Cash

July 16th, 2009
1:07 pm

Guys, thanks for the suggestions. I’ve started trying a new store brand each week, and have yet to be disappointed. This week: Publix brand dishwashing liquid.

Turd Ferguson

July 16th, 2009
3:12 pm

Im waiting for Rana to come over and cook dinner.

Deb L.

July 19th, 2009
4:36 pm

First, let me say, how excited I was to see a message board not full of negative attacks on other people! Woo hoo! Everyone posting here is honest and friendly, you’re all awesome! I personally, could not make my weekly budget and meal plan work without store brands. I do buy a lot of WalMart brands products and haven’t been disappointed by much, other than laundry detergent. Malt Omeal cereals someone mentioned are great alternatives to the expensive box brands and I’ve got four kids who have never complained about any of them…. we especially love the Honey Nut Scooters and all the shredded wheats. I will say we like Yoplait yogurts but they’re easy to find on sale. There is a store in Canada I love to visit when I go see my mom, it’s called Bulk Barn and I’d give anything to have one here. They sell dry goods out of big barrels and you just fill bags and containers (supplied by the store so they’re clean). Anything from cereal to dog food to flour, croutons, cookies, candy, granola, detergent… you just buy a scoop of this or a scoop of that and ten scoops of something else if you need it…. the coolest part, you’re not paying for all the advertising and excess packaging. We are definitely in a period of time where we really can’t afford to be putting extra money in advertisers/marketers pockets…. I know they’ve gotta eat too, but seriously, I’m glad to see people being smart about stuff!

Norvee Michelle

July 20th, 2009
2:57 pm

I love kroger brand food and even toiletries such as lotion and hand soap. I shop there most of the time.
@Stephanie If you shop at Kroger and use your Kroger plus card when you make purchases, Kroger will send you custom coupons for what you purchase often. They’re sent probably about once a month or so, and are extremely helpful.

Christina

September 8th, 2009
5:40 pm

I always buy store-brand milk. Shredded cheese is about 50/50. Everything else, I bargain shop. I almost always can stock up on BOGO sales and combine with coupons, to make the national brands less expensive than store brands. When the BOGO sales hit, I buy as many as I think we’ll use in 6-8 weeks (the approximate time between like sales), or before the expiration date. Most of the store brand items, I have no problems . . . I just shop in a way that I get the other brands for less.

I think that Kroger and Publix brand ice creams are very good . . . as good as the nationals. But again, I only buy when I’m getting BOGO with a coupon, meaning the national brands end up costing less.

Check out these sites for tips on how to shop at rock-bottom prices: http://www.southernsavers.com
http://www.moneysavingmom.com
http://www.thethrifymama.com

itsme

September 8th, 2009
6:23 pm

We try all the store brands. We recently switched to Kroger brand soft drinks. Like the diet cola and lemon-lime, but especially the Dr. K. Kroger recently went up 20 cents on a 12 pack, but still a better deal than Coke products. We are not fond of Publix brand soft drinks, but use just about all other Publix store brands. We also like Wal-Mart powdered diet drink mixes. The economy has returned us to our childhood… drinking Kool-Ade again.

North Fulton Mom

September 9th, 2009
2:59 pm

Kroger has a policy (Publix probably does, too) that if you do not like their store brand you can return it for your money back and get the name brand of that item for free.

Store Brand Fan

September 9th, 2009
4:19 pm

Kroger brand Raisin Bran is as good or better than any other. $1.77 for a large box.

Publix fan

November 3rd, 2009
4:10 pm

I refuse to shop at Kroger or use any of their products. The quality is atrocious compared to Publix (especially with their meats and veggies and generic products), Publix, however, has surprised me every time with the quality of their products. I was hardcore anti-generic until about a year ago and now, if Publix makes it, I will buy it over the National Brand. People always complain about how expensive Publix is over Kroger but when it comes down the what I am putting in my families bodies, I do not compromise on quality.