‘Generic’, ‘own label’, ‘home brand’, (whatever you like to call them), are products that carry the name of the supermarket or no brand name at all. They are also cheaper than the well-known brands.
But did you know that for many products, the only difference is the packaging? This is especially true for pantry items such as flour, sugar, and rice. Well-known brands often manufacture products for generic labels, so you really have nothing to lose.
The best way to see what you are getting, is to look at the ingredients and nutritional panels on the back of the generic products and compare them with the well-known brands. These generic products are produced under the same quality standards as the branded products and on many products, the only difference is the price you pay.
See below for a brief comparison of prices on popular supermarket items.
400g Tinned tomatoes
Generic: 80c
Well-known brand: from $1.40
1kg Plain flour
Generic: $1.25
Well-known brand: from $2.50
1kg Sugar
Generic: $1.50
Well-known brand: from $1.90
1kg Long grain rice
Generic: $1.40
Well-known brand: from $2.00
500g Pasta
Generic: $1.00
Well-known brand: from $2.70
1kg Australian frozen chips
Generic: $2.00
Well-known brand: from $3.30
500g Australian frozen peas
Generic: $1.60
Well-known brand: from $2.35
The best thing is to give them a go and make your mind up for yourself. You could save a substantial amount on your weekly shop and no-one in your family will notice the difference!
