'Proper' brands v Supermarket versions

Esspee

I was interested to read some of you assume medications, regardless of brand must be identical.
I have experience of prescribed medicines not being equally effective when a generic version was (quite legally) substituted.
I therefore have no doubt that over the counter medications such as paracetamol, while containing supposedly identical active ingredients, might well have very different results.

That’s slightly different to paracetamol and aspirin though Espee. They are manufactured to the same specification.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/14RlXMhR7g7Dk09vK7YmWXl/are-more-expensive-painkillers-worth-the-money

I was interested to read some of you assume medications, regardless of brand must be identical.
I have experience of prescribed medicines not being equally effective when a generic version was (quite legally) substituted.
I therefore have no doubt that over the counter medications such as paracetamol, while containing supposedly identical active ingredients, might well have very different results.

NotSpaghetti

V3ra you may be interested to know that there is a regulation as to how quickly drugs enter your system. Apologies if you knew this (I only recently discovered).
... So for example Ibuprofen has to be 75% in your system after (I think) 40 mins.
The brands that state "fast acting" have to come in quicker than that. I think I read 25 mins.

If your soluble paracetamol variety says "fast acting" it will work faster than regular paracetamol whether it is soluble or not.
If you are wanting the pain relief quickly I'd look out for the ones advertised as "fast".

Well I never knew that, thank you!

We've actually got three varieties of soluble/effervescent paracetamol tablets at home.
Panadol Actifast says it's "fast acting."
Panadol Extra contains caffeine and says it's "extra effective."
For all three varieties each single soluble tablet contains 21% of the daily recommended level of sodium for an adult, which I hadn't realised ☹️

Maybe I should go back to the plain tablets (though I don't take them that often), and read the leaflets inside the box more thoroughly ?

Oh I love cauliflower cheese!

One of my favourite things.

Sainsbury's frozen cauliflower cheese is brilliant, not expensive and gf.

I'm keen on sainsbury basic stuff, as a rule.

Their sage and onion mix is lovely.

Sainsbury frozen products are good value for money. Their frozen mashed potato and 500g bags of lamb mince are really good. Shepherd's pie anyone?

I really need to get this lidl washing powder.
I use Ariel for my whites, but I'm turning over a new leaf, I think.

Another shout for Lidl Formil laundry products, washing up liquid, Baresa pesto, Deluxe prawns - fresh and frozen. Am about to try their Guatemalan ground coffee. Their thick sliced seeded bread is goo too. Have tried their De Luxe bacon and it's good. I can't be precise about pricing, but these items are certainly cheaper than branded. Their sausages are quite good too.

I do like Warburtons crumpets.

All of the others taste too sweet.

I have used Lidl for years and think some of their offer is fantastic.
Having said that I think it's about what you like.

No point buying things you will just move to the back of the shelf every time you have a choice.
I have some horrible but expensive coffee that was a "treat" from my daughter that is always pushed to the back of the shelf with the horrible but cheap "own brand" coffee bought because it had great reviews.

Because I hate to waste anything I have been "cutting" my prefered coffee in a ratio of about 5 to 1 (nice to not nice) and trying to drink it that way. I can't face it all the time and my husband noticed it straight away without being told.
He says I should just bin it but I've recently discovered my "blend" is ok if you take coffee with milk!
I usually drink it black but got the frother out the other day and it wasn't bad. Not sure a that milk will make it a saving though!

I'm another one who finds Lidl's Nordpak is as good as Lurpack, and much cheaper. It is the lactic culture that is important with this type of spread.

The only products I buy branded are tea and crumpets. Otherwise Lidl's own products suit me fine.

I was at the Bisto factory once, many years ago. The Bisto brand and one for a supermarket own label were both going out from the same place, with the same product inside. Only the labels (and probably the price in the supermarket) were different.

I prefer Sainsbury's Real Mayo to Hellman's. I have changed to Sainsbury's tomato ketchup from Heinz. Try Branston's brown sauce, in my opinion much better than either HP or Daddies. If you're not sure try smallest size of any own brand and make your own judgement.

Our son in law says he would never eat anything from Aldi or Lidl. Recently we all went to a barbecue. The hosts were rather 'well to do'. SIL was wolfing down sausages and told the host they were fantastic and asked where they were from. His face was a picture when she said 'Lidl'!

kittylester

Don't the fast acting medications have caffeine in?

I don't believe so.. it's the way the drug enters the system.
There are rules about it as I explained earlier.

I just googled it and here's an article (from 2016 I'm afraid). There may be more recent ones. It doesn't seem to mention caffeine but does explain about the pharmaceutical "rules".

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/03/do-branded-painkillers-work-better-than-cheaper-generic-ones-iboprofen-nurofen

Aldi tomato sauce contains way more actual tomatoes than any other brand.
It's more runny, though.

I tried Lidl digestives once and they were really grim so I haven't tried any others. I find Waitrose own brands usually better than branded things but these prices have gone up too. I buy Waitrose sensitive unperfumed washing up liquid and add my own aromatherapy oils... usually peppermint and tea tree, as I dislike the smell of most of them.
My daughter turns up her nose at own brand tomato ketchup, baked beans and tomato soup but I think after 2 or 3 times of having the own brand you don't notice the difference.
It's about habit often rather than being 'better'.

I agree most Aldi own brands are as good as the main ones
With prices as they are it really is a no brainier !

Some own brands are fab, others not so much…you just have to give things a try and see what you think - one man’s meat is another man’s poison, and all that

I have used Aldi’s washing powder, dishwasher tablets and washing up liquid for quite a long time. They regularly come up as “best buys” in Which? Consumer magazine, and I’ve always found them extremely good. I also buy plenty of another “own brands” from various supermarkets. Why waste money?

Don't the fast acting medications have caffeine in?

I’ve always bought Andrews loo rolls and have their gone right down hill in quality shocking paper thin. I was visiting a friend and hers were really thick so I asked her where she got them and they were from Aldi. So I’m buying from them next time I need some. I have also always bought fairy but as just me I’m going to buy cheaper brands. I bought chocolate biscuits and my son said you still buying posh brands mum lol said no son Tesco’s own brand. 55p a pack other ones I buy are 2.00 I keep trying different stuff it’s trial and error.

In my weekly Asda delivery today, with the exception of Clover and Cadburys choc bars, everything is own brand, some the cheaper yellow range. Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't pay the extra for the big brands, perfectly happy with the supermarket brands