'Proper' brands v Supermarket versions

Not really recently, no.

About 6 months ago, I'd say.

Crossed with you MissAdventure. Have you bought any really recently? maybe my last jar is a rogue one.

Sainsbury's do their own 'marmite' which at one point I preferred, but I think they've changed the recipe, and the last jar doesn't taste the same. Does spread a lot easier though.

I'm using a sainsbury alternative to marmite.
It's very nice, just a bit more runny.

Like Pitcity , almost no brands in my house except Marmite. The only exceptions are items like marmite, where there are no own brand alternatives, when brands are on special offer at a price below the price of the own brand, that has happened with butter and when the own brand is out of stock. We had a lot of Heinz salad cream, which I do not like very much, this summer because the own brand was out of stock for most of the summer.

My bottom is certainly not discerning enough to demand expensive toilet paper.

I think I've been using the same economy pack I ordered during lockdown.

NotSpaghetti I don't think my palate is developed enough with regards to pasta I do have my favourite shapes depending on the sauce it will be served with. Might not be correct in Italy but my bolognaise sauce is never served with spaghetti, I just don't think it 'grips' enough. Spaghetti goes nicely with oil based sauces in my opinion. I googled the names you mentioned, perhaps I'll try a 'posher' brand to see if I can tell the difference

Rosie51 I'm less bothered about brand names for dry pasta than I am the flavour and the way it holds my pasta sauce.
There is no comparison in my mind (mouth??) between supermarket own-brand type pastas and say, Granoro or Garofalo or some other genuine Grangano pastas. Waitrose no.1 does do a nice bucatini however.

I'm not so bothered if it's going in a macaroni cheese or a "pasta bake" though, to be honest.

Aldi’s Premium Magnum washing up liquid is better and much cheaper than Fairy or Morning Fresh. Goes a long way and gives a lot of suds. Heinz beans are a travesty - fewer beans in an anaemic sauce. Aldi are much richer and better. Their extra mature cheddar and Lancashire Farmhouse cheese are very good too. Ditto dishwasher tabs. I don’t buy supermarket tea or coffee, and wouldn’t swap Roses Lime juice for any supermarket brand. Nothing comes close. Border chocolate gingers are good but Morrisons are better. Own brand cereals are pretty horrible, especially quick cook porridge. Nothing beats Quaker.

kittylester

We buy Heinz beans, PG Tips, Napolina tinned tomatoes, Andrex loo rolls, Nestle GF cornflakes, birds eye petit poi's and McCain gf oven chips. Iams Cat food, Brabantia bin liners, persil washing liquid and Fairy liquid. .

I’m with you on the bin liners kittylester, it’s worth paying the extra because they don’t rip, and fit the bin properly. All the others I’ve tried are rubbish.

We buy Heinz beans, PG Tips, Napolina tinned tomatoes, Andrex loo rolls, Nestle GF cornflakes, birds eye petit poi's and McCain gf oven chips. Iams Cat food, Brabantia bin liners, persil washing liquid and Fairy liquid. .

Any shops own beans and tomato soup are far better than Heinz and so are their own cereals compared to Kellogg's.
I have tried all the washing up liquids I prefer Fairy it lasts longer.

I just wish Lidl or Aldi would deliver.
It would make life much easier.

As for McVities i have bought my last pack ever as they have just closed the Glasgow factory where they have been made for over 100 years and moved production to Turkey. Tesco Miss Molly digestives are far nicer and quarter of the price

Heinz is awful, there is more water than beans in a tin. Asda washing up liquid lasts for weeks and lidl soap powder is fantastic, so much better than Ariel

karmalady

waitrose essential sardines were gross but suitable for cats I suppose. Big coarse fish with rough scales

Suitable for cats? How insulting!

I'll have you know that my cats eat better sardines than I do!

They won't touch Aldi sardines - only Waitrose or Tesco. I made the mistake of buying 12 tins of Aldi sardines for them and they just turned their noses up, so I ended up with them.

I havent found a digestive I like as much as Mcvities, either.

Too sweet, and I like that slightly salty taste.

I tried own brand digestive biscuits instead of McVities last week…..they were horrible, too sweet and too crisp. Very disappointed.

I'll definitely check him out, thanks.

Have a look on You Tube for Bald Foodie Guy, who does many comparisons. The supermarkets ( especially Aldi) usually do well.

waitrose essential sardines were gross but suitable for cats I suppose. Big coarse fish with rough scales

I used to buy whichever branded products were on offer. When my income dictated more penny pinching I switched to all own brands. I love baked beans and tesco are my favourite. I use Aldi dishwasher tablets, washing powder and washing up liquid and all perform well.

Currently enjoying a box of M&S fruit and fibre cereal. It was £1.35 which is half the price of Kellogg’s equivalent. I suspect it’s the same cereal.

A few months ago I bought a jar of Tesco own brand “Gold” coffee as my favourite Nescafé had increased further in price. It’s only £3 for a large 200g jar. The branded equivalent is £6. I honestly can’t tell the difference.

I like Branston beans, but I need to check out some alternatives, just in case they're better.

I agree that tinned tomatoes vary, and I always choose Napolina or Ciro (who just had their plum toms from Puglia on special offer). We always buy Tesco French Coffee blend, as we like a strong cup. And, Lidl's washing powder and dishwasher tablets are excellent, and the powder comes in a cardboard box, so no plastic. Sainsbury's Assam loose tea leaves are good, but for baked beans only Heinz will do!

I eat the food I like whatever label it has, as for washing up liquid I've always bought own brand as I don't do any washing up by hand, it's used for cleaning paint brushes etc. Dishwasher tablets are fairy platinum. I have no need to try own brands if I'm happy with the current ones. I've tried other brands in the past and not liked them so I'll stick to my current ones. Each to their own.