Safeway has it's own store brand products. Today, I bought their angel hair because a pack was on sale for $0.76. You can't beat that price. They also had a sale on ground turkey (50% off). So, I made spaghetti for dinner. What I have found about store brand products is that they are a lot cheaper than competitors. It's a way to grab customers. Plus, their packaging are plain. Some of them are really good. Others, so-so. What I got today.
Yes, I buy store brand products. But I try to compare how many ounces you get compared to the name-brand item. I have found at times the store brand price is cheaper but the product can be slightly less than the competitor. So with a coupon from the newspaper, you might be able to get the same price for more quantity. But this takes time to investigate. If I don't have time, and I haven't cut coupons, I figure, its best to go with the cheaper item and save the budget because we don't need an extra helping of pasta in the belly.
I tend to buy the store brand pasta unless it is on sale. Target have a well priced wholewheat pasta range which has a a high whole wheat percentage compared to other named brands. Staples like tomato ketchup and peanut butter I am happy to buy store brands as they are good quality and value. The key is to check the labels and compare them with similar products. The same goes for apple juice, I always get the store brand as you can see the ingredients are nearly the same.
If I haven't had the product first and not broke then not at first. I buy name brand and try it then buy the store brand the second time around. Then I pick my favorite and then buy that from then on. You'd be surprised at the number of brands that taste just as good or better than the high price name brands.
I really like Meijer brand products. I've done lots of blind product testing with my friends, which is actually quite fun. Most of the time, the Meijer brand is just as good (if not better) than the major brand competition.
My friends love the Meijer products, but really I've always preferred the store products. They're cheaper and that's a plus too, but in my opinion they just are better.
Yes, I buy store brand products all the time especially for products that are non-perishable. There are a lot of items like sugar or baking soda where you really can't tell the difference between a name brand product and a store brand. I think Target's Archer Farms, Up and Up, and Market Pantry brands are just as good if not better than the name brands.
