Here’s how you can save money on groceries by buying store brands

When you stand in front of a grocery store shelf, you’ll likely find a brand name can of peas right next to another with the store’s name on it.

You might be tempted to go with the more well-known brand – you know, the one you’ve seen in the advertisements – thinking that it offers better quality than the house brand or the 20% the cost savings are not worth the risk that the taste will not be the same. But you might want to think again.

Inflation has gone down, but the high prices are probably saving you where you can. And one money-saving method to consider is buying store brands, which are usually less expensive than name brands.

Money-conscious shoppers have been adding more private label products to their carts recently. In 2022, private label sales grew 11.3% across all product categories, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association.

Some of you are not convinced. A 2022 Consumer Reports survey found that 43% of shoppers said they buy private label occasionally or not at all, with some citing concerns about taste and others saying the price isn’t all that different from branded products. brand.

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Here’s what you need to know about store brand products.

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What are examples of private label?

Private labels, also known as private labels, refer to products that bear the name of the retailer and are intended to compete with branded products.

Some examples of store brands include Costco’s Kirkland Signature, Walmart’s Great Value, Whole Foods’ 365, and Trader Joe’s namesake label. Grocery stores, like Kroger, also have store brands.

You can find a wide range of private label products, from condiments and nuts to soup, yogurt, bread and frozen vegetables.

How much cheaper are private labels?

House brands are generally less expensive than branded products. But even if the price difference between store and brand is only pennies, the pennies add up in the long run, said Amy Keating, dietitian at Consumer Reports.

A Consumer Reports test, for example, found that shoppers can save more than 60% when buying house brand ketchup rather than the brand, Keating said.

“We found the biggest savings were at Costco, Aldi and Walmart, all about 50% less than the store brand on average,” Keating said, adding that Whole Foods had the least savings.

Do house brands taste the same?

Many store brands taste just as good (and sometimes even better) than the brand, according to Consumer Reports’ test of 70 products in various categories.

“They’re comparable,” Keating said. “You won’t find much difference in the flavor or ingredient or nutrition lists.”

Compare prices, labels if unsure

Shoppers need to feel confident trying store brands, Keating said.

If you want to know how much you save by choosing a store brand, compare the unit price (the price per ounce or pound) of the two items. And if you’re concerned about the nutritional value of the private label product, check the nutrition label for things like added sugar and sodium, Keating said.

“Take the brand you’re used to and head to where the store brand is and take a quick look at the nutritional information to make sure there are no negative trade-offs in terms of nutrition,” Keating said. .