This is a question I have pondered. Is there a real difference in quality between major brands and copycat brands? Yes, there are some items of food/drink that have a massive gap in quality and taste. One of those products would be coke. Cheap brands of Coke will never match up to the taste of Coca Cola or Pepsi, it's just not possible. However, there are certain foods such as Chips where I don't really see the difference. The huge difference in prices really makes me wonder, if all we are paying for is the brand's name. I assure you, our stomachs don't know the difference! Do you agree?
I think you are right, it depends on the food. There are some foods I will buy the generic and don't notice a difference, produce, canned vegetables, milk etc. And some things that I only buy brand name; ketchup, soda, juice and things like that.
I've changed a lot of my food and drink from named brands to generic. In some cases, I find the generic brand superior. For example, I've never been keen on Heinz baked beans - they're too sweet for me. My favourite brand is sold by Aldi, and it's less than half the price of Heinz beans. One area I won't compromise on is teabags. I've tried several brands, and they're not a patch on Tetley's. I also agree that nobody can make cola like Pepsi - I prefer it over Coca Cola.
Each brand of a food or beverage tends to taste very differently. With some items, I do not mind...but with some, you just cannot compromise. However, price does not often dictate which one tastes better...we just all have different tastes I think. I am trying to buy local, closer to home so that the food is not too heavily processed etc... However, I would say that for me, brand does not matter (in most cases).
Many things is doesn't have any quality difference in. I have actually found though, that if I purchase my items from a discount warehouse club like Sam's Club, I get the name brand for cheaper than the store brand.
It does depend on the item. One item that I do insist on getting name brand is Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese. I have tried other medium cheddars to save money but Tillamook is by far the best and to me, it is worth the extra cost.
I have to say I'll only buy name brand coffee (either Cafe Caribe or Bustelo) and I'll only buy name brand cheese. Everything else, I find that the generic is just as good.
I think it depends on the item. I buy a lot of Kroger store brand stuff (salsa, cheese, etc.), and I have actually kind of developed a preference for the store brand. There are some brand names that just can't be beat - Philadelphia cream cheese is one that I can think of. Heinz Ketchup is another. Some seasonings, like the packets of taco seasoning and stuff like that.
My opinion is that it depends on the generic brand. Some generics taste like monkey doo while others are basically the same as the name brand. I've noticed this in canned vegetables. However, there's some things that I have yet to find a generic brand to match the name brand. I think that Kraft Mac&Cheese just cannot be matched!
I am not in favor of copycat brands. It's not about the copyright thing. It's more like I doubt the copycat brand would be concentrating on quality because their main aim is just to cash in on the popularity of the brand they are copying. I would rather much prefer to buy a less popular brand or even a generic product without a brand.
It just depends. Most times, I would rather the generic. It generally tastes the same, is a fraction of the cost, and has the exact same ingredients. There are obviously things that -do- matter, though, like the soda example you gave. My mom only likes Helman's mayo, too, so she doesn't buy offbrand.
Why I will not buy sodas - brand name or copy cat Whether it is a quality brand name or a cheaper copy cat product, if it comes in a bag, box, bottle, can, jug, or jar it contains toxins that will make you ill and hurt your chances of healing. Every processed product contains additives, preservatives and colorings that are toxic to your body - especially those with sugar / fructose or corn syrup. Scientists have discovered that sugar (any amount at all) has the ability to shut down signals to your brain that tell you that you are full. Food manufacturers love this. It means you keep on eating and their profits go up. Everything has sugar in it. Scientists say it is not the calories or the carbs that is causing an epidemic of obesity, it's the inability to stop eating. If you want to avoid the toxins in processed foods, then do not buy any processed foods that come in a box, bag, bottle, can, jar or jug. Not only is it toxic but it tastes nothing like the original food. On top of that, they have genetically modified the bitterness out of our whole foods so we will like the taste. But that bitterness is the natural antibiotic that Mother Nature has given us to stay healthy and to heal when injured or ill. Think fresh raw or lightly steamed veggies, free range chicken / eggs, and lots of fruit (not juiced as the pulp is important). Find a well or spring water source and keep the minerals in your body that we were meant to retain. Processed water (even reverse osmosis) has chemicals in it (chlorine from tap water) and if distilled, it will cause minerals to be leached from your body which lowers your immune system. The worse thing you can consume, of all things, is hydrogenated vegetable oil which is in almost all manufactured / processed foods. See this 2 minute video as to why:Log In
Whoever mentioned the Heinz ketchup. That's another big one for me. Cheese is a good generic brand, but ketchup is a non-starter for me. Heinz all the way!
You have to figure out which generics are good by trial and error. But one thing that worries me sometimes, is safety. Remember when all that pet food from China was killing pets or making them sick? It was mostly the cheaper brands, right?
It really depends on the food item. I mostly do my groceries at Traders Joe's. Its store brands are really great. Sometimes, the store brand is better than the national brand. Even though it's a healthier food store, I still read the ingredients to make sure it fits my qualifications.
