Poll Time: Are you planning to keep buying private label when the economy settles?

[kleenex]

https://www.grocerydive.com/news/consumers-will-keep-buying-private-label-attest/643637/

From link:

As inflation and higher prices have impacted consumers, 73% of people have acquired a taste for private label brands and plan to keep buying them even as the economy improves, according to a study from Attest provided exclusively in an early look to sister publication Food Dive. Just 9% said they will not stick with private label options.

___________________________________________

I certainly have moved a few items over to a lower cost private label item in the past couple of years.

 

[dragnlaw]

It depends on the taste differences. If I've grown accustomed to the different taste, then I'll stick with it. If they were really gross, I probably paid the higher price in the first place.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

I have my list of products that I regularly purchase, and they haven't really changed much pre or post-covid so long as I could get it. I gotta tell ya though, I did alot of my shopping online and had it mailed to our P.O. box with little to no shipping cost.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I started shopping Aldi in the mid-1980s, so "private label" has been my regular routine for decades. During the earlier years the quality was irregular, so I still bought many name brands in the other grocery stores. Now, though, many Aldi items are as good as or better than major labels.

 

[blissful]

There are so few things I buy that even have labels at all. What I can think of: lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, olives, and many spices. I mostly use generic when I can get it. Olives I use Lindsay brand for green ones.
Private labels use different flavor additives and herbs/spices. Most of the herbs/spices, and some additives can be purchased separately. Then you can make what you like. I do have things like citric acid, calcium citrate, agar agar, tapioca starch and arrow root powder, xanthan gum, and probably many more, that are used to get certain textures.

 

[dragnlaw]

CG, you have to remember that many of the store brands are actually made by the big guys. Hence the similarity in taste.
When I think about it, like you, I've always bought the cheapest, ergo house brands, for years. With, as I've said, the exception.. if it tastes horrid then, no, whatever tastes best.

 

[cookiecrafter]

Here's how I shop. Like you, the high prices are getting to me. Lots of people get paid the first week of the month. The grocery stores don't have to compete for business with sales and everything is expensive. I only buy what I need and never stock up the first week. The second week, a few sales are to be had. The third week and more competition among the stores and more sales. The fourth week and people wait for payday and the stores offer their best sales.

I try to cover the first week with a meal plan that I buy during the fourth week. During the 2nd and 3rd weeks sure I buy the sales. The fourth week, I try to buy for two weeks.

 

[pepperhead212]

I can't think of any canned goods I eat generics of, that I don't like, and have to eat brand names of. Many condiments, and especially Asian type things, I've developed preferences for, but haven't really seen generics of those, though there's cheap stuff like the stuff I call "fake" soy sauce, that I won't use.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I know that, @dragnlaw. The bread baking company my Dad worked for made a couple private label breads way back when. Dad retired in 1974!

 

[taxlady]

Depends on availability, flavour, and ingredients. If it's cheaper and meets my criteria, sure, I get the generic brands. I have done that for decades and I do it in hard times or soft times.

Sometimes the private label stuff is better. Pecan chews come to mind. Both President's Choice and Selection private labels make pecan chews that I actually find taste even better than Turtles. I remember getting used to the ones from President's Choice. Then one day, I bought a Turtle candy bar at the local dépanneur (convenience store). I tasted it and wondered why it wasn't as good as usual. Then the penny dropped. Ah, this is an actual "Turtle", not just a "pecan chew".

 

[Aunt Bea]

I try to shop for value.

I will continue to experiment with different brands and price points to find the products that are best for my needs.

“Economy is a distributive virtue, and consists not in saving but selection. Parsimony requires no providence, no sagacity, no powers of combination, no comparison, no judgment.” ​

- Edmund Burke​

 

[GotGarlic]

Here's how I shop. Like you, the high prices are getting to me. Lots of people get paid the first week of the month. The grocery stores don't have to compete for business with sales and everything is expensive. I only buy what I need and never stock up the first week. The second week, a few sales are to be had. The third week and more competition among the stores and more sales. The fourth week and people wait for payday and the stores offer their best sales.

I try to cover the first week with a meal plan that I buy during the fourth week. During the 2nd and 3rd weeks sure I buy the sales. The fourth week, I try to buy for two weeks.

Weird. The stores here have sales that change every week.

 

[Marlingardener]

Our local grocery has weekly ads, and we take advantage of anything offered at a lower price, if we use it. We also get the store brand for most canned goods and for some ingredients (e.g. baking powder).
We shop "smart" if we can, but have known to be a little profligate for cheeses!

 

[dragnlaw]

Ooops, yup, nailed it Marlingardener. I'm a sucker for cheeses too. I've been burned by house brands many times. But you have to try them, you never know when you'll be surprised.

 

[taxlady]

Ooops, yup, nailed it Marlingardener. I'm a sucker for cheeses too. I've been burned by house brands many times. But you have to try them, you never know when you'll be surprised.

I'm a sucker for cheese too. There are some cheeses that I consider staples (Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino Romano, cheddar, feta, blue cheese, cream cheese). Then there are cheeses that we like and also buy. I try to buy as much of it as possible on specials. I have had pretty good luck with store brand cheese from Métro, Voilà-IGA, and the President's Choice brands. I can only remember having one horrible cheese from private label brands.

I sometimes find that I have far too much cheese. Sometimes it's getting doubles of the staples, when I shouldn't have but, more often it's just getting greedy when something really good is on special.

 

[GotGarlic]

I know I won't be buying Kroger's French onion dip again I'll stick with Lay's for this.

 

[emilymh2018]

For many things I have to, it's the only way to get my work discount unless they change it, which I'm hoping they will.