Own brand products that are just as good as the branded version

Money Savingbob_0a1astarted 30 Mar6 replies

bob_0a1a

30 Mar

I've been on a mission to switch to own brand where possible and honestly some of them are identical to — or better than — the branded version. Here are my top swaps so far: **Aldi:** - **Norpak butter** → literally the same as Lurpak, made in the same factory - **Specially Selected coffee pods** → better than some Nespresso ones imo - **Bramwells mayo** → blind taste test winner over Hellmann's in our house **Lidl:** - **Cien moisturiser** → constantly wins awards vs premium brands - **Deluxe dark chocolate** → easily rivals Lindt **Asda:** - **Just Essentials chopped tomatoes** → 28p vs £1 for branded, zero difference - **Extra Special sourdough** → better than most bakery loaves **Tesco:** - **Finest sausages** → genuinely excellent, beat most butcher's sausages What are your best own brand swaps? I want to build a definitive list!

alice_86e4

30 Mar

The Aldi Norpak thing is 100% true — I worked in food manufacturing and can confirm it comes off the same production line. Different wrapper, same butter. My additions: - **Aldi Lacura serums** → dupes for The Ordinary at a fraction of the price - **Lidl W5 cleaning products** → as good as Cif/Flash, costs about 60p - **Sainsbury's own paracetamol** → literally the same drug, 30p vs £2 for Nurofen The biggest scam in the UK is branded painkillers. It's the exact same active ingredient by law.

stevenall_325d

30 Mar

Mate you're sleeping on Aldi's wine selection. Their **Exquisite Collection Malbec** (£6.49) has won more awards than wines five times the price. I buy it by the case now. Also their **Specially Selected pesto** is better than Sacla and half the price. We did a side by side and nobody picked the branded one.

eve_0544

30 Mar

For parents — **Aldi Mamia nappies** are genuinely brilliant. We switched from Pampers and saved about £30 a month with zero difference in quality. The wipes are great too. Also **Lidl Lupilu baby food pouches** at 65p vs Ella's Kitchen at £1.50+. My kids can't tell the difference and honestly neither can I 😅

peteroyalexander_9a82

30 Mar

One thing I will say — not ALL own brand is good. Some misses for me: - Aldi own brand ketchup → no substitute for Heinz, sorry - Lidl own brand crisps → not a patch on Walkers - Tesco Value bin bags → false economy, they split every time But overall switching saves us roughly **£200 a month** compared to buying all branded. That's nearly £2,500 a year. Life changing money.

magicdaddy_e062

30 Mar

Can't believe nobody's mentioned **Costco Kirkland**. Their dishwasher tablets absolutely destroy Finish and they're about 8p each. The bin bags are industrial strength too. Their olive oil is award-winning and half the price of branded. You need a membership (£35/year) but it pays for itself in about two shops.

vispink_2042

30 Mar

Adding my favourites: - **M&S Dine In for £12** beats most restaurant meals - **Tesco Finest frozen pizzas** are honestly restaurant quality - **Asda Extra Special ice cream** is better than most branded tubs The thing with own brand is it used to be the cheap rubbish option but supermarkets have invested massively in their premium ranges. "Extra Special", "Finest", "Specially Selected" — these are genuinely premium products.