You wanna save money on groceries? Easiest thing ever — just buy the store brand. Seriously. People get all weird about it, like “ohhh it’s not gonna taste as good” or whatever. Most of the time it’s the same dang thing. And you can save, like, real money. Not just a few pennies. Half the time, it’s literally made by the same company. They just slap a different label on it because they know some people will pay extra for a shiny name. Anyway, I started actually looking into it — like, across different stores, different categories — just to see where it matters and where it doesn’t.

The perception that name brands are of higher quality is often a result of extensive marketing.

Cost Comparison Breakdown

Store brands are typically 15% to 30% cheaper than name brands. This price disparity primarily stems from the marketing and advertising costs that name brands spend, which are then passed on to the consumer.

So I thought it would be interesting to do some price comparisons on some popular grocery items to give you an idea of the savings store-brands can provide.

Health and Beauty

– Pain Relievers: A bottle of CVS Health ibuprofen (100 tablets) costs like seven bucks. Meanwhile, if you grab Advil, you’re looking at $9.49 for basically the same thing. Not even kidding — you save around 26% just by grabbing CVS’s version.

– Shampoo: Over at Walgreens, their store brand shampoo is $3.99 for a 12.5 oz bottle. Pantene Pro-V? Same size, but $4.79. Not a huge difference, but still — you’re paying 17% more just for the name.

See Also: Hate Coupons? Smart Ways to Save Without Using Them

Breakfast Items

– Oatmeal: Quaker’s instant oatmeal 10-pack runs about $3.67. Meanwhile, Aldi’s Millville brand? $1.59 for the same thing. Like, why would you not? That’s almost 60% cheaper.

– Cereal: Walmart’s Great Value corn flakes are $2.48 for an 18 oz box. Kellogg’s version? $3.98. Same size, just fancier branding. You’re basically throwing away 38% more cash for the name.

– Yogurt: A single Chobani Greek Yogurt is usually $1.19 a cup. Trader Joe’s version? $0.99. Same size, same vibe, just cheaper. Boom — 17% savings right there for doing literally nothing except reaching for a different label.

CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION

Keep in mind that the lower price of store brands does not necessarily mean lower quality.

Many store brands are actually manufactured in the same facilities as name brands, using similar or identical formulas. This is especially true with the Kirkland brand at Costco.

Baking Supplies

– Flour: A 5-pound bag of King Arthur flour will set you back around $4.79. Grab Walmart’s Great Value version instead? It’s $2.26. Same amount of flour, way less drama — and you’re saving over 50%.

– Sugar: Domino sugar is like $3.29 for a 4-pound bag. Kroger’s store brand? $2.19. You’re paying 33% more with Domino just because it’s a name you recognize. Sugar is sugar, let’s be real.

Dairy Products

– Cheese: Kraft Cheddar Cheese (8 oz block) retails for approximately $2.69. ALDI’s Happy Farms cheddar cheese, also 8 oz, is priced at $1.89, saving customers 30%.

– Butter: A pound of Land O’Lakes butter typically costs $4.49. In contrast, Trader Joe’s store brand butter sells for $2.99 per pound, cutting the price by 33%.

– Milk: A gallon of Kroger brand milk costs around $2.59, compared to $3.49 for a gallon of Horizon Organic. Shopping Kroger’s own brand saves about 26%.

– Ice Cream: Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream (pint) retails for around $4.39. However, Safeway’s Signature Select vanilla ice cream, also a pint, is priced at $2.99, saving consumers approximately 32%.

Condiments

– Ketchup: Heinz Ketchup (20 oz bottle) is priced at around $2.59. Walmart’s Great Value ketchup of the same size costs $1.00, presenting a 61% saving.

– Mayonnaise: Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise (30 oz) is generally sold for $4.29. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Real Mayonnaise of the same size is $2.89, offering a saving of about 33%.

See Also: Ultimate Cheat Sheet: All The Store Brands Made By Name Brands

Pasta, Veggies & Rice

– Spaghetti: A 16 oz package of Barilla spaghetti usually costs $1.29. Compare this with Target’s Market Pantry spaghetti, priced at $0.95 for the same size, saving shoppers 26%.

– Rice: Uncle Ben’s Original Rice (2 lb bag) is priced at $3.48, whereas Kroger’s store brand rice of the same weight costs $1.99, yielding a savings of 43%.

– Canned Vegetables: Target’s Market Pantry canned green beans are $0.55 for a 14.5 oz can, whereas Green Giant’s equivalent is $1.19. The store brand offers more than 50% savings.

Snacks and Sweets

– Cookies: Oreo cookies (standard pack) are typically $3.67. Publix’s store brand cookies of the same type are $2.29 per pack, offering about 38% in savings.

– Potato Chips: A 9 oz bag of Lay’s Classic Potato Chips costs $3.29 at most stores. Compare this with Publix’s store brand, which offers a 10 oz bag for $2.00, saving customers around 39%.

– Chocolate Bars: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar (1.55 oz) is priced around $0.89, while Dollar General’s Clover Valley brand is only $0.50 for the same size, representing a 44% savings.

Beverages & Coffee

– Coffee: A 12 oz bag of Starbucks ground coffee usually runs about $7.99. Or you could just grab Walmart’s Great Value coffee for $3.88. Same size, still gets you caffeinated, and it’s like 51% cheaper. Easy win.

– Tea Bags: Lipton’s 100-count box of black tea is usually around five bucks. Meanwhile, over at Aldi, you can snag their Benner brand for $1.89. Same 100 bags. Same cup of tea. You’re saving 62% just by not being brand loyal.

MANY STORE BRANDS TASTE BETTER

In blind taste tests conducted by several consumer advocacy groups, many store brand products actually OUTPERFORM their name brand counterparts. For example, Trader Joe’s O’s cereal has been frequently rated higher in taste and quality compared to Cheerios.

Frozen Foods

– Frozen Pizza: DiGiorno Original Rising Crust Pepperoni Pizza typically costs $6.99, but Target’s Market Pantry version sells for $4.50. That’s a saving of about 25%.

– Frozen Vegetables: Birds Eye Steamfresh Frozen Mixed Vegetables (10 oz) cost around $2.19, whereas Walmart’s Great Value brand offers the same amount for $1.00. Customers save approximately 54% by choosing the store brand.

Personal Care

– Toothpaste: Colgate Cavity Protection (6 oz) is usually around $1.67. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Fluoride Toothpaste, which offers two 6.4 oz tubes, costs $4.49. This breaks down to roughly $1.11 per tube, saving about 34%.

– Body Wash: Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash (22 oz) sells for $6.88. Comparatively, Walgreens’ store brand, Complete Home, sells a similar product for $4.99 for the same quantity, saving 27%.

See Also: Amazon Hack: Learn How to Find Cheap Alternatives to Expensive Brands

Household Items

– Laundry Detergent: Costco’s Kirkland Ultra Clean is $17.99 for 152 loads. Tide Original? $19.99 — and you only get 96 loads. Do the math (or don’t, I did it for you): Kirkland costs about 12 cents a load, Tide is around 21 cents. You’re saving like 43% just by not being a Tide snob.

LOYALTY HAS A PRICE

Despite the potential savings and comparable quality, some consumers remain loyal to name brands due to habits or perceived prestige.

But it’s TIME TO CHANGE your mindset. Many are making a permanent switch after realizing the value and it’s time for you to consider the same.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

Sometimes store brands actually beat name brands when it comes to the “good for the planet” stuff too — like organic certifications, eco-friendly packaging, all that — and they’re still cheaper.

Take Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value line, for example. A lot of their stuff hits the same (or even better) environmental and ethical standards as the pricey name brands… but without the crazy price tag.

10 Name Brands That Can Be Cheaper:

Finding times when name brands are actually cheaper than store brands? Not super easy.

But it does happen — usually during sales, promos, or if you’ve got a good coupon in your back pocket.

Sometimes name brands even end up cheaper than store brands, or at least close enough that it’s worth grabbing the “fancy” version.

Here’s a few times you’ll see it happen:

1. Cereal: Sometimes you’ll catch a big sale, like General Mills Cheerios for $2.50 a box. Meanwhile, the store brand might just be sitting there at $2.75. Score one for name brands (for once).

2. Pasta Sauce: Brands like Prego or Ragu love throwing out coupons. Knock a dollar off and you’re paying $1.50 a jar — which is right around or even less than the store brand that’s normally $1.75.

3. Diapers: Pampers, Huggies — the big guys — they’ll sometimes run bulk deals or loyalty perks that make them cheaper per diaper than store brands. Plus you might stack rewards points or cash-back offers on top, so it’s not always cut-and-dry.

See Also: 14 Cheap Grocery Stores You Need to STOP Driving Past

4. Soft Drinks: Coke, Pepsi — you know the drill. Around holiday weekends or big sports events, they’re everywhere on sale. Sometimes you can actually get name-brand soda cheaper than the generic stuff. Wild, right?

5. Bottled Water: Brands like Aquafina and Dasani will randomly drop prices during summer or at warehouse clubs. Sometimes they’re priced about the same (or less) than store brand water. Water’s water — grab the cheap one.

6. Toothpaste: If you’re smart with coupons, Colgate and Crest can end up being cheaper than the store brand. Especially for the basic stuff — you’re not paying for bells and whistles, just clean teeth.

7. Laundry Detergent: Tide and Gain are crazy expensive full price, but once they throw in a manufacturer coupon or some loyalty points? Per load, it can actually work out cheaper than the generic brand. Gotta do a little math, though.

8. Peanut Butter: Jif and Skippy are basically always on a BOGO cycle somewhere. With a sale or a coupon, you can sometimes snag them cheaper than store-brand peanut butter. Worth watching for if your house goes through PB like mine.

9. Chicken Broth: Swanson’s chicken broth gets crazy cheap around Thanksgiving. Like, cheaper than store brands if you buy a few at once. Stock up if you’ve got the space.

10. Baking Mixes: Betty Crocker cake mixes? Brownies? Sometimes they hit $1 or less on sale. At that point, you’re paying the same (or less) than the store brand and getting a little name-brand nostalgia on top.

TAKE THE LEAP

The next time you’re at the grocery store dive-in and buy a couple store brands that you’ve never tried before.

It’s really the only way to figure out if they’re a quality substitute as personal tastes vary wildly. The potential for savings is undeniable in a time where every dollar counts.

Ask the Reader: What store brands are you most fond of, both in terms of taste and price? Let me know in the comments.

By Kyle James

Kyle James( Owner/Founder )

I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)