Oh God, no

I do miss Vanilla Coke though, it was nice as a change every so often

To be honest, I don't think such a thing exists in packet form so you may as well buy the cheapest.

I've tried various others, and one in particular was the most vile substance I've ever consumed despite being branded by a famous chéf.

Wasn't the Ainsley Harriot stuff by any chance was it?

Yes, that's it! I was trying to remember who's grinning face was on the box...

Own brand food is fine for some things. Sometimes they're produced by the same places that make the branded items in any case.

I'm a fan of getting cold meats, especially salami, from Lidl or Aldi as well. At least you can get some proper German stuff. It always amazes me how little real choice there is in UK supermarkets, in Austria and Germany the cold meat counter is generally the size of a small town.

I am a big fan of own brand food. I do not even bother with the premium ranges. I have found that the basics ranges can be acceptable for many things. Though certain stores own brand goods can range from excellent to ropey. It is just a matter of trial and error.

+1.

I find things like crisps, cornflakes and fizzy drinks to be noticeably different than their branded counterparts. Things like toilet paper, kitchen rolls, milk, eggs (free range), cordials - I will buy the supermarket's version. Everything else I will buy branded.

The differences between own brands can be huge. Some own brands are better than proper brands, and some are appalling.

Exactly what I was about to post.

The cooked/cured meats in Lidl are superb (especially the salamis and the smoked ham). The cheeses (especially the Edam & Gouda) actually taste like they're supposed to i.e. not like rubber. The confectionery is what you'd buy on the continent (Lebkuchen etc.). They also stock the Swedish pickled herring in mustard sauce that I'm very fond of.

As for other supermarkets, Morrison's bacon is woeful and Tesco's Pesto is unspeakable. Aside from that, I never buy branded produce - it's usually a rip-off.

Own brand food is like own brand bogroll - not quite what one would choose given the option.......

Al

I really like the continental foods that Lidl do, but some of their British foods are revolting. I also love their Swedish pickled herring in mustard.

It depends on what you are buying.

Coffee, I always buy Dallmayr Prodomo, the "own brand" is naff - heck, most of the other branded stuff isn't that good either.

Same for Roiboos tea, I usually buy a branded one, although Plus' Roiboos with Strawberry is good.

Ketchup - there is only Heinz

Cornflakes - there is only Kellog's

For the rest, the own brand stuff can be fairly good. But it is trial and error.

That brought back memories. I used to like them as a kid and then hadn't eaten them for about 20 years. I tried them a couple of years ago and it was like eating a bowl of salt, very weird how you get use to things.

I do prefer the Kellog's cornflakes to any others but find I can tolerate the ASDA bargain range. It really ends up being a matter of trying something to see if you can notice. Martin Lewis estimates that you can save 15% by dropping down a level in brand. Do it with enough items and the savings mount up.

I don't think that's the best method. Just because something doesn't taste exactly the same does not automatically make it unpleasant. It's largly a question of what you're used to, so if you started out with Tesco Value you'd probably think that brand names "taste weird".

For what it's worth, I rather like the Value cornflakes. I also like the value fruit 'n' fibre. I don't eat either though, because breakfast serials aren't really good for you. It's all carbs and chemicals.

We eat far too much grain and dairy in this country. You're better off with fruit for breakfast.