wff_ng_7 wrote:
> "Switch" > wrote:
> > Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >
> >> I think it depends on the item. When you say "generic" are you talking
> >> about store brands?
> >
> > all of em
> >
> > if you wanna stay on top you gotta produce the best
> >
> > this is why i pay a tad more...I know they are striving tooth and nail
> > to bring me the best
>
> I hope you know that a lot of "generic" products, as in store brands, are
> produced by the very same companies as the store brands. One recent example
> I came across was powdered laundry detergent. The boxes was identical (other
> than the name), the scoops was identical, the contents were identical. One
> box was a major name brand, the other the store brand.
>
> Aside from laundry detergent, here are some of the many products where I've
> found the store brand to be equivalent (or sometimes better) than the brand
> name:
>
> butter
> Cheerios cereal
> Rice Krispies cereal
> Rice, Corn, Wheat Chex cereal
> corn flakes
> mustard
> cookies
> extra virgin olive oil
> shortening
> salt
> sugar
> flour
> fruit juices
> tissues
> dishwashing liquid
> dishwasher detergent
>
> Sometimes things might be "different", but one is not necessarily "better"
> than another. Even two brand names of the same product might be different,
> such as Post Raisin Bran vs Kelloggs Raisin Bran. I remember a coworker
> who's husband wouldn't eat more than the first spoonful of the store brand
> of a common breakfast cereal she had bought. She ended up having to throw
> out the rest of the bowl and the rest of the box because he didn't like it.
> As I had eaten both and knew them to be virtual equals, I found it to be
> very amusing. I'm certain her husband had been brainwashed by all the
> marketing and didn't have an open mind judging the products.
>
> If you want to waste your money and be under the spell of the major brands,
> be my guest. I evaluate every product for myself.

Exactly. Some store brands of frozen veggies are great, others are all
broken bits and stems (twigs and seeds...). I'll take issue with you
about the tissues, tho. The name brands seem to have a lock on
softness, which when my families noses are red and sore, is very
important. Whether we need printed boxes or antigerm dots is another
matter.<g>

Cereals all seem to b mostly the same, altho some of the oat circles
are more cardboardy than others.

Cat litter--do you like dust? Does your cat? Some of the store brands
(and a few of the name brands) are worse than Oklahoma in the 30's.

Produce? depends on the store and time of year. Pricerite is usually
less expensive for almost all produce, and they usually have good
quality. I think in that area, it depends on the buyer for the store.
The local Stop&Shops all seem to have the same display equipment, but
some of them have garbage on the racks, and others have ok stuff. That
holds true for the employees as well. If management is good, the
employees are mostly good. If management is bad, the employees will
often take it out on the customers.

YMMV
maxine in ri