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by qwaz84 on February 26th, 2007

qwaz84

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Do you only buy brand name products, or do you think the generic products are equal in quality? Can you tell the difference? (food, cleaning products, etc.)

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Answers. 21 helpful answers below.

  • by romelang1 on February 26th, 2007

    romelang1

    I buy both, but once I've tried something in a generic brand I'll stick with it if it is OK. I'm all for saving money where I can! My latest big discovery is generic 'Triple Choc Biscuits'. They are only slightly smaller than the big brand name, and taste so similar it is not worth bitching about. And the price? $1.45 Vs $3.55.
    Generic toilet rolls and tissues are a bit scratchy, and the coffee is ordinary. Breakfast cereals are OK, cleaning products are OK, sanitary products, cling wrap & alfoil, condiments, icecream - all OK. Laundry Powder not so good. Crackers and biscuits are good. Try generic products, you might get a nice surprise how well they taste or work, and you'll save heaps of money!

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  • by CuppyCake is actually missing Ohio... on July 21st, 2007

    CuppyCake is actually missing Ohio...

    It really depends on what the product is. I have certain things I always buy store brand and certain things I always buy name brand.

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  • by MelindaWarren on July 21st, 2007

    MelindaWarren

    Which ever has the better price. Unless it mustard - French's only please and A1 steak sauce...only the best!

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  • by Shelby on July 21st, 2007

    Shelby

    It depends what I'm buying, but mostly generic. I buy brand name dishsoap, peanut butter, bread, shampoo, feminine products, and a few other things.

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  • by rdrainer on July 21st, 2007

    rdrainer

    Brand name. I know the FDA is probably responsible for assuring quality in all food items, but when the manufacturer charges more because better ingredients cost more, it's worth it to me.

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  • by Jenniferocious on February 26th, 2007

    Jenniferocious

    I buy some "generic" or "store-brand" items on a regular basis - things like canned tomatoes, canned veggies, I've tried most of them and they are just fine with me, so I will buy them if they're cheaper than the name brand I used to buy. There are a few things (cottage cheese, being one of them) that just aren't as good, in my opinion, so I don't buy those in the generic brand.

    I think mostly it's a process of trying and comparing them. When I find a product that is okay in the generic brand, I'll buy that. Otherwise, I'll continue buying the name brand.

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  • by Thundercleese on February 26th, 2007

    Thundercleese

    I buy generic if I know it is ok.

    Some are just as good as name brand, some have been very disappointing.

    It can be hit and miss.

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  • by Ender is back.. And slightly confused. on July 21st, 2007

    Ender is back.. And slightly confused.

    It really depends. I usually try and buy brand name because better ingredients means that you're getting a higher amount of energy from them.

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  • by Anonymous on July 21st, 2007

    Anonymous

    I buy mostly generic, but there are some branded foods I always choose over generic (like Coke, Heinz Ketchup, mayo, salad dressings, tea bags). Generics are fine, but they so take experimenting with to determine if they are as good as their brand name equivalent.

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  • by BrokeDog on February 27th, 2007

    BrokeDog

    I tend to by the brand name products, (but only if they are on sale and I have a coupon), because I can tell the difference. It drives my wife crazy. She is always trying to trick me. It's worked a FEW times, but for the most part, I can tell the difference.
    And, I don't care what anyone says, there is a lot of generic prescriptions that can't even compare to the brand name Rx. Believe me, (as a person that has been on maintenance drugs for years, (blood pressure, allergy, acid reflux, many pain meds., etc.), some brand name drugs just have something different about them, and I can tell it.
    So, I like brand names on everything if they are on sale and with coupons.

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  • by Sian23 on February 27th, 2007

    Sian23

    There are some things we'll buy in a generic version, or 'store-brand' version, and I can tell no difference in them at all. These are usually cleaning products and over-the-counter medicines. Some 'store-brand' versions of foods are just as good as any name brand.. some 'store-brand' versions are actually BETTER than their name-brand counterparts. And some have such a small difference, it's almost impossible to tell. So the bottom line is you just have to try them for yourself and see which ones you have to have the name brand for, and which ones have equal quality 'store-brand' versions. Certain items I can think of right off that we MUST have the name brand versions of are Campbell's Soup, soft drinks (have yet to find a generic one that's not poor quality), lunch meat, Kleenex or Puff's, Charmin TP, and Bounty paper towels. There are others, those just come to mind.

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on February 27th, 2007

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    I buy a bit of both. Toilet tissue, serviettes, canned tomatoes, tissues, tacos, tea, UHT milk, cat food, tuna, lemonade,sorbolene,bandaids,disinfectant, sponges and cleaning items would generally be generic. as an italo-australian family, we don't touch generic pasta-there is a biiiiiiiiiiig difference. tinned fruit is usually a brand name because we buy natural juice ones and there is not one in generic. same with soups because of the salt. toothbrushes, hair stuff, washing liquid, coffee, is usually all brand because of preferences and quality.

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  • by Starmaster on February 27th, 2007

    Starmaster

    For some items, I prefer brand names. For others, like over the counter medications, store brand names and generics are as good and the price difference is significant. I buy athlete's foot medication, like Tolnaftate instead of Tinactin and Clotrimazole instead of Lotrisone and they are as good, take care of the problem as fast while paying sometimes less than half the price. The same with mouthwash, Equate (Walmart) instead of Listerine, and it costs 1/3 the price. I can't tell the difference, it is basically 21% alcohol, so it is just burning fluid with a mint taste...

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  • by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on February 26th, 2007

    8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009

    For most consumables, I try the generics at least once. Some are as good as the name-brand. Most aren't, but they are usually at least tolerable enough to use normally until I can get the 'real' thing. Batteries and automotive maintenance items are an exception; NAME-BRAND ONLY!

    For durable goods, I believe the old maxim, "Buy cheap, buy twice". There are very few things I will go non-name-brand on,a t least without some serious research.

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  • by Firebrand on February 26th, 2007

    Firebrand

    I buy Brand name in some things but like to try some of the generic products . I am very allergic so i have to be careful what new products i try

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  • by cellar-door_26 on February 26th, 2007

    cellar-door_26

    My sister can taste the difference. I can't.

    Sorta makes you wonder if it all a market ploy to overcharge prices on certain foods. Making the consumer believe a certain product is better than another, all for corporate greed.

    Either that or I may have forgotten to take my normal pills this morning.

    :)

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  • by Someone on July 21st, 2007

    Someone

    In food whatever tastes better. In other things, whatever works better. If they work or taste equally, the generic would be fine.

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  • by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on July 21st, 2007

    P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines

    I buy generic for everything if I can. And here's why before I worked retail I used to think name brand was better. I though that because of the name they used better ingredients and better quality control. Then when I started working retail I asked about it because so many of the women I worked with were sudjesting customers buy the generic stuf over name brand. Turns out the geniric and the name brand are made in the same processing plants and with the same ingredients. And more then likely came from the same batch. Just a diffrent package. The name on the back is not where or who acctually manufactured the product, but the home office of the company the brand is from. The only real diffrence is the names of the ingrediants used. The name brand will use a more consumer friendly term where the geniric will use a more industry geared one. The only time this is not true is if the name brand has a patent on the formula. And even then some will sell it to a generic producer for a cut of the profits. This is especial true for beauty and household products. I've even seen some where the name brand owns the company that produces the generic product. It's a shell game. If you are buying name brand you are realy are just paying for a name and a fancy package not getting a better product.

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  • by jollytrade on September 16th, 2009

    jollytrade

    i also buy name brand copies,there are many this kind of website , they supply good quality goods but with low price.like this one www.clothes-supply.com.
    i use paypal to buy many thing from there.

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  • by kidalbino on July 21st, 2007

    kidalbino

    generic unless the brand name is on sale for cheaper than the generic.

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  • by bulc84 on October 11th, 2007

    bulc84

    Interesting, I just looked at the bottle of listerine and some generic brand and the ingredients were identical. I always try the generic brand once. Sometimes its just as good, other times its poor quality.

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