As the cost of living crisis rages on, many shoppers are doing anything they can to lower bills.
One thing that has been suggested is swapping out more expensive branded groceries for retailers' cheaper own-name products, as doing so can help you save in long run. If switching to value products seems appealing, Which? have published the results of their annual taste test of supermarket items, comparing them to their big brand counterparts.
The consumer site revealed some "brilliant budget picks" from several retailers including Lidl, Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury's. One value item was crowned the overall winner tastes better than a more well-known label. Sainsbury's Cream of Tomato soup which costs 57p per 400g tin - 14p per 100g - was rated better than the Heinz classic version, costing £1.70 a tin and 14p per 100g.
Tasters rated the flavour, texture, appearance and aroma were rated more positively than Heinz, despite costing a third of the price per 100g. It scored an impressive 81 per cent overall, versus Heinz's 69 per cent.
Findings show that switching soups can also mean big savings. According to Which?, If you get through two tins a week, ditching Heinz for Sainsbury's could save you more than £100 a year.
Other budget picks that came out victorious include Tesco's Tomato and Chilli Pasta sauce, costing 85p a jar which is significantly cheaper than a Jamie Oliver sauce that costs £2.75. Aldi's stone baked double pepperoni pizza, which is just £1.25 for a 330g pie beat Chicago Town's version that costs £3 per 320g.
However, Which? did highlight that some big brands were able to hold their own against their cheaper rivals. For example, branded spreads like Flora and I Can't Believe IT's Not Butter were the top picks in the dairy-free spread taste test.
It's still always worth checking prices before buying and give own brand products a try, as they may find a permeant place in your shopping basket.
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