A Tesco shopper has been left gobsmacked after taking on the Money Saving Expert's Downshift Challenge.
The Money Saving Expert, founded by Martin Lewis, has been issuing advice on how people can save money, especially as experts warn we're facing a cost of living crisis.
One challenge to cut costs is to buy supermarket's own-branded products and try to tell the difference in the taste.
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According to MSE, you could save 30 per cent a year without a noticing a difference.
Journalist Alexandra Bullard took on the challenge and writing for My London, she admitted that she was "a lover of all things Kellogg's and Heinz".
Alexandra was intrigued to see whether she would find a difference is taste and cost.
Her supermarket of choice was Tesco, who have a variety of different categories for the challenge such as Tesco's own brand, Tesco's Finest, Hearty Food Co. and The Grower's Harvest for example.
Going in with a list of essentials, Alexandra spent less than £15 for 14 items - a huge saving as households in the UK try to negotiate against the soaring costs of living.
Here are the items that she bought:
- Stockwell & Co 24 Wheat Biscuits 432G (74p)
- Tesco 6 Crumpets (25p)
- The Growers Harvest Long Grain Rice 1KG (45p)
- Tesco Oat Drink 1L (£1.00)
- Tesco Squeezy Honey 340G (£1.80)
- Tesco Coconut Milk 400ml (90p)
- Tesco Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce 420G (35p)
- Tesco Clementine Or Sweet Easy Peeler Pack 600G (£1.35)
- Tesco Vegetable Soup 400G (50p)
- Growers Harvest Pure Apple Juice 1 Litre (69p)
- Hearty Food Co. Tomato & Herb Pasta Sauce 440G (39p)
- Tesco Tuna Chunks In Brine 3X80g (£2.00)
- Hearty Food Co. Spaghetti Pasta 500G (20p)
- Tesco Smoked Salmon 120 G (£3.00 Clubcard price)
Total Cost: £13.62
The shopper praised the vegetables and tinned foods, and said that there was "virtually no difference in taste" compared to the branded alternatives.
However it was the breakfast selections that shocked her.
Being a self-claimed big fan of Warburtons crumpets and Weetabix, Alexandra was "apprehensive" about trying the Tesco-own crumpets and Stockwell & Co equivalent of Weetabix.
However, just like the tinned foods, she found that there were no difference in the crumpets and although the cheaper biscuit cereal was smaller in size and the packaging was less appealing, it passed the taste test with flying colours.
She added: "I couldn't believe I had been paying more for years."
Other products such as rice and honey, where Alexandra would pay for the brand giants version, have seen her convert her to the lesser-named alternatives thanks to taste and cost.
There was one product, though, that could not beat the well-known favourites and that was the humble tin of Tesco Baked Beans.
Upon eating them, Alexandra "was horrified at how bland and watery it was" and that she will stick with Heinz during her next shop.
Overall verdict : "I highly recommend adopting this into your weekly food shop".
