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View Full Version : Are you a brand slave??



cedarblue
Nov 11th, 2007, 01:06 PM
when buying items (vegan friendly obviously! :rolleyes:) do you buy the branded item or plump for the own brand version.

when i'm ££ flush i buy the best i can afford and own brand stuff at other times - although there isnt really any method in it...

...so, what do you only buy certain branded items??

e.g.
i ONLY buy heinz tomato ketchup
hp brown sauce
heinz baked beans & spag hoops etc..


and i buy own brand malt vinegar.

what about you - are you a brand slave and why?? :)

harpy
Nov 11th, 2007, 01:12 PM
Interesting one. I don't think so. I look for stuff that's organic and (if applicable) fair-traded, and that doesn't have a load of additives.

Having said that, if I find a brand that meets these criteria (e.g. Biona tinned beans as discussed in another thread) I might grab it the next time without properly investigating the alternatives, just out of laziness I suppose.

Tigerlily
Nov 11th, 2007, 01:33 PM
I'm not a brand slave to food at all! Actually,maybe I am since I do prefer store brands more than brand names most of the time. Like Quaker instant oatmeal has milk but the generic doesn't! And there's a generic brand here that does a bunch of vegan cookies (like fudge covered shortbread cookies) and they are all vegan, unlike the brand name cookies they are copying. :)

MarkAnthony
Nov 11th, 2007, 02:53 PM
The only brands I think I consistently stick with are Heinz for ketchup and beans and Alpro Soya for milk. The former because I know they're going to be vegan (and they're the nicest on the market in my opinion) and the latter because they have sound ethics and make the best soya milk. :)

Gorilla
Nov 11th, 2007, 04:47 PM
it can be easier to stick to tried and trusted brands because you know they're vegan, although i sometimes find myself checking the labels anyway to make sure they haven't suddenly changed the ingredients. :rolleyes:

recently i haven't had much time to get to my usual shops so i've been buying the best possible options i can find when i have time to go shopping.

Spud Addict
Nov 11th, 2007, 04:53 PM
I always buy Heinz organic ketchup and Alpro soya, but mostly because of the taste I think. Brands don't usually worry me either way otherwise. I like a lot of co-op's own brand stuff.

flying plum
Nov 11th, 2007, 05:01 PM
interesting we're all the same about heinz and alpro. i'm not sure i'm a 'brand slave' int he sense that i'm not a snob about it. pre-vegan days, i always thought sainsbury's own-brand tinned rice pudding was way nicer than ambrosia...

i tend to buy particular brands because i like them, but i'm not averse to trying others, especially if they're on offer!

amanda

cedarblue
Nov 11th, 2007, 05:04 PM
funnily enough, i am not a brand slave about soya milk; i don't go for branded ever, usually asda,sains or waitrose own brand unsweetened. alpro is too sweet for me.

sugarmouse
Nov 12th, 2007, 12:07 PM
I buy whatever is cheapest, unless I like the taste. I find it usually isnt much different, but sometimes.
I always feel I am feeding the fat cats buying branded stuff...I feel the same about Alpro too.

Pob
Nov 12th, 2007, 01:51 PM
The brand doesn't come into it at all, except where it's a brand I am boycotting (Nestle, Proctor & Gamble). Other factors matter most to me, such as is it: organic; british/local; low in salt; palm oil free; hydrogenated fat free; fair trade; reasonably packaged; gm-free; artificial chemical free; caffeine free; healthy; tasty; reasonably priced.

Whatever scores the most on my weighted list is what goes in the basket.

Haniska
Nov 14th, 2007, 02:13 AM
I buy whatever is cheapest and vegan. However, I refuse to buy certain brands of vegan ice cream because some of them are not good in my opinion.

piggy
Nov 17th, 2007, 11:14 PM
i buy what's cheapest...and i have to admit that i do it partly because i hate being a brandslave/other brandslaves...i get so irritated by the fact that people whenever they dont get something right, put it down too the "poor quality brand" they used....then they end up buying overpriced stuff just coz of some tv ad telling them day in and day out that brand x is the best. my only exception..umm..chocolate :p

Mr Flibble
Nov 17th, 2007, 11:18 PM
My stance is roughly that of Pob, except I sometimes choose to support companies that I like and want to see succeed.

In terms of non food items I often buy from brands that I know to be ethical and in general produce high quality/value for money items, over a brand that I either don't know or know has a crappy reputation.