In an economic climate marked by inflation , more and more consumers are turning to private label products. But are these less expensive alternatives really advantageous?

william à midi

20/09/24

An increasing trend

In 2023, private label products experienced a historic increase of 13% in Europe. This increase can be explained by several factors:

1. Inflation is pushing consumers to look for cheaper alternatives.
2. Distributors have expanded their product range, now covering almost all categories.
3. Marketing efforts by distributors have intensified, with advertisements visible on television and on posters.

Price: a definite advantage but with some nuance

The main attraction of distributor products remains their lower price. However, it should be noted that inflation has affected these products more than those of major brands. Although still cheaper, the price gap has narrowed.

Quality: possible surprises

Contrary to popular belief, the quality of distributor products can sometimes equal, or even surpass, that of major brands:

• Some products are manufactured in the same factories as those of major brands.
• Distributors invest in labs and testers to refine their recipes.
• In some cases, such as ham, distributor products may have fewer additives and a more local origin than their big brand equivalents.

A striking example is ham: A big brand ham contains many additives and is of European origin (German and Spanish). Whereas a distributor brand ham is French, without antibiotics, with fewer additives, and also cheaper.

Beware of discount products!!

We should not generalize: some discount products can be of significantly lower quality. The example of shortcrust pastry illustrates this difference well:

The big brand dough contains classic ingredients (flour, butter, water, sugar, etc.). In the discount dough, the butter is replaced by vegetable margarine. It contains more additives and even colorings.

Choosing between branded and store-bought products is not an easy decision. While store-bought products often offer good value for money, it is important to be vigilant and compare labels . In some cases, paying more for a big brand may be justified, but it is not a hard and fast rule.