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2.3 DISADVANTAGES OF STORE BRANDS, PRIVATE LABEL PRODUCTS, GENERICS AT THE SUPERMARKET

These brands are often a little more inconvenient to find in the store, since the high priced brands pay for the eye level shelf space. The less expensive brands will be close by, usually on the bottom or top shelf.

Store brands are a mixed bag and can be made by numerous companies under the store's name. This means that a can of corn might be great, while a can of peas might be mediocre. Often you must test out each product on a case by case basis, although there are stores that carry consistently good in-house brands.

Since outside companies might package food for the store label, the store can change manufacturers without telling you. The packaging will still be the same, but the product may be quite different.

It can be difficult to recognize a store brand as they are often given attractive names to compete with the rival national brand products. Look carefully at the back of the package to find out who makes it. Generally if it's a name you don't recognize and it costs less, then it's a store brand. For example, the supermarket where I shop had three different names for its own brand of household soaps. I discovered this by finding the store's name in small print on the packages.

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