Are big brands just the Sain? SHOP TALK.Byline: Ruki Sayid THE latest phase of the Sainsbury's price war sees the chain taking on the big brands with its own cheaper versions. Sainsbury's hopes to tempt tempt v. tempt·ed, tempt·ing, tempts v.tr. 1. To try to get (someone) to do wrong, especially by a promise of reward. 2. shoppers to dump family favourites Successor to the wartime show Forces Favourites, Family Favourites (also known as Two-Way Family Favourites) was broadcast at Sunday lunchtimes on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2 and the British Forces Broadcasting Service until 1980. for its cheaper ownlabel products. The next round of the Sainsbury's Switch and Save campaign aims to prove to its 18.5 million customers that its standard food items cost less but are just as good on quality and taste as the market leaders. Backed by TV ads and consumer tests in stores across Britain, Sainsbury's reckons it can knock 20% off an average family grocery bill if shoppers switch. But if you're used to spreading Anchor on your toast, drinking Ribena and eating Heinz beans, will supermarket own brands measure up? Switching to save cash makes good money sense - but some things in life, like your favourite ketchup, might be non-negotiable. We put Sainsbury's to the ultimate taste test and tried typical basket items against their premier league rivals. Sainsbury's Butterlicious (500g), pounds 1.05 Anchor Spreadable (500g), pounds 2.20 Price difference - pounds 1.15 Butterlicious had that just-churned, buttery flavour and spread on toast easily and matched Anchor for taste. On sarnies or with toast and jam no one would know you were serving Sainsbury's unless they had a peek in the fridge. SWITCH Sainsbury's Baked Beans (420g), 48p Heinz Beanz (414g), 64p Price difference - 16p Both had similar, plump haricot beans and on the plate there were no signs they had come from different tins. There was little to separate them and the family could not tell which was which. Just 16p between them. SWITCH Sainsbury's Tomato Ketchup (485g), 89p Heinz Tomato Ketchup (20% free 570g), pounds 1.63 Price difference - 74p Sainsbury's was a little vinegary - not noticeable on chips. Heinz was smoother but by the time both were smothered smoth·er v. smoth·ered, smoth·er·ing, smoth·ers v.tr. 1. a. To suffocate (another). b. To deprive (a fire) of the oxygen necessary for combustion. 2. on food, you'd be hard - pressed to single one out as the big gun. SWITCH Sainsbury's Rice Pops (440g), pounds 1.11 Kellogg's Rice Krispies Rice Krispies (known as Rice Bubbles in Australia) is a brand of breakfast cereal that has been produced by Kellogg's since 1928. They are made of rice grain which is cooked, dried and toasted. These kernels bubble and rise in a manner which forms very thin walls. (450g), pounds 2.27 Price difference - pounds 1.16 Sainsbury's were bland compared to Kellogg's, which had a deeper, baked taste making the Rice Pops seem as if they were missing an ingredient. Almost twice as dear but may be worth the expense. STICK Sainsbury's High Juice, Blackcurrant blackcurrant Noun a very small blackish edible fruit that grows in bunches on a bush blackcurrant n → grosella negra blackcurrant black n (one litre LITRE. A French measure of capacity. It is of the size of a decimetre, or one-tenth part of a cubic metre. It is equal to 61.028 cubic inches. Vide Measure. ), pounds 1.14 Ribena (600ml), pounds 1.86 Price difference - 72p Same colour, smell and taste - these were impossible to tell apart and with a 72p saving and a bigger bottle, it's a no-brainer. SWITCH Sainsbury's Light Strawberry Yoghurt (200g), 39p Muller Light Strawberry Yoghurt (200g), 52p Price difference - 13p Sainsbury's was a slightly deeper pink but both had plenty of strawberry bits. Sainsbury's was a little runnier and sweeter while the Muller Light was milkier and more, er yoghurty. You may want to pay the extra 13p for Muller. STICK Sainsbury's Fairtrade Drinking Chocolate, (500g), pounds 1.59 Clipper clipper, type of sailing ship, designed for speed. Long and narrow, the clipper had the greatest beam aft of the center; the bow cleaved the waves; and the ship carried, besides topgallant and royal sails, skysails and moonrakers—a veritable cloud of sails. Fairtrade Organic Instant Hot Chocolate (400g), pounds 2.99 Price difference - pounds 1.40 Sainsbury's needed milk while Clipper was made with hot water. It is pounds 1.40 cheaper - but it needs milk. Better taste but not value for money. STICK Sainsbury's Cornish ice cream (two litres), pounds 2.14 Wall's Cream of Cornish (two litres) pounds 4.09 Price difference - pounds 1.95 Wall's seemed packed with air, had little vanilla flavour and turned to paste in the mouth. Sainsbury's was far superior in texture and the rich, creamy taste made this an outright winner on all counts. SWITCH |
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