Name Brand vs. Store Brand: Which Does Maine Prefer?

The rising prices of food and household goods are causing many of us to make the switch from name-brand items to store-brand items. The price differential of anywhere from 10 cents to 75 cents can and does add up when you get to the register.

But if you buy store brand vs. name brand items are you sacrificing anything?

My wife reminded me of this the other day when I came home from the store with store-brand English muffins rather than Thomas' English muffins. She just missed the nooks and crannies that weren't in the store brand.  However, some people preferred the store-brand because of the uniformity in shape and the fact that they toast easier.

And after 36 years of marriage, I just know that I should never come home with store-brand mayonnaise, rather than Hellman's mayonnaise!

So I decided to ask Facebook followers on my page and on the WDEA page, about their preferences, "name brand" vs. "store brand" and luckily they weren't shy with their comments, with over 200 comments!

Here are some of the highlights!

Store Brand on everything but toilet paper! As someone said, "Pamper my nose and my bum!"

Another item that there was a lot of consensus was on ketchup! Heinz was preferred over store-brand repeatedly.

We even had one person weigh in with the fact that Tanqueray gin is the only gin she drinks. Important to know with gin and tonic season right around the corner.

Someone chimed in that Kellogg's Raisin Bran has more raisins in it rather than the store-brand raisin brand.

One of my co-workers believes that Hannaford ice cream is the "best ice cream" and prefers it over the more expensive name-brand ice creams.

There was a good discussion and consensus that Cheez-Its, Triscuits, and Wheat Thins are superior over the store-brand  A teacher told the story of how she put store-brand Cheez-Its inside the name-brand box and the students wouldn't eat them because they said they tasted differently.

Much like toilet paper, Bounty paper towels were preferred over the store brand. It must be because it's the quicker picker-upper."

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Philadelphia Cream Cheese was the preference over the store-brand!

But there was someone who posted that store brands are the same as the name brand with the same ingredients and that the savings are because there's no cost of advertising etc.

But don't get everyone started on peanut butter! There are Jif, Skippy, and store-brand lovers. And then there are nuts and creamy fanatics.

Q-Tips were preferred over cotton swabs.

Did we miss any biggies?

Thanks to all the comments and responses! This gives me the idea to post a Friday morning poll. We will post a name-brand vs. store-brand challenge every Friday, with voting open over the weekend and post the results on Monday. So be on the lookout for this starting this Friday!