Stiftung Warentest
The discounter variant is worthwhile for these foods
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More expensive is not always better. This is shown by the Stiftung Warentest: 25 own brands from supermarkets and discounters were examined in February 2023.
The Consumer portal chip.de presented some of the results of Stiftung Warentest. For the month of February 2023 were accordingly Among other things, potato chips, mineral water, olive oil, sausages, coffee, chocolate and butter were tested. The price difference between branded products and discounter brands was sometimes larger or smaller. Overall, it was shown that consumers could save significantly with the discounter brands in the test – and the qualitative difference was not very big either. The price difference for 25 branded and private label products was 39.48 euros, according to the consumer portal. This corresponds to about 34 percent.
Discounter or branded product: What speaks for what
According to the experts from Stiftung Warentest the quality level with the discounter own brands even slightly better than with the branded products, according to the consumer portal. The discounter variant achieved a grade of 2.7, the brands a 2.8. With regard to pollutants, own brands were just ahead of branded products (2.4) with a score of 2.3. For organic products, both variants achieved a 2.8.
In the long term, there are also differences in the quality of the products examined among the various discounters. This turned out to be the case in a meta-analysis by Stiftung Warentest, in which the results from July 2018 to November 2022 were evaluated. According to Chip.de, 1,414 products, including 786 branded and 628 private label products, were compared. The result: Lidl is in first place with a grade of 2.4. Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd took second place, followed by Edeka and Rewe in third place with the same rating. foster Categories included pollutants, germs and sensory quality (appearance, smell, taste and mouthfeel).
Rising prices affect both variants
Inflation has already seen price increases in many areas. Compared to branded products, own brands have often increased even more, explains Joachim Hurth, Professor of Retail Management. That’s because private label profit margins tend to be lower. Manufacturers of classic brands often have more leeway in this respect.
Nevertheless, the reputation of the own brands has grown more and more in recent years. “The image of the private label has improved over the years, with the positive results of Stiftung Warentest contributing to this.”, said Hurth in an interview with Stiftung Warentest. However, he does not believe that they will eventually replace the brands. “Both brands and trademarks have their justification. Diversity and variety are important assortment criteria,” the expert continues.
Sources used: chip.de, test.de