How Brand Loyal are You?

[MineralMan]

I think I'm like most consumers. I have brands and specific products that I almost always buy. I do it without thinking, most of the time. If I want cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches, there's a specific Kraft brand cheese that works well, so I always buy that. But, sometimes I wonder how smart that is, since there's another brand right next to it, often a store brand that looks a lot like it and may be just fine.

The other day, I set off for the supermarket, grabbing the running grocery list that is right by the kitchen door, for whomever goes to the store. While shopping, I saw that the Raisin Bran Crunch my wife likes for breakfast was on the list, so when I got to the cereal aisle, I headed for the place that cereal always is. For some reason, the store was out of that exact product. The shelf space was empty. Next to where it should have been, though, was the equivalent store brand. The package said, Raisin Bran with Granola Clusters. I thought for a second, and grabbed the store brand. As I did, I noticed that it was almost a dollar cheaper.

As I expected, my wife mentioned that I had substituted something for her favorite product, so I explained. She shrugged. The next morning, she had a bowl of the stuff and said, "You know, I think I like this one better than the other."

And there it is. Maybe it's time to revisit some of the products I buy out of habit and see if there isn't a less expensive equivalent that is as good or better.

[tsuki]

1. Will only use Heinz vinegar when I make pickles. I use the cheap

stuff for cleaning.

[Nye Bevan]

2. Certain brands. Always real Scotch tape, for example.

Cheap tape is horrible and breaks and the amount you waste more than makes up for the lower price.

[MineralMan]

19. I used to use the 3M tapes, especially their packaging tape, from

the days I used to ship a lot of stuff. But, then I discovered Viking's brand. They're a box company where I ordered my shipping boxes. They have a heavy-duty packaging tape that beats the 3M stuff all hollow. And it's a lot cheaper, too. But you can't get it at your local store, and you have to order it in some quantity.

[lunatica]

3. I've been doing the same but for economic reasons

And I've noticed that often when stores carry their own cheaper brand it's just as good. After all, they're in competition with the big brands. It's the same with generic drugs which work just as well as the expensive name brand drugs.

[TheKentuckian]

4. I swear by Cottonelle but if it turns into crappy institution quality and drop it in a breath

I have preferences but little true loyalty.

[handmade34]

15. for your consideration...

http://tissue.greenpeace.ca/productSearchResults.php?category=1

Cottonelle is one of the worst

[MineralMan]

18. I buy Scott toilet paper. The 1000 sheet rolls.

We buy it in case quantities at Costco. Each roll is individually wrapped, and I think what we're buying is designed for the janitor's closet at businesses. It's not fluffy & soft, but it works fine and flushes easily. The soft stuff tends to want to clog the toilet. The Scott stuff is less expensive over time, since the rolls last longer than the soft brands.

[annabanana]

23. Yup.. I looked t their "tubeless" rolls.. but their count is less than half. . .n/t

[Dorian Gray]

63. With the advent of low flow

toilets, I started using the Scott, too. I prefer it now. The fluffy stuff leaves "residue" behind.

[Faux pas]

76. Scott used to be my favorite. If you notice the squares are

about half the size they used to be. A better equivalent is Walgreen's Big Roll. You can order it online if there's no Walgreen's near you.

[izquierdista]

5. Not at all

If I find something I like, I'll stick with it -- as long as it continues to have the price and quality that drew me to it in the first place. However, if the company decides to pull a fast one, like repackage it with less content, I have no loyalty and will drop them straight away.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. With some things, extremely. With others, not so much

always Kellogg's Corn Flakes, for instance. I haven't found an own-brand equivalent that's as good.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. I will use the store brand for some products, but there are others that I will always

opt for the name brand. I will try another brand from time to time to check it out, but if I don't like it as much or better than my usual brand, I don't buy it even if it would save me a few cents. With groceries, it's all about taste. With other products, it's about performance. Most times, it seems, you get what you pay for.

[Cirque du So-What]

8. It appears you're referring to Velveeta

I give my personal assurance - based upon long years of home trials - that the generic equivalent meets all quality criteria for the brand-name product. Buy a small package, give it a try, and if it doesn't meet expectations, you can report back and chide me publicly.

[MineralMan]

14. No, not Velveeta. That stuff's disgusting. The cheese I use

for grilled cheese sandwiches is Kraft's Deli Deluxe Sharp Cheddar. That's the only thing I use it for. Velveeta is great as catfish bait, though, and if you feel peckish while fishing, you can eat some of it. I tried it in the Mississippi in downtown St. Paul, and it worked better than a commercial stinkbait I had been using. For some reason, the catfish like Velveeta. Nasty stuff, otherwise, though.

[pipi_k]

31. Apparently...

I am descended from catfish.

I LOVE Velveeta...

:7

[MineralMan]

32. Check to see if you have gills on your neck....

:rofl:

[pipi_k]

65. Gills, no. Whiskers, yes.

:+

[Bryn]

35. That's same stuff that I like for my grilled cheese

but I now buy "Best Choice" brand Deluxe sliced American unwrapped just like Kraft Deli. They're as good and cheaper! Check with your supermarket & see if they carry "Best Choice" brand. p.s. I agree that Velveeta's disgusting. Barf!

[haele]

78. I get a block of Cooper's Extra-Sharp Cheese at the Commesary -

and slice it myself. I can get twice as many cheese sandwiches for about 75 cents and 2 minutes more work.
Tillamook works just as well, if you can get the sharp.

Haele

[Cirque du So-What]

48. Oops! No insult intended

Actually, I only have one specific use for Velveeta-type cheese: a holiday cheese ball that would be nigh impossible to make without a cheese-like product of that type.

[ClassWarrior]

9. Grocery store dry roasted peanuts are better than Planters or Fishers.

And I know someone who swears by generic steak sauce over A1.

NGU.

[justiceischeap]

10. There are just certain things that I have to have that I won't deviate from

Heinz Ketchup
Campbell's Tomato Soup
Kraft Mac & Cheese

I've tried cheaper substitutes for the above but they just don't compare, IMO. :)

As far as store brands, I've been under the impression that these are produced by the same manufacturer as name brand (but at slightly lesser quality) but packaged for the stores. Your example of cereal, it may be a darker batch of flakes for Raisin Bran that goes into the store brand than into the Kellogg's box. I could be wrong about that though and don't know where I picked up that notion from (Home Ec teacher, possibly).

[nadine_mn]

70. I agree - Campbells tomato soup, Kraft mac and cheese

I have no idea why I love Campbells tomato soup so much - I have tried other, I have tried "fancy" tomato soups, but I return to my comfort food. I have tried other mac n cheese and meh.

Homemade stuff is great, but when I want comfort food that reminds me of being a kid at grandma's house - these are my go to's

[sammytko]

11. I tried the store version of center-cut bacon - horrible mess

I usually buy Oscar Meyer, but the price has doubled in the last few months.

So I saw the HEB version next to it was a dollar cheaper. Both come in 1 lb packs. Well it took forever to cook and it released lots of water and it never developed the crispy yet soft edges of the Oscar Mayer bacon. It also came in a slimy hard to open and close package. The Oscar has a nice hard cover and keeps the uncooked bacon fresh for a long time. With this other, I have to deploy a ziplock back to keep it from leaking all over the place.

Saving a dollar was not worth it.

[MineralMan]

24. I buy the Hormel version of that center cut bacon.

We eat very, very little bacon, so I buy one that I really like. I agree with you on the store brands of bacon, though. Pretty awful stuff.

[lutefisk]

77. I just realized I have bacon brand loyalty. I only buy Nueske's bacon.

A little pricey in most stores, or shipped, but well worth it. Quality bacon!

:hi:

[PearliePoo2]

12. I'm willing to try the store brand.

If I find it's as good as my "name brand", I'll make the switch.
Tried this MANY times with dry-roasted peanuts in the jar. So far, not one other brand can compare to "PLANTERS". I'm DONE with the search and I'm tired of being disappointed and wasting my money.
"PLANTERS" it is!

[GoCubsGo]

13. Only with a few things.

The only one that comes to mind is Dawn dish soap. And, I only buy it when it's on sale and I have a coupon. Of course, that's how I buy most things anyway. And, I agree that the store brand is often as good or better than the name brand. And, some store brands are better than another store's brand. The only problem with store brands is that there are rarely coupons for them. I can usually get the name brand cheaper if it's on sale and I have a coupon.

[Tippy]

16. I have found most store brands compare quite nicely with other brands

Except coffee, haven't found one to compare to Floggers. The marketing they do today keeps most from trying the store brands. But today it really pays to try them out. If anyone who knows of a brand of coffee that tastes like Floggers let me know I am leary off buying store brands of some stuff because they are high too. Toilet paper I always use store brnd...I don't care how soft it is as long as it does the job and there is more of it.... One thing to think about is a lot of store brands are made by the same company that makes the name brands....If you think for example Kellogs is going to let the store brands under cut them. They are wiling to take a loss of a few cents to keep a customer

[KamaAina]

67. Floggers?!

Please tell me you mean Folger's. Please? :spank:

[Art_from_Ark]

81. I can just imagine the advertising slogan

"Floggers Coffee-- for the masochist in all of us"

[handmade34]

17. Not al all

unless it's local, environmentally friendly or from an employee owned company...

marketing is a powerful tool that convinces us of false realities.

[leveymg]

20. You're just beginning to discover this? eom

[MineralMan]

26. No, I'm not just discovering it. I have the habit, though, of

buying particular brands of some things. I think most people do. I broke that habit with the cereal, so I'm thinking about running some test purchases for other things where I automatically pick the brand name product. For many things, I have no particular preference, and shop for price, not brand. For some things, like hand tools, I have very rigid brand loyalties. I've learned my lessons about buying cheap tools.

[leveymg]

33. "Rigid brand loyalties" . . . very punny.

Hand tools should last a lifetime, so I have to buy few of them in recent years. Brands and technologies change over time, so it makes little sense, I think, to stick with just the ones I liked in the 1980s.

[MineralMan]

37. Yeah, I pretty much have all my hand tools, now.

I was a sucker for the Snap-On truck when it stopped by. The first tools I owned I got from my father, who gave me a set of 9/32"-drive sockets, a ratchet, and other accessories when I was 12. It was a set he had before WWII. I still have the set, in its neat metal case with Snap-On on the top. I also still use an old Snap-On toolbox and roll-away base. Another pass-down from my father.

I do have some Proto hand tools, as well. I don't believe I've ever broken any of those tools, although I have lost a few over the years.

As for the pun, I do buy Ridgid brand pipe wrenches and other plumbing tools. None have ever failed me or caused a skinned knuckle.

[leveymg]

49. At this point, there aren't too many mechanisms that I don't have a way of getting into.

Lately, I've begun to build my collection of specialized micro tool sets and meters for computers and electronic components. Anything indispensable in that little box?

[MineralMan]

53. I don't use the Snap-On 9/32 drive stuff any more.

It's just a collector's item. The drive is just 1/32" larger than 1/4" drive, so it can be really confusing. Snap-On only made that size through the 1940s, and there are collectors who love it. Since it was my father's I would never part with the tools. They have a special spot in a drawer of the toolbox.

[leveymg]

59. Snap-on wrenches have a lovely smooth feel to them, like surgical instruments

But, I couldn't afford to buy a set. Maybe someday, Santa will deliver it to me along with that bright red sled I've always wanted.

[Lindsay]

21. I am extremely brand loyal for certain things,

but that has more to do with my ultra-sensitive skin than anything else. Lanolin makes me break out in a rash, so when I find a soap or shampoo or lotion that (a) does not contain lanolin, (b) works well for me and (c) is reasonably priced, I will stick with it forever.

For those kinds of things, I live in fear of a label that says, "New and Improved!" Because it's often not an improvement for me.

For budget reasons, I have been trying store brands for a fairly long time. Some of them are as good as or better than name brand products. Others, not so much.

One of the things that's made me crazy over the last couple years, though, is that stores here are getting rid of numbers of name brand products and replacing them with store brands, so that we have an ever-decreasing choice of products.

[elocs]

22. When you are among the low income you don't notice the store brand is cheaper,

you know it from experience. You depend upon the lower price of the store brands and generic to stretch your food dollar. There really is no brand loyalty since you will choose to buy whichever brand is on sale.

Many of us do not have the option of being brand loyal because we cannot afford the luxury.

[woodsprite]

64. I'm finding some of the same 'big' brand names in the dollar stores lately

I found you really have to watch the dates though. I found them purely by accident. We went there to pick up some inexpensive green beans for our dog (had to go on a diet). I even found some products that I couldn't find in the regular store - like Dream Whip mix and the drink called "Wink". I love to keep Dream Whip in my pantry, just in case, especially around the holidays but I couldn't find it anymore. I think I'll go back closer to Thanksgiving and pick up some stuff.

[WhollyHeretic]

25. We do most of our shopping at BJs. The "store" brand there is Berkley and Jensen's

and their stuff is as good or often better than the name brand stuff. We make big batches of trail mix and chocolate chip cookies (that we freeze) so we go through a lot of chocolate chips. The 72 oz bag of Netsle chips is $10 while the Berkley and Jensen's 72 oz bag is $4. I don't notice any difference between the two. Their balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract are better than average quality and well priced.

[Tracer]

45. My sister was a vice-president at BJs and told me...

that most of Berkley & Jensen's products were actually the real thing, repackaged.

For instance, Berkley & Jensen's laundry detergent is Tide.

[quinnox]

27. depends

On what the product or service is, on some things I'm more loyal than others. For example, when it comes to movie theaters there is a chain I like because of the way the seats are arranged in the theater and the comfort of them as well, so I always try to go to that chain when seeing a movie.

On fast food restaurants there is a particular one I like, Burgerville, that is a local chain. On grocery store items I'm flexible in general, if I see something on sale I will probably get it rather than the brand I usually buy.

[Bryn]

28. Try Best Choice brand for cheese

I use Best Choice brand cheese (sliced but unwrapped. I don't like individual wrapped ones.) that has same taste as Kraft one (Deli, sliced, unwrapped). It's cheaper! I buy those at Cranford's. Check with supermarket that carries "Best Choice" brand. They're good and cheaper since they don't pay for advertising. Their paper towels, toilet papers are great, too. Cheaper. No more buying Koch Brothers' brands! Also Best Choice Mayo tastes as good as Kraft.

[MineralMan]

30. I don't see that name where I live. Could be a regional or store thing.

There are lots of regional semi-generic brands.

I just checked. Best Choice is an AWGbrands label. Nobody carries that in Minnesota.

[Bryn]

42. Oh, Darn It that Minnesota doesn't carry Best Choice brand

They do here in Arkansas.

[pipi_k]

29. Not really brand loyal except for

one particular brand of Greek yogurt.

When Mr Pipi does the shopping, I tell him if he's going to buy me yogurt, don't even bother getting any of the other brands.

Oh, just remembered one more thing...My-T-Fine chocolate pudding. The best when I was a kid...the best now.

:)

[Codeine]

34. I'm crazy for store brands.

They're quite often made in the same facilities on the same equipment with the same ingredients as the major brands, but are shockingly cheaper. The store brand Life cereal equivalent I buy is around half the price of the name brand, and it is indistinguishable from the real stuff.

The only brand I'm loyal to is Coca-Cola, and that's consumed so rarely as to be immaterial.

[FarCenter]

41. Yes, in many cases the store brands are made by the brand name food companies

The difference in the store brand may be as small as the shape and labeling on the container filled at the end of the production line.

In other cases, the store brand may use a cheaper formulation, but still be produced on the same line.

There are a few companies that specialize in store brands. RalCorp in cereals for example.

Nots also that a food company may sell both a "standard" and "premium version" of a branded product. This also necessitates changing the stack of labels in the labeling machine.

[Skidmore]

44. We've been buying Hy-Vee store brand cola and it is very comparable

to Coke. Got a 12 pack last week on sale for $1.62.

[Shagbark Hickory]

36. Publix Chunky chocholate chip cookies are better tasting IMO than the Chips-ahoy chunky.

Not always cheaper though. Usually they are cheaper but when Chips-ahoy is buy one, get one free, that ends up being a lot cheaper.

[DesertFlower]

38. i only buy bounty paper towels, but

now they are starting to fall apart just like the cheaper ones. i use them for washing dishes, cleaning even washing my face.

[closeupready]

39. I keep my consumption of processed foods to a minimum.

So as far as food brands are concerned, I really don't have too much loyalty. I buy whatever tastes best, nothing made in China, reasonably priced. That can change from week to week.

[supernova]

40. Not very

I will buy based on:

price vs quality
where I am (stores stock different brands still, so to save on gas I will buy whatever is nearest most times)
where it is on the healthy/green scale.

[Romulox]

43. I'm always driving the Prius to the "Solidarity!" rallies. Does that count? nt

[laundry_queen]

46. Not very.

My grocery trips usually consist of whatever is on sale. There is usually something that is on sale in the category I'm shopping for so I will readily switch within that category. I buy a lot of store brand or no name. I never buy certain things brand name (unless the brand name is cheaper which never happens) - sandwich bags, granola bars, garbage bags, bread are usually the store brand. I do avoid Walmart store brand (Great Value) because I've had bad experiences with it - especially with the food. I much prefer 'no name' store brand. I will try anything store brand once.

Brands I do tend to stick to though include Dawn, Charmin or Ultra Purex for TP (what can I say, I like the soft stuff), Kraft Dinner, Coke, Dove and Sensodyne or Colgate. That's about it though. On other things I'll generally switch brands if one is super cheap. Our local grocery store does the whole loss-leader thing a LOT and you'll get 60% off of some things. Sometimes I'll have a coupon on top of that. I always stock up when that happens. I'm the type of shopper they dread - buy only stuff that is on sale and do without on the things that aren't.

[Tatiana]

47. Heinz Ketchup (the one without HFCS)

Other than that, generics work just fine for me. The Meijer chain produces some very high quality generic products.

[TwilightGardener]

52. Yup--Heinz organic ketchup--there is no other ketchup, as far as I'm concerned.

[Lucian]

50. I'm not brand loyal at all.

I buy what's the cheapest. Sometimes it's the brand name, sometimes it's the store brand.

[Bluenorthwest]

51. I buy content, not labels...so no Kellogg products...

They use HFCS which tastes bad and is not healthful at all. They make garbage. Most of what I eat is local in origin, my grilled cheese is Tillamock. The occasional soft drink, brand is not enough, US coke is HFCS so I buy Mexican coke only, or the kosher. Meat is al from the local area, all of it.
I understand this 'buy the box' thing but I would rather read the ingredients and purchase the best. I use many labels you have probably not heard of, I am loyal to Fantastic Foods products because I like them, for example, but if they went with bad ingredients, I'd use something else instantly.
It is all about what is in it, not what it is in.

[WinkyDink]

54. Do people think "store-brands" have separate factories/facilities all over?! These are the SAME

products, re-packaged.

Yes, I have knowledge of this. A friend worked for a major corporation and saw how, e.g., dental products are simply given different packaging.

Or what #41 said. :-)

[TwilightGardener]

55. As mentioned above, Heinz ketchup, and also Philadelphia cream cheese--

I've tried the cheaper store brands of cream cheese, and they always taste "off". Pretty loyal to Bigelow tea, Starbucks coffee beans and Grey Poupon dijon mustard, too.

[lumberjack_jeff]

56. Not at all. Only three exceptions.

Carhartt double knee logger jeans, MAS epoxy and Georgia Boot Romeos.

[Brickbat]

57. I mainly consider whether the workers are union, sourcing and country of origin first. Price is

pretty far down on the list.

[phantom power]

58. I used to buy almost 100% store/generic brands.

My wife is nearly the polar opposite, but she is also coming around. I used to save a shitload of money that way.

[DevonRex]

60. Chevy, Heinz, and Brooks Trail running shoes. Oh, and Progresso and Barilla.

Hmmm. Nike dry fit running clothes. And Underarmor for the winter layers. Monster energy tea with lemonade.

Oh my. I do have quite a few.

[woodsprite]

61. Hmmm, I'm loyal to some brands.

Cheese - if I have the time to stop by the deli, I get white Land O' Lakes American. If I'm making homemade mac & cheese, I only use Kraft Extra Sharp in the red package.

Cookies - If I'm going to have a treat and buy cookies, I'll get a brand that the kids and I will eat. Hubby always buys the huge econo no brand packs and they all go stale because nobody will eat them.

Pencils - Ticonderoga #2 yellow.

Toilet paper - We stick with Charmin. I have a problem with TP that starts to biodegrade BEFORE you're done using it.

Paper towels & plates/napkins - Bounty undecorated select-a-size for kitchen paper towels, but we buy store brand plain paper plates & napkins (unless we're having a party).

I think that's about it.

[ThomWV]

62. Makita, John Deere, Stihl, Levis, and Acura.

[Lucinda]

66. I am a well known killer of light bulbs and favorite products.

If I like it, they WILL stop making it. There are a few products I love that still remain - they must have made a deal with the devil, or are, perhaps, "too big to fail" so they seem to be safe, for now. It is just a matter of time though...

The lightbulbs just die, and after having numerous love affairs with products that are no longer made (not long after I fall in love with them) I am very cautious about getting too attached to an individual product. :P

We do often test new products, and have found some great stuff that way. The BEST tomato product line that I have ever found - is a brand they sell here called Red Gold. Best ketchup evah. One day while we were shopping we noticed a display on the endcap, with a great sale price on ketchup, so we grabbed a bottle. Now we buy their whole line. And I, of course, just jinxed it.

I have allergies, so laundry detergents are chosen from one of a few "free" brands manufactured with no extra perfumes. I am crazy loyal to Downy April Fresh because I have less of a reaction to it than any other softner. And, so far, I have not cursed it into non-existence.

I have tried lots of options, but Scott is the best for the bathroom. My plumbing thanks me for it. I had found a good off brand, but alas, it is no more.

:)

[RebelOne]

68. I usually buy what's on sale or the store brand.

And many times the name brand will be on sale much cheaper than the store brand.

[Whiskeytide]

69. I have some inside info on this...

My wife use to work for a milk supply co./dairy. The milk in the store brand jug is exactly the same milk in the primary name brand jug. (primary being the name brand that has the contract for the store). Her company even bottled both in the same plant with the same machines using the same milk supply. The ONLY difference was the name on the jug. This is the case with almost every grocery chain on most of the store brands.

However, I have found that meats and some other products are not interchangeable. And, the packaging on the store brand is usually of inferior quality. Sometimes that's important, sometimes its not.

My dad once told me, many years ago, that store brands were fine except when it came to 1. Trash Bags, 2.Disposable Razors, and 3. Condoms. Good advice.

[redqueen]

71. Very on a few things, not at all on most.

I go by price on most things out of necessity.

However I read that the generic or store brand items are quite often made by the same name brand manufacturers, but pakcaged differently. So even if you swear by certain brands it's probably worth trying the store brand items at least once, just in case.

[ceile]

72. Not at all when it comes to food.

I buy name brand and store brand- whatever is cheapest that day.
Now, when it comes to toiletries- that's another story.
Dove soap only because of sensitive skin and Nivea moisturizer b/c I have very dry skin and have been using it since I was a teen (nothing else comes close).

[nadine_mn]

73. with groceries its about 60/40 in favor of what's cheaper

Some stuff I won't buy the generic or store brand - Charmin, kraft mac n cheese, etc

My husband's family has worked for SuperValu for decades and knows that the store brand and the name brand are the same just repackaged. Buying cheaper store brands allows us room to buy other stuff - like cage-free eggs, grass-fed beef - stuff that is expensive.

Sometimes the generic brand is tastier, sometimes it depends on the coupons - at the end of the day for us, its trying to get the best value. There are some items where its just not worth the savings - toilet paper, sanitary napkins, soap - one bad experience with cheap toilet paper is enough.

[mojowork_n]

74. My dentist, of all people, told me that 'it didn't make any difference'

what the words on the outside of the tube said, all toothpaste was pretty much the same.

That was back in about 1989.


BUT -- I think he was wrong. I was starting to get a cavity recently, then bought the more
expensive, AquaFresh eXtreme Clean brand, instead of whatever was cheapest.

I don't think it's just that brand, other mfg'ers also have new 'foaming' type
toothpastes, and I think they might work better than the stuff that was mostly
just a mild abrasive.

That cavity stopped bothering me since I switched.

Not much of a sampling -- one tooth -- but it just seems like better toothpaste.

[Faux pas]

75. I have to have Heinz ketchup and French's mustard, everything

else is generic.

[astral]

79. Muir Glenn. Must be Muir Glenn if it's got tomatoes in it. BIG difference.

If I am going to make spaghetti I go for the expensive canned tomato stuff because the taste difference is HUGH! !! 111 !!!

Some things I don't care, but the cheaper generic brand in a lot of food stuff is way inferior.

I've gotten away from buying the cheapest toilet paper lately -- the fluffier rolls DO seem to last a lot longer.

[wickerwoman]

80. Not very.

My default is the store brand and every once in a while I'll try name brand just to see if I'm missing anything. The only things I've found are:

Dishwashing liquid (worth buying brand-name concentrated- the store brand you're just paying for water and you go through it three times faster; this is true of a lot of cleaning products, come to think of it)
Toilet paper (brand name lasts twice as long and doesn't leave "sprinkles" all over the bathroom floor)
Canned tomatoes (I used generic 90% of the time, but I'll spring for San Marzano on a very tomato dependant dish- they are noticeably better)
Peanut butter (noticeably not as "peanuty" as organic peanut butter and probably stuffed with preservatives; I still buy generic but I'll spring for the good stuff for peanut butter cookies)

As a side note, I used to buy generic frozen berries to use as a pancake topping until I bit into a dead beetle curled up pretending to be a blueberry. I complained to the store and the very nice customer service rep who called me back explained that they were experimenting with cutting back the amount of pesticides they sprayed on the berries and apparently they were going too light now! Last time buying frozen berries for me. I'd try organic brand name berries but they're hella expensive and probably buggy as well.

But in three years, that's the only really bad experience I've had with generic stuff and you do save *a lot* of money going that way. I don't even bother with coupons because 99% of the time the generic is cheaper than the brand-name product even with sale + coupon and the difference in quality is negligible.

[Edweird]

82. It depends. I could care less about my toilet paper or paper towel brand, but I am definitely a

'coke' man and there is one specific model of one particular brand of ink pen that I prefer to write with. I like Jif and Peter Pan peanut butter, but cannot stand Skippy. I think Skippy tastes like old paint. Meh.

[Shandris]

83. Pepsi.

Recent changes have made it to where I only drink one a day (thankfully!), but that one had damn well better be a Pepsi!

Oreo's or Nutter Butter cookies (mostly for my friend), because the store knock-offs are terrible.

Heinz Ketchup. For John Kerry, to piss off conservatives on principle. Ever since the 2004 campaign.

French's Yellow Mustard.

Campbell's Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup (for when I'm sick).

Brook's Chili Seasoning Packet.

Charmin Basic.

I think that's the only ones, everything else I'm pretty darn mutable on what brand.

[politicat]

84. Not terribly, but on those few things, I'm FIERCE.

Hellman's / Best Foods mayonnaise. Nothing else tastes right, and the Midwest factory employs a family member.

Doc Martens, preferably the old ones made in England. Thanks, eBay!

G&W sugar - locally grown and milled. I prefer beet sugar, but I suppose if I lived someplace where cane was native ( and not heavily subsidized) I'd consider it.

Sephora (not Sephora by OPI) nail polish. It's the only polish that doesn't do awful things to my hands, and if I don't keep my nails polished, they break deep and cause hangnails. Fortunately, Sephora is great about colors. (wearing TARDIS blue right now)

Tmobile.

Gingher scissors. Cheap scissors don't work, can't be sharpened, and cost me more over the long term.

Crest cinnaburst toothpaste. (Do not want mint.)

Otherwise, the more local the better and the less packaging the better.

[ZombieHorde]

85. OK, I thought about this, and I realized I am loyal to a brand.

I am loyal to Q-Tip brand cotton swabs. I clean my ears several times each day, and Q-Tips are the best.

[cherokeeprogressive]

86. Oakley. I've tried just about every other brand of sunglasses, and they are the only ones I like.

Those; Van's, and Levi's 501s.

JC Penney used to make the best t-shirts in the world but that went by-the-by long ago.

And the Mac n Cheese? It better come from a box that says Kraft, and be the original, or I won't eat it.

Other than that? Not brand loyal at all.