Maud Descamps edited by Gauthier Delomez 06:10, April 14, 2022

In a large survey, the association 60 million consumers established that private label products were on average 30% cheaper than those of major brands, and sometimes better for your health.

It also revealed that manufacturers were reducing the portions of their products in the face of rising raw material prices.

DECRYPTION

Just because you go with a big brand doesn't mean the product is better.

This is the astonishing result of a major survey conducted by the 60 million consumer association, which screened more than 150 consumer products.

By comparing store brands to national brands, the association found that store brands were on average 30% cheaper, and in some cases healthier.

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Different specifications

The example of fries is a good illustration of the conclusions of the investigation.

If you opt for the famous McCain brand, your package will cost you twice as much as the Lidl private label, for a much lower nutritional quality.

This is explained by Sophie Coane of 60 million consumers.

"On big brand fries, we have 13 ingredients including six additives. On the Lidl fries that we analyzed, we only have two ingredients: potato and seasoning. Full stop. No additives!", she explains at the microphone of Europe 1.

Why this discrepancy?

In reality, there are different specifications, with national brands that will want to exacerbate the taste by forcing on salt or sugar.

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How brands conceal shrinking portions

The association's major survey also reveals the phenomenon of hidden inflation.

With soaring prices for raw materials such as wheat, sugar and eggs, the food industry is trying to adapt.

So, rather than increasing the price of the product, the manufacturers will reduce the quantity by adjusting the packaging.

This translates into packets of biscuits with fewer biscuits, smaller bottles, individual portions of cheese that go from 20 to 18 grams... This information is of course indicated on the packet, but consumers are used to always buying the same products. does not have the reflex to check the weight, the capacity or the composition.

He therefore thinks of buying the same thing as the previous time.

In reality, he pays the same price for a smaller quantity.