What's hot and what's not: Supermarket value ranges

Would you ditch your PG tips for Tesco's own, drown your sorrows with Sainsbury's wine, instead of Jacob's Creek, indulge in Asda's milk chocolate instead of Cadbury's, lather yourself in Cooperative soap instead of exuding minty freshness with Original Source?

Sainsbury's tell us to 'Taste The Difference'. This is a bit like Skittles telling us to 'taste the rainbow', and Orange telling us, 'the future's bright' with them.

All imply a sense of optimism, but can value ranges supersede more expensive brands?

You may be after cheap buys but does 'every little help' when it comes to product satisfaction?

As far as baked beans are concerned, you can 'taste the difference', but not in a good way.

I can't bring myself to buy Tesco, Sainsbury or any other supermarket's baked beans, maybe I'm just a snob.

After all desperate (AKA student) times call for desperate measures.

But when I buy a jacket potato with beans that seems perfectly legit, I just like to imagine that they are Heinz.

So is it really just a psychological choice?

'Value' chopped tomatoes are definitely just as good as more expensive brands.

They taste exactly the same, are cheaper, and 'they do what they say on the tin'.

However, on reading a blog, I was surprised to find an avid debate about supermarket value ranges v other brands.

One blogger was rather defiant in his belief that under no circumstances must supermarket value tomatoes be bought- 'they taste revolting'.

Do your Morrison's rice crispies go snap, crackle, and pop for you?

Miriam Reissner

Indeed the packaging is not usually as nice, but if you can look past that, you can enjoy soups, tinned veg, frozen food, and fresh products, which often taste as good as any other brand.

One shopper describes Tesco value sausages as 'a bit hit and miss'.

But, Tesco claims to 'enable customers to compliment their lifestyle', by the variety of brands in its stores, so whether it's you're on a student budget or have borrowed daddy's credit card, there is something for everyone.

In fact, "there is too much choice", say graduates.

Supermarket clothes can be steals, especially if you love being asked where you got your clothes (so that you can say your jumper that looks like it was £30 from Topshop is actually only £5 from Sainsbury's).

Stationary is another product that you can't go wrong with, although as with all value ranges, many believe that 'you get what you pay for'.

Do your Morrison's value Rice Crispies go snap, crackle and pop for you?