As summer cookouts approach and grocery prices remain high, many shoppers are looking for ways to stretch their budgets. Experts say one effective strategy is choosing store brands over national brands.
"It's a great way to stretch your budget," Dawn Baker, a Kroger brand spokesperson, said.
At Kroger stores, the savings can be substantial, Baker says. Eight-packs of store-brand burger buns are currently on sale at three for $5, making them about 20 cents per bun, while similar national brands can cost triple that amount.
Baker highlights other low-price store brand options, including dips, liters of soda priced at four for $5, and side dishes.
"There's always something similar to those national brands that you really like, but maybe at a better value," Baker said.
The difference is clear with side dishes like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, where Kroger offers store brand options at two for $6, while a single national brand dish sells for $5.99.
Many consumers already recognize these savings opportunities.
"If it's at a better price and cheaper, then I'll go for the store brand," said Maria Ozuna, a Phoenix consumer.
William Mertens from Mesa agrees: "Store brand. For sure. I would say at least 10 to 15% [savings].”
Smart shopping expert Trae Bodge confirms this approach works across different grocery chains.
"Store brand in general is always cheaper than the name brand," Bodge said.
To ensure you're still getting quality products, Bodge recommends a simple comparison test.
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"I compare store brand versus name brand, ingredient by ingredient, and what you often find is it is exactly the same," Bodge said.
However, some categories might warrant sticking with name brands.
Shopper Jacque Hook from Peoria prefers name brands for certain products.
"Bleaches. And Tide, I don't buy store brand for that,” Hook said.
Kristin McGrath, an editor for The Krazy Coupon Lady, cautions about personal care and paper products.
"If you're buying a store brand, and you have to use more of it because it's not as effective, you're not saving any money. So really be careful about things like dish soap and paper towels, where in some cases, that name brand is a little more effective," McGrath said.
For those cases, McGrath suggests using coupons to keep name brands within budget.
"Coupons, you can sometimes get those prices down to where you get the name brand you want, and you pay less than you would for the generic," McGrath said.
Kroger has also launched a new initiative to help shoppers save regardless of brand preference.
"Kroger, nationally, has lowered prices on thousands of items, whether that's private label or brand name items; thousands of prices across the store have been lowered," Baker said.
Shoppers can identify these savings by looking for red signs throughout the store for the foreseeable future.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
