How to tell, from the label, whether a store brand gives you the same thing for less — for medicine, groceries and household basics — and when it's worth paying for the name.
Store brands — Great Value and Equate at Walmart, Kroger's Simple Truth and Smart Way, Costco's Kirkland Signature, Target's own brands — usually sit right next to the name brand for less money. The question is whether you're getting the same thing. Sometimes the label tells you outright; sometimes it can't, and you're really comparing taste or feel. This guide shows how to tell which situation you're in, using the labels the FDA requires and the stores' own guarantees.
Over-the-counter medicine is where store brands are easiest to judge, because every package carries the same FDA-required Drug Facts label. It lists the Active Ingredient(s) — the substance that does the work — and the amount in each dose, followed by purpose, uses, warnings, directions and the inactive ingredients, such as binders, colors and flavorings. (FDA)
So the check is simple: hold the two boxes side by side and read the first line of each Drug Facts panel. If the active ingredient and the amount per tablet, capsule or teaspoon are the same, you're comparing the same medicine at two prices. What can differ is the inactive ingredients, the color and the shape of the pill.
That matches how the FDA describes generic drugs in general: a generic is made to be the same as an already-marketed brand-name drug, with the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form and route, and it costs less largely because the maker doesn't have to repeat the brand's expensive clinical trials. The FDA notes that generics can look different, and that differences in certain inactive ingredients can sometimes be noticeable to patients. (FDA) If you react to a dye or a filler, that inactive-ingredients list is where to look.
Two cautions from the FDA. First, products with similar names can have different active ingredients, so read the label each time rather than going by the box design. (FDA) Second, products in the same brand family don't necessarily treat the same conditions. (FDA) A store's “compare to” sticker is a pointer, not a guarantee — the Active Ingredient line is the proof. If you're unsure, the FDA's advice is to ask a pharmacist or doctor. (FDA)
Food is different. There's no equivalent of the active-ingredient check, and a store brand can use a different recipe from the name brand it sits next to. What the labels do give you:
Store brands aren't automatically cheaper per ounce. Packages differ in size, the name brand may be on sale, and a bigger name-brand box can beat a small store-brand one. The only fair comparison is the unit price — price per ounce, per count or per load — which most shelf tags show in small print. Our guide on how to compare unit prices shows how to read the tag and do the math when there isn't one.
Two more things to check before you decide the store brand wins:
Some stores back their own brands with better return terms than the rest of the shelf:
Kroger lists its family of brands — Simple Truth, Private Selection, Kroger, the budget Smart Way line and others — on its corporate site, but we couldn't find a guarantee stated there, so check with your store. (Kroger) The same goes for any chain not listed here: ask at customer service before you assume.
Paying more makes sense when the products aren't the same in a way that matters to you:
Read the label, then the unit price. If the label shows the same thing and the unit price is lower, buy the store brand. If the label shows something different, you're choosing between two products, not two prices.
Price AI identifies the product from a photo or barcode, shows current prices from major retailers, works out the per-unit price on multipacks, and gives you a Deal Score from 1–100 so you know whether the name brand in your hand is a fair price. When it can't find enough prices to be confident, it says so instead of guessing.
Compare the Active Ingredient line on the Drug Facts label. If the active ingredient and the amount per dose match, the two products contain the same medicine in the same amount; the inactive ingredients, color or shape can differ. The FDA says products with similar names can have different active ingredients, so read the label each time, and ask a pharmacist if you're unsure.
Compare the unit price, such as price per ounce or per count, not the sticker price. Package sizes often differ, and a name-brand item on sale or in a larger size can cost less per unit than the store brand.
Check the store's guarantee. Target's return policy gives 365 days for Target brand items with a receipt, versus 90 days for most items. Walmart says many of its private-brand products, including Great Value and Equate, have a satisfaction guarantee that can apply even after use, at store management's discretion.
Related: how to compare unit prices, how to price check in a store with your phone, and how to tell if a sale is actually a good deal.