Store brand grocery swaps can lower a cart’s cost, and the size of the saving is something you can calculate. According to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) 2026 report, NielsenIQ found branded products are priced about 19% higher than store brands on average. That means a store-brand item costs about 16% less than the branded one ($100 ÷ 1.19 = $84.03).
Which swaps work for you depends on your own taste, so this post gives you a way to test them.
Store Brand Grocery Swaps: The Numbers Behind the Trend
The PLMA report puts store brands at 21.3% of U.S. dollar sales in 2025 and 23.5% of unit sales, across all outlets. Store brand dollar sales grew 3.3% in 2025, against 1.2% for national brands. Grocery Dive, reporting PLMA and Circana data, puts 2025 private label sales at $282.8 billion, up from a 19.1% dollar share five years earlier.
What a Swap Is Worth
Here’s the arithmetic with an assumed budget. Say you spend $400 a month on branded items you could swap. At the 19% average gap, the same items in store brands cost about $336.13, which saves $63.87 a month, or about $766 a year. Your real figure depends on your prices, so replace the $400 with your own total. The 19% is an average across products, not a promise for every item.
What Consumer Reports Found
A May 4, 2026 Consumer Reports article says store brands typically sell for 25 to 30 percent less than name-brand counterparts, and that its expert taste testers compared 10 private-label pantry staples against name-brand counterparts.
It reports that Kroger Creamy Ranch rated better than a name-brand ranch dressing at less than half the price per serving, and that Aldi’s Chef’s Cupboard condensed chicken noodle soup beat Campbell’s, which costs nearly twice as much.
It notes that store brands often come from the same manufacturers as name brands, and gives these tips: compare unit prices, since store brands aren’t always cheapest when name brands are on sale or have coupons, and compare ingredient and nutrition labels for differences in sugar, sodium, allergens and additives (Consumer Reports: How Store-Brand Groceries Can Help You Save).
The article doesn’t list all 10 products tested, so I can’t say which categories fared best overall.
The two sources measure different things. The PLMA figure above is an average gap across products from NielsenIQ data, while Consumer Reports describes a typical discount. That is why this post shows a range instead of a single number.
A Range of Savings (Assumed Budget)
Using the same assumed $400 a month of swappable items, the PLMA gap implies a saving of about $63.87 a month (about $766.39 a year). Consumer Reports’ 25 to 30 percent range would imply $100.00 to $120.00 a month, or $1,200.00 to $1,440.00 a year. Replace the $400 with your own total. These are arithmetic on the published percentages, not a promise for any cart.
| Assumed $400/month of swaps | Monthly saving | Yearly saving |
|---|---|---|
| PLMA/NielsenIQ gap (~16% less) | $63.87 | $766.39 |
| Consumer Reports, 25% less | $100.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Consumer Reports, 30% less | $120.00 | $1,440.00 |
How to Read a Unit Price
NIST’s model unit pricing regulation, which jurisdictions may adopt, says its aim is to give consumers pricing information that helps them make value comparisons, with a unit price expressed per standard measure such as per ounce, pound or count. It applies where a store provides unit pricing, and unit prices may appear on a sign, a shelf tag or the package (NIST Handbook 130: Uniform Unit Pricing Regulation).
An assumed example: a store-brand item at $3.19 for 32 oz is 9.97 cents an ounce, and the name-brand item at $3.49 for 24 oz is 14.54 cents an ounce. The name brand costs about 46% more per ounce, even though its sticker price is only $0.30 higher. The prices are invented to show the method.
Where to Start
Pick Categories Where You Can Compare Easily
In my view, the easiest swaps are plain, single-ingredient products where the label lists the same thing on both packages: flour, sugar, frozen vegetables, milk, butter and eggs. Read both labels side by side and compare the ingredient lists and the price per ounce.
Compare the Unit Price, Not the Sticker Price
Package sizes differ. Divide each price by the weight or count to get the price per unit, then compare the two numbers.
Where You Might Still Want the Name Brand
Not every category swaps cleanly for everyone. In my view, products with a specific recipe or flavor you care about are worth testing one at a time rather than assuming every aisle swaps equally well.
Step-by-Step: Making the Switch Without Guessing
Step 1: Start With the Simplest Categories First
Begin your store brand grocery swaps with plain staples before moving into products you feel loyal to.
Step 2: Run Your Own Blind Test
Buy both versions of one product you’re skeptical about and try them without knowing which is which. If you can’t tell the difference, the price gap is yours to keep.
Step 3: Compare Store Brands Across Stores
If you shop at more than one store, compare each store’s own brand on unit price.
Step 4: Track What You Actually Notice
Keep a simple list of store brand grocery swaps you’ve tried and whether you noticed a difference. The goal is to keep the swaps that cost you nothing in quality.
Step 5: Recalculate Your Savings After a Full Month
Compare one month’s grocery total before and after switching your first categories. Seeing the dollar difference on your own receipt is, in my view, more useful than any general statistic.
Matching Your Approach to Your Situation
- “I’m skeptical store brands can match.” → Start with one plain product and run the blind test.
- “I want to save the most money possible.” → Calculate the unit price of every swap and keep the ones that cost less per unit.
- “I’ve tried a store brand and wasn’t impressed.” → Retest a different category rather than writing off every store brand.
- “I only want to swap where it’s low-risk.” → Stick to plain staples where the ingredient list is the same on both labels.
Questions Worth Answering Before You Swap
How much can switching to store brands save over a year? With the 19% average gap from NielsenIQ via PLMA, $400 a month of swapped items saves about $766 a year, as calculated above.
Should I switch every product at once? In my suggestion, no: swap a few categories first, test, and then add more.
A Short Checklist for the First Month
- Week 1: swap three plain staples and compare unit prices on the shelf tags.
- Week 2: read the nutrition and ingredient labels on both versions, as Consumer Reports suggests, for sugar, sodium, allergens and additives.
- Week 3: run a blind test on one product you are unsure about.
- Week 4: add up your receipts and compare to last month. That is my suggestion for seeing your own number.
In my view, the encouraging part is how low the risk is: Consumer Reports notes that low prices mean low financial risk, and says many stores will refund items you don’t like.
Before Your Next Grocery Run
For your next round of store brand grocery swaps, pick three plain products, compare the unit prices of the store-brand and name-brand versions, and swap them on your next trip. Run a quick blind test if you’re skeptical, and check your grocery total after a full month.
This article offers general information and my own opinions, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Prices and products change and can differ by location, so check current prices where you shop.
Sources:
- Private Label Manufacturers Association: 2026 report
- Grocery Dive: Private label sales and volume in 2025
- Consumer Reports: How Store-Brand Groceries Can Help You Save (May 2026)
- NIST Handbook 130: Uniform Unit Pricing Regulation
Related reading: Cutting Subscriptions: How to Audit Your Monthly Bills and Stop the $133 Blind Spot and Give Every Dollar a Job: The Beginner’s Case for Zero-Based Budgeting.