Sweet savings|Satisfy your appetite for less!

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 5, 2009

These days smart local shoppers are always looking for ways to save money at the grocery store. And a  growing number of these shoppers are finding that one way to save money on everything from appetizers to desserts is to buy store-brand items. And I am one of these shoppers; are you?

 • A November 2008 Nielson survey showed that 67 percent of shoppers said store brands provide “extremely good value” for their prices.

 • A 2009 GFK Custom Research survey found that nearly 55 percent of shoppers say they buy private label items “frequently.”

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 • Nearly three-fourths of shoppers in both surveys said that store-brand quality is just as good as the national brands.

 And just what are “store-brand products”?

Answer:  Store-brand products are items sold under a retail store’s private label. For example, grocery store chains offer a wide range of dairy, bakery, beverage and personal care products with the store brand name on them.

According to the Private Label Manufacturer’s Association (PLMA), these items are made by:

• large national brand manufacturers;

• small, quality manufacturers;

• major retailers and wholesalers;

• regional brand manufacturers.

 Because of this, says the PLMA report Store Brands Today, “Store brand items consist of the same or comparable ingredients as the national brands. Because the store’s name or symbol is on the package, the consumer is assured that the product is manufactured to the store’s quality standards and specifications.”

Store brands let shoppers take advantage of high quality, lower-cost store brand items so that they can buy more and spend less. And that’s a pretty sweet deal if you ask a long-time, regular shopper like I am.

More sweet ways to save

• Always check the weekly circulars in The Vicksburg Post.

• Shop the specials and be sure to stock up.

• Plan out menus for the week and make a list. This will keep impulse buying to a minimum.

• Never, never shop hungry. People tend to buy more of what they don’t need when their stomachs are  rumbling.

• Plan for leftovers. Choose recipes that can be easily doubled, and then freeze one half for another meal.

• Or, use the leftovers from one recipe as ingredients for another meal.  For example, leftover taco ingredients can be combined into a great taco salad.