7 Products You Should (Almost) Always Buy Generic

From toilet paper to aluminum foil, say goodbye to pricey brands for these items

Maya Dollarhide,

AARP

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En español

Published July 10, 2025

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AARP (Getty Images, 3; Shutterstock, 2)

Many brand-name products are beloved by Americans, especially among older adults who’ve developed an affinity for certain brands over the years. But there are a number of items that shopping experts recommend consumers buy generic to save money.

Let’s start with your pantry. Generic foods cost as much as 40 percent less, a recent CNET study of groceries sold at Wegman's and Stop & Shop found. Many are just as good as their brand-name counterparts, says Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings adviser in Bakersfield, California.

“Generic and store brands have come a long way in recent years,” she says. “Many generic groceries are also made in the same facilities as name-brand ones, so you’re paying less without sacrificing quality.”

Lindsey Chastain, a mother of four in Skiatook, Oklahoma, has been buying generic products for more than a decade to cut costs. “I always check the price per unit when comparing products, and I keep a list on my phone of the generic products we like,” she says.

Older Americans didn’t have as wide a selection of products growing up as shoppers do today. However, consumers now often face an overwhelming number of options, says Amy Keating, a test program leader at Consumer Reports with more than 15 years of experience evaluating food products.

Worried generic groceries won’t taste as good as your name-brand favorites? “We have tested so many foods in different categories, and they have been comparable in quality to name brands,” says Keating, who shops generic when she buys coffee, olive oil and peanut butter.

Here are seven household staples you should consider purchasing generic to save money.

1. Frozen produce

All frozen fruits and vegetables are flash-frozen at peak ripeness. That means the quality and nutritional values are generally the same no matter the brand, says Keating.

“Generic frozen produce is about 30 percent less than name-brand options, and many stores run sales on their own brands, so you can often get deals,” says Woroch. “Plus, you can stock up when you snag a sale without worrying about frozen veggies or fruit going bad.”

One example (note that prices can vary depending on where you shop):

Brand-name: Goya Frozen Whole Strawberries (16 ounces), $4.69

Generic: Giant Frozen Whole Strawberries (16 ounces), $3.59

Savings: $1.10

2. Maple syrup

Producing maple syrup isn’t simple, and its high price reflects the labor-intensive process of turning tree sap into something to put on your pancakes. So even generic maple syrups don’t come cheap, but many cost substantially less than well-known brands.

“If you are a connoisseur of maple syrup, there are definite nuanced differences between brands, but for the average person, this may not be an issue,” says Keating.

One example:

Brand-name: Butternut Mountain Farm 100 Percent Pure Maple Syrup (32 ounces), $22.50

Generic: Target Good & Gather 100 Percent Pure Maple Syrup (32 ounces), $16.99

Savings: $5.51

3. Pet food

Shagufta Mulla, a veterinarian in Salem, Oregon, says it’s generally OK to buy generic pet food to save money but that pet owners should do their due diligence. “Because there are so many in-store brand choices, always read the labels and ask your veterinarian about their opinion, too, before you buy,” she says.

“The needs of pets vary widely depending on age, breed and health status,” she adds. “For example, nutritional needs in the adult and senior stages vary widely. You want to make sure the food has the right nutrients in it.”

One example:

Brand-name: Blue Buffalo Life Chicken and Brown Rice (24 pounds), $52.00

Generic: BJ’s Berkley Jensen Chicken and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food (24 pounds), 29.99

Savings: $22.01

4. Toilet paper

Big retailers and supermarkets offer a wide selection of quality generic toilet paper and store brands, Woroch says. “Look for two-ply or better absorbency,” she suggests. Single-ply toilet paper can cause irritation and is not as absorbent.

Pro tip: Don’t buy toilet paper in bulk before you’ve tried it out, suggests Adam Schwartz, CEO of CouponSurfer. “While most generic paper products are a great way to save, for toilet paper I recommend trying one roll or a small package first to make sure you’re happy with it,” he says.

One example:

Brand-name: Cottonelle Ultra Comfort 2-ply Toilet Paper (24 mega rolls), $20.98

Generic: Walgreens Super Soft Mega 2-ply Bath Tissue (24 rolls), $15.99

Savings: $4.99

5. Aluminum foil

Aluminum foil prices are rising due to supply chain disruptions and tariffs on imported aluminum, so skip the big brands. “Generic aluminum foil is typically more affordable, with store brand options often costing half as much as their name-brand counterparts,” says Destiny Chatman, a spokesperson for TopCashback, a coupon and cashback website. One common complaint about generic aluminum foil is its tendency to tear or require a double layer to be effective — and that’s true for some lower-quality brands, Chatman says. To avoid this problem, look for terms like “heavy duty” or “extra heavy duty” when shopping for a generic roll.

One example:

Name-brand: Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil (200 square feet), $13.49

Generic: Harris Teeter Aluminum Foil (200 square feet), $9.99

Savings: $3.50

6. Body wash

Generic beauty and personal care products offer some of the biggest savings, says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet. Some cost as much as 30 percent less than name-brand products. Generic body wash, in particular, offers attractive savings.

To cut down on waste and single-use plastics, consider buying a reusable bottle of body wash and ordering refills as needed.

One example:

Name-brand: $17.40, Dove Body Wash Deep Moisture (24 ounces)

Generic: $2.99, CVS One+Other Moisturizing Body Wash (24 ounces)*

Savings: $14.41

7. Mayonnaise

In a Consumer Reports study, testers favored Hellmann’s when eating mayonnaise straight from the jar. But when mixed into your tuna salad, macaroni salad or coleslaw, you likely won’t notice the difference if you buy a less expensive in-house brand, says Keating. And the savings can add up, she says, “especially if you are using a lot of mayo on an annual basis.”

Buying other generic condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, soy sauce and hot sauce, can also help you save money.

One example:

Brand-name: Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise (30 ounces), $5.99

Generic brand: Walmart’s Great Value Mayonnaise (30 ounces), $3.38*

Savings: $2.61

*CVS and Walmart pay AARP a royalty for use of its intellectual property and provides a benefit to AARP members.

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Maya Dollarhide is a freelance writer whose work has been published by MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, Investopedia and other national publications.

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7 Products You Should (Almost) Always Buy Generic