Aside from its impact on people’s health, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit businesses and the economy hard.
Many companies in the tourism, aviation, and the oil and gas services industries have seen their revenues all but dry up.
But, supermarkets in Singapore are thriving.
Amid the recession and bad labour market, consumers are becoming more cost-conscious and turning towards supermarket house brand products.
Speaking to The Straits Times, a Dairy Farm spokesman stated that the sales for its grocery retail business have seen a double-digit increase during the Covid-19 pandemic, citing that:
“Demand for our Meadows range of products has grown proportionately with this increase,” the spokesman said, adding that the brand’s nuts and potato chip range are top sellers.
But here’s the million-dollar question. Which HouseBrand is the most affordable and how much can you expect to save switching to house brands?
To figure this out, I will be comparing the prices of house brands from FairPrice, Meadows (Dairy Farm), Sheng Siong and RedMart house brand products.
These are some of the biggest supermarket chains in Singapore with an established house brand line.
I will also be comparing the house brand prices with the cheapest name brand product that I can find, for a point of reference.
The list will consist of select items from the basket of goods used to calculate Singapore’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August 2020.
Information accurate as of Oct 16, 2020.
TL;DR: FairPrice vs Meadows vs RedMart vs Sheng Siong house brands
Name Brand
Meadows
FairPrice
RedMart Private Label
Sheng Siong House Brands
Item
Item & Price
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Premium Thai White Rice (Per 5 Kilogram)
Double Flying King AAA Thai Hom Mali Fragrant White Rice:
$13.50
Meadows Thai Fragrant Rice 5kg:
$9.70
-28 per cent
Double FP Thai Hom Mali Premium Quality Fragrant Rice:
$11.90
-12 per cent
RedMart Thai Hom Mali Fragrant Rice: $13.15
-3 per cent
Royal Golden Grain Premium Fragrant Rice:
$13.80
+2 per cent
Ordinary White Bread (Per 400 Gram)
Sunshine Soft White Bread:
$2.30
Meadows Enriched White Bread 400g: $1.60
-30 per cent
FairPrice Enriched White Bread:
$1.25
-46 per cent
Redmart Sliced White Bread:
$1.90
-17 per cent
Bake For You Enriched White Bread:
$1.80
-22 per cent
Why choose house brands?
Why House Brands Beat Name Brands… Most of the Time
Ever notice how the “store‑brand” label looks almost identical to the fancy ones?
Don’t let the cute packaging fool you – many of these house brands live up to the hype. In fact, the quality gap between a runway‑ready name‑brand item and its in‑store cousin is often tiny, if not zero.
The Low‑down on the Price‑Pressure Panacea
- Better Value, Less Cash – House brands shave the price tag, freeing up your wallet for other treats.
- Same Maker, Different Label – Peek at the ingredient list; you’ll spot the same manufacturers wrapped in a different name. It’s basically a re‑brand, not a reset.
- Competition Drives Innovation – When house brands step onto the field, name brands scramble to keep up, ultimately pushing prices down across the board.
What This Means for Your Shopping Spree
Choosing a store brand isn’t just a budget trick; it’s a savvy move that nudges the entire market toward better deals. So next time you’re at the checkout, consider the humble house brand – it could be the key to a lighter bill and a richer shopping experience.
Comparison methodology
For this comparison, I will be using a select list of items taken from the basket of goods used to calculate Singapore’s Consumer Price Index (August 2020).
The list includes:
Premium Thai White Rice (Per 5 Kilogram)
Ordinary White Bread (Per 400 Gram)
Instant Noodles (Per 5 Packets)
Cheese (Per 12 Slices)
Hen Eggs (Per 10)
Canola Oil (Per 2 Kilogram)
White Sugar (Per 2 Kilogram)
3 in 1 Instant Coffee (Per 15 packs)
FairPrice (NTUC) house brand
On this list, FairPrice or otherwise known as NTUC, is the most established, as it has a range of over 2,000 house brand products split into six categories.
Also, the company has also frozen the price of some of its most popular house brand products till December 2020 to help consumers cope with the ill effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company is also looking to expand its exclusive house brand products; which include the recently-launched SmartChoice label that carries adult diapers and cleaning products.
Dairy Farm house brand (Meadows)
Meet Meadows: Dairy Farm’s New House Brand
Picture this: the store you’re used to has just added a shiny new line of products and it’s all under the brand Meadows. That’s right – Dairy Farm’s latest brainchild is a brand that’s as fresh as the produce on the shelves.
What You’ll Find Inside
- More than 200 items, from crisp, juicy fruits to the snacks you snack on between meetings.
- Everything gets a neat Meadows label, so it’s clear you’re getting something special and exclusive.
Why It Matters
This is Dairy Farm’s very first exclusive house brand, meaning you’ll get quality products without the hefty name-brand price tag. It’s a win for shoppers and a smart move for the group.
What’s Next?
We’ll keep an eye on how Meadows trends in the market. If it lands well, you might just find yourself saying, “I just pick up a piece of the meadow.”
<img alt="" data-caption="Dairy Farm Group's Meadows brand has become the most popular brand in Giant supermarkets.
PHOTO: The Straits Times” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”a322c7ae-43a1-4d21-8404-f7996a528e40″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/nz_meadows_240930_4.jpg”/>You can buy Meadows products from Dairy Farm supermarkets like Cold Storage, Market Place, Giant and convenience store chain 7-Eleven.
In addition, Giant has committed to reducing the prices of hundreds of its everyday essentials by an average of 20 per cent for at least six months from Sept 24, 2020.
This includes products from name brands as well as Giant’s house brand Meadows.
RedMart house brand
Next, we have RedMart, with the company selling its house brand products under the RedMart Private Label brand.
Currently, the RedMart Private Label brand has a little over 360 products ; with the company looking to expand its house-brand range to include more cooking and baking essentials.
Sheng Siong house brand
Last but not least we have Sheng Siong, and its vast array of over 1,200 house brand offerings.
There are the Happy Family, Tasty Bites, Heritage Farm and Bake For You brands.
Meadows vs FairPrice vs RedMart vs Sheng Siong house brands vs name brand price comparison
Name Brand
Meadows
FairPrice
RedMart Private Label
Sheng Siong House Brands
Item
Item & Price
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Item & Price
Price Difference vs Name Brand
Premium Thai White Rice (Per 5 Kilogram)
Double Flying King AAA Thai Hom Mali Fragrant White Rice:
$13.50
Meadows Thai Fragrant Rice 5kg:
$9.70
-28 per cent
Double FP Thai Hom Mali Premium Quality Fragrant Rice:
$11.90
-12 per cent
RedMart Thai Hom Mali Fragrant Rice: $13.15
-3 per cent
Royal Golden Grain Premium Fragrant Rice:
$13.80
+2 per cent
Ordinary White Bread (Per 400 Gram)
Sunshine Soft White Bread:
$2.30
Meadows Enriched White Bread 400g: $1.60
-30 per cent
FairPrice Enriched White Bread:
$1.25
-46 per cent
Redmart Sliced White Bread:
$1.90
-17 per cent
Bake For You Enriched White Bread:
$1.80
-22 per cent
Instant Noodles (Per 5 Packets)
Myojo Chicken Tanmen Instant Noodles:
$2
Meadows Instant Noodle Chicken Flavour:
$1.45
-28 per cent
FairPrice Instant Noodles – Chicken:
$1.45
-28 per cent
–
Happy Family Chicken Instant Noodles:
$1.50
-25 per cent
Cheese (Per 12 Slices)
Anchor Cheese Slices:
$3.90
Meadows Cheese Single Sliced 12s:
$4.00
+3 per cent
FairPrice Cheese Slices:
$4.15
+6 per cent
–
Hen Eggs (Per 10)
Chew’s Corn & Soya Eggs 10S:
$2.10
Giant Premium Fresh Eggs 10s:
$1.95
-7 per cent
–
–
RedMart 10 Eggs: $2.10
0 per cent
Heritage Farm Eggs 10S:
$2.30
+9.5 per cent
Canola Oil (Per 2 Kilogram)
OKI Canola Oil 2L:
$7.60
Meadows Canola Oil 2L:
$6.50
-14 per cent
FairPrice Canola Oil:
$7.20
-5 per cent
RedMart Canola Oil 2L:
$7.20
-5 per cent
Happy Family Canola Oil 2L:
$5.45
-28 per cent
White Sugar (Per 2 Kilogram)
SIS White Sugar:
$3.50
White Sugar:
$3.75
+7 per cent
FairPrice Pure Cane Sugar:
$2.95
-16 per cent
RedMart Fine Grain Sugar:
$3.00
-14 per cent
Happy Family Fine Sugar:
$2.55
-32 per cent
3 in 1 Instant Coffee (Per 15 packs)
Super 3-In-1 Instant White Coffee:
$5.95
Meadows 3 in 1 Ipoh White Coffee:
$4.95
-17 per cent
FairPrice 3 in 1 Instant White Coffee:
$6.25
+5 per cent
–
Heritage Farm White Coffee:
$4.95
-17 per cent
*Do note that the percentages are rounded up to the nearest integer. Prices recorded are actual retail prices and do not take into account sales for a more balanced comparison. Information accurate as of Oct 16, 2020.
Overall, you will get to save quite a bit if you opt for the Supermarket house brands over name brands for household essentials.
If you switch to Meadows house brand products, you can save on average about 20 per cent for the cheaper items.
If you switch to FairPrice house brand products, you can save on average about 21 per cent for the cheaper items.
As for Sheng Siong house brand products, you can on average save about 27 per cent for the cheaper items for the most savings.
For RedMart Private Label, you can on average save about 10 per cent for the cheaper items. But for now, their range of house brands for the essentials is a bit lacking.
However, there are some things that are 3 per cent – 7 per cent more expensive if you opt for house brands.
Personally, I think this is an easy choice for me to opt for house brands as I am not too picky and want to cut back a bit during this period of uncertainty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This article was first published in Seedly.
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