When shopping there are many decisions involved that require you to choose between two things; like what option is better and do you really need the item that you want to purchase. One of the important decisions you have to make is do you want the generic brand or the name brand. This choice is dependent on the importance of a purchase to you, what the item is, and the quality of the item of each. The debate is about the difference and if the difference between each brand is even that large. Sometimes these competing brands are made in the same manufacturer and have no noticeable differences. Purchasing generic brands can be beneficial and can be the best option. Listed below is why I believe this statement is true.

When it comes to groceries, store brands can be found at any grocery corporation. These store brands have many positives, and they have more similarities to the name brand than differences. Many generic products come from the same plants or even the same farm. The ingredients in these products are more similar than you may assume. A thing that makes them distinguishable is the fancy packaging of the name brand vs the simpler package of the generic brand. A product in stores where the store brand is mostly favored is water. Some people prefer the taste of store brand water over name brands, such as Ice Mountain or Aquafina. Some products may cause people to be skeptical when purchasing The generic brand; unsure of the source, what preservatives it includes, its sustainability, etc. Milk is a great example of a common generic brand purchase. When purchasing a cartoon of milk many people gravitate towards the store brand; this is usually produced at a local level. Store-brands are around 40% cheaper than name brands. Next time you go to pick up your next meal compare the two and find out what option is best for you and ditch your brand loyalty.

Another category where the debate of generic brand vs name brand is present is in the drugs and medication industry. Generic medications are usually 80-85% less expensive than the name brand medications. According to a study the United States healthcare system has saved $1.67 trillion from 2007 to 2016 for the use of generic drugs. Medication is something people commonly struggle to pay for. Insurance isn’t always an option for people and the cash has to come directly from their pockets because they cannot get any coverage. Generic drugs are made to do the exact same thing as brand names and there have very little noticeable differences. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients as brand name drugs. Each drug can be very similar in quality, dosage, strength, and how you ingest the medicine. A reason the brand-name drugs cost more is they are only sold by one manufacturer. Whereas generic drugs are sold by many companies causing them to have a marketplace competition, which creates lower prices for consumers. Most insurance companies would rather have their customers purchase the generic brand before they allow the purchase of the name-brand-. With generic brands it makes it easier and cheaper for people to acquire the medication they need.

The fashion industry is huge on brand names and logos. People choose to wear brand names as a way to fit into society. Consumers sacrifice their individuality in their fashion and purchase brand names to avoid disapproval from others. When people choose to wear brand names consistently it can negatively affect their attitude and personality. It can also negatively affect their employment as it doesn’t show modesty which is an important character trait in a career. People who show off their wealth through brands can appear to others as self-obsessed or uncooperative. Logos on clothes are slowly fading; big names or logos on t-shirts (such as the supreme shirts) are no longer a fad.

The makeup industries debate is between high-end brands and drugstore brands. Not all high-end brands are worth the high price and the drugstore version would be a much better and smarter purchase. The majority of the cost of makeup is from the packaging and design- only 15% of the price is made up of the actual product. Many high-end brands are owned by the same companies as the makeup that is found in drugstores. So, test out some drugstore makeup products and see if the quality is worth the cheaper price. Makeup and fashion are a form of expression and art. You don’t need to buy a specific brand just because it is trending. Wear what you find appealing and spend your money on stuff that is interesting to you.

When purchasing items people can overlook the actual products quality and its material. People look straight to the name listed on the package. The next time you go to buy an item take a minute to compare. Look into quality, prices, packaging, and ingredients. See what option is best for your needs because the generic option could be more beneficial than the name brand you are so use to buying.