It’s the simple supermarket swap that could stack up to more than $3,400 in annual savings, with new research from Compare the Market revealing the true impact of choosing cheaper alternatives over big brands at the grocery store.

Compare the Market analysed 20 everyday household items at two major supermarkets and found a $64.90 – $67.10 weekly saving (around 43%) when swapping brand-name products to comparable generic or home brand items. Someone who completes the same shop every week could stand to pocket around $290 every month or $3,489 every year if they opted for generic brand items in each shop.

Amid rising interest rates, the ongoing fuel crisis and higher prices across the board, Compare the Market’s Chris Ford said swapping out even a few items at each shop could result in big savings.

“Australians are doing it tough now and are looking for simple ways to claw back cash without missing out completely. Our research shows that if you’re willing to give up well-known brands for cheaper alternatives, it really is possible to have your cake and eat it too,” Mr Ford said.

Compare the Market looked at the brand-name versus generic cost at two of the nation’s major supermarkets for a range of household staples and found significant savings across the 20 items we analysed.

“Whether you’re ducking to the corner store for a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk or doing a bigger, family shop, don’t be so quick to ick the budget options. The savings may surprise you,” Mr Ford said.

The analysis examined everyday items including milk, bread, eggs, cheese, laundry powder, toilet paper, coffee, cleaning spray and more. Reductions of 90 cents to $9 were observed when switching from big brands to budget items. Some of the biggest price discrepancies observed in the research included:

• 1L mouthwash: $9.00
• Instant coffee: $8.50
• 1L bodywash: $8.20
• Multipurpose cleaner: $5.05
• Toilet paper: $5.00

“While savings can be found in every aisle, we saw some of the biggest price differences in the toiletry and cleaning departments,” Mr Ford said. “And, although we’re still seeing savings between generic and brand names, the gap is closing – particularly for those everyday items we buy regularly. Some common generic branded items have jumped in price compared to last year, while their brand-name counterparts have remained stagnant.”

Now in its second year, the trawl also uncovered a number of mark ups on individual products.

Generic brand milk had jumped 55 cents (18.33%) year-on-year, while the brand name alternative analysed remained the same.

Generic brand white bread across both supermarkets saw a 10-cent increase (2.94%), while a box of home brand wheat biscuits is up 60 cents (11.99%). In this example, the brand name option has also jumped $1 year-on-year, reflecting a 16.66% price jump.

On the flip side, generic brand eggs at both stores  decreased by 10 cents year-on-year (-1.51%) and generic brand multipurpose cleaners down 5 cents (-2.50%).

“These aren’t massive savings. Supermarkets like to remind us that we’re getting a good deal, and while any decrease is better than paying more, these discounts aren’t really going to move the needle,” Mr Ford said.

Aussies should also be wary of shrinkflation, with some items becoming unavailable or out of stock and the closest alternatives costing more for less.

For example, a 24-pack of toilet paper available last year for $13 is no longer available, but the same brand is available in 2026 as a 16-pack for $14 – meaning customers are paying $1 more for eight fewer toilet rolls.

“Sometimes there’s genuinely limited or low stock available, but time and time again we’re seeing popular items shrink in size but grow in price,” Mr Ford said. “Where you can, look at the unit price when shopping, as this will give you a better indication of a saving and whether you’re getting your money’s worth.”

The average Australian forks out $198.78 each week on groceries,* equal to $861.38 a month and $10,336.56 a year.

Recent Compare the Market research found that grocery costs continue to hurt the hip pocket, with 31.76% of Aussies surveyed reporting that the cost of food and groceries has impacted their budget the post. Two-thirds of respondents (76.2%) say they’ve noticed grocery bill increases over the past year.

*Compare the Market commissioned PureProfile Survey of 1,017 18+ Australian adults, conducted January 2026.

Research for journalists.

Disclaimer: Reflective of regular retail price. Gathered 5/5/2026. Prices are subject to change but accurate at time of comparison. Items sourced from coles.com.au and woolworths.com.au. Where an exact like for like comparison wasn’t available (toilet paper, mouthwash), we’ve highlighted the closest alternative in the above table.