• Browse by: category | company | brand | product type  
  • HOME
  • THE GUIDE
  • ISSUES
  • GET INFORMED
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT US
  • All  |
  • Baby  |
  • Clothing  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household  |
  • Office Supplies  |
  • Personal Care  |
  • Pet  |
  • Retail  |
  • Technology  |
  • Toys
  • |  Print Guide  |
  • App
  • Clothing  |
  • Electronics  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household & Personal Care
  • Issues  |
  • New! Clothing  |
  • Why Shop Ethically?  |
  • 5 Principles  |
  • Companies to avoid  |
  • News  |
  • Sign Up for Updates
  • Go ethical at school, work, home  |
  • Campaign  |
  • Spread the Word  |
  • Volunteer  |
  • Workshops  |
  • Movie Nights  |
  • Fundraising
  • All Products  |
  • Shop Ethical! app  |
  • Shop Ethical! book  |
  • Stockists  |
  • Other books  |
  • Fregie sacks  |
  • FREE STUFF!  |
  • DONATE
  • Introduction  |
  • About Us  |
  • Ratings & Assessment  |
  • Media Mentions  |
  • Testimonials  |
  • FAQ

ICON DECODER

COMPANY RATINGS
Praises, no criticism
Some praise, no criticism
No rating
Praises, some criticism
Criticism, some praise
Criticisms

Note: Ratings are based on company record, including parent companies. They are not a comment on the product itself.
> more about ratings

OTHER ICONS
Australian Owned
Outstanding Product Feature
Industry Alert

Issues

What do you value?
> Animal testing
> Conflict minerals
> Factory farming
> Food miles
> Genetic engineering
> Labour exploitation
> Nanotechnology
> Overfishing
> Packaging & waste
> Palm oil
> See all
 

Categories

What do you buy?
> Baby
> Clothing
> Food & Drink
> Household
> Office Supplies
> Personal Care
> Pets
> Retail
> Technology
> Toys
> See all

House Brands

The Guide > Food & Drink > Supermarket House Brands > House Brands 

House brands

Generally we don't recommend house brands as they (1) do not disclose who supplies the product - you don't know 'where your dollar is going', and (2) channel money to the big supermarket chains. Supermarket owned brands (known as 'private label' or generic 'house brands') command a 23 per cent market share, expected to rise to 30 per cent in the near future. House brands mean big profits for supermarkets. As major supermarket chains give more shelf space to their own brand items, name brand products are squeezed off the shelves. This means less choice, both for customers, with the disappearance of familiar brands, and for Australian farmers and manufacturers, who often find that they must sell through the supermarkets' own brands. They are forced to compete with cheaper, often heavily subsidised, foreign imports.
  • Best choice: choose Australian-owned brands with an A or B rating as preference over house brands.
  • If buying a house brand, choose Product of Australia first, Made in Australia second. Avoid imports.
  • For more on house brands see our FAQ page.  [FAQ]
BRAND COMPANY OWNED RATING
Best Buy  FoodWorks  
Distributor: Metcash  
Australian Owned  No rating3
Fabulous  SPAR Australia   Australian Owned  No rating3
Essentials  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Homebrand  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Macro some products certified organic some products certified organic Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Select  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Voeu  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Woolworths  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
ALDI brands  Aldi Australia   (Aldi South) GER  Praises, some criticism4
Coles  Coles Supermarkets   (Coles Group) Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
Black & Gold  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
Community Co  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
Foodland (SA)  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
IGA  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
No Frills  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
Purely Organic certified organic certified organic Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
Signature  Metcash Food & Grocery   (Metcash) Australian Owned  Criticisms6
Kirkland Signature  Costco Wholesale Australia   (Costco) USA  Criticisms6



  • About Us

    • Introduction
    • About Shop Ethical!
    • About ECG
    • About the Ratings
    • Assessment sources
    • Shop Ethical! database
    • Shop Ethical! book
    • Shop Ethical! app
    • Contact us
    • FAQ

    • Copyright
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
  • Get Informed

    • ISSUES
    • GET INFORMED
    • Electronics Guide
    • Clothing Guide
    • Values Screen
    • Why Shop Ethically?
    • 5 Principles
    • Be Inspired
    • Calendar
    • Local Harvest
  • Get Involved

    • GET INVOLVED
    • Go Ethical at school,
      work, home, church
    • Run a workshop or tour
    • Host a movie night
    • Spread the word
    • Resources
    • Volunteer
    • Support us
  • Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Suggest brand/company
    • Report an error
    • Give feedback
    • Sign up for updates
    • Past newsletters
    • >>DONATE<<

    • GET the GUIDE
        • App Store
        • Google Play
        • buy our book