As we’re in a recession, you have to look for cost savings wherever you can find them.

From a consumer’s point of view, that often means compromising your brand preferences.

At least, that’s how it looks to me when I go with my wife to the supermarket and look at what my favourite branded products cost compared to supermarket own brands.

You end up comparing the actual cost of Favourite Brand A versus Own Brand A, and making your purchase decision based on price not any other factor, especially if there’s a price differentiator that’s hard to ignore.

So no more Cadbury’s Dairy Milk for me (my wife says) when something like Tesco’s Ryelands Milk Chocolate costs 50% less.

That may be the case but what a compromise! The taste is totally different! The Tesco’s own-brand product – one of the discount brands the retailer launched last year – isn’t bad (not everyone agrees with my assessment, though), but Cadbury’s it is not!

Do you get what you pay for, as the saying goes, meaning low price equals low quality?

In the case of the Tesco chocolate, I don’t think it’s low quality, it’s just a different taste and texture, especially when you hold it up against the leading (and yummiest) chocolate brand in the UK.

I wish for the days again when you had spare cash in your pocket and everything was reassuringly expensive. Even a serious product recall involving my favourite brand a few years ago doesn’t dent my desire.

Come on recession, I’m getting fed up with this brand compromise, get over it.