Own-brand groceries save Austrian shoppers up to €1,000 a year
A new study shows Austrian consumers can cut annual grocery bills by €1,000 by abandoning branded goods, highlighting the pricing divide between traditional supermarkets and discounters.
Austrian shoppers can save up to €1,000 annually by swapping well-known brands for supermarket own-label alternatives, according to new research by the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK). The study tracked the cost of 20 everyday grocery items across Billa, Hofer, Lidl, and Spar from March to July 2026.
The findings expose a stark pricing divide in Austria’s grocery sector. At traditional supermarkets Billa and Spar, consumers who chose cheaper alternatives over branded goods reduced their basket costs by roughly a third. In June, a branded basket at Billa cost €57.68, compared to €34.65 for the own-brand equivalent, yielding a €23.03 saving.
Spar showed a similar dynamic, with shoppers saving €21.36 in June and €19.88 in July. Billa’s savings remained at €19.59 in July. These chains carry a wide range of own brands, giving consumers a clear path to lower their household expenditure if they are willing to abandon established labels.
The economics are fundamentally different at hard discounters. At Hofer, the price gap between branded and own-brand goods shrank from nearly €4 in March to just €0.15 in July. At Lidl, the maximum monthly saving was €10.03. The AK attributes this to the fact that discounters already offer the lowest baseline prices in the market, meaning their own brands have less room to undercut premium items.
The price premium on branded goods is heavily concentrated in a few staple categories. The AK recorded a €4.62 gap for peas, a €3.62 gap for rice, a €2.32 difference for a loaf of house bread, and a €1.91 gap for spaghetti. This concentration means a small number of branded purchases can disproportionately inflate a total grocery bill.
However, the study notes that own brands do not automatically guarantee the lowest price. Temporary promotions, loyalty card discounts, and deceptive packaging sizes can occasionally make a branded product cheaper than a supermarket alternative. To navigate this, the AK advises consumers to always check the Grundpreis, the mandatory unit price displaying the cost per kilogram or litre.
Beyond brand substitution, the labour group points to other structural ways to reduce food costs. Buying in bulk, cooking larger portions for freezing, and strict adherence to a shopping list curbs impulse spending. Additionally, purchasing perishable goods on Saturday evenings can yield discounts of 25% to 50%, while opting for seasonal produce avoids the added cost of long-distance transport.
