The Baby Product Myth: Why Expensive Isn’t Always Best

When it comes to baby products, many parents are often led to believe that if a product is more expensive, then it must be better. This simply isn't true, and I'm here to bust that myth and show you how expensive doesn't always mean better.

The Pressure to Buy the Best

As a mother, I totally get how easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking I need to be buying the most expensive stuff if I want to be the best parent I can be. But remember, more doesn't equal better, and sometimes less is in fact more.

It often leaves you feeling you're a failure if you aren't living up to the expectation of buying the most expensive stuff. But I guess that’s the power of branding and marketing, right? We’re sold the idea that shiny packaging and a hefty price tag automatically mean “the best.”

The truth is, when you look at apps like Yuka and Think Dirty, which rate products based on their ingredients rather than how pretty the bottle looks, it can be surprising to see which ones actually come out on top. Sometimes it’s the budget supermarket option that scores better than the luxury brand.

If you’ve never used them before, Yuka and Think Dirty are apps you can download on your phone that let you scan barcodes on food, beauty, and baby products to check what’s really inside them.

Let's look at some examples that really highlight the product myth.....

Information from Yuka app

Both these products do the same thing, except the Johnstones one is priced at £3, and the Tesco own brand is priced at 0.82p??

You are paying for a name here, not a quality product. The Tesco one is 73% cheaper and is rated 84% higher!! Do your bank and your baby a favour and go for the Tesco-branded one.

Both these products are bubble bath, and I would have personally thought the Lemon Berry Barn looked like a more prestigious product? It has nicer packaging and just looks superior to the Tesco-branded one?

Don't let pretty packaging sway you to hiking up the cost of your weekly shopping, because as you can see, the Tesco one is 121% better rated by what's actually in the formula and costs 67% less.

Let's shop smart, not shiny.

Let's talk baby nappies

When you think baby bappies, I think your mind automatically goes to Pampers? They definitely have the biggest share of the market and are often seen as the “go-to” choice for parents.

Full disclosure: I use Pampers myself. But here’s the thing, it’s not because I think they’re the absolute best. It’s simply because of convenience. The closest Aldi or Lidl to me is about 16 miles away, and for ease, I just grab Pampers when I’m in my local tesco because i can't be bothered with the travel.

That said, I’d happily use Aldi’s Mamia nappies or Lidl’s Toujours nappies if they were closer at hand. In fact, both have been praised by parents on Mumsnet (and even won awards) for being just as reliable, if not better than Pampers.

They’re often voted higher for leak protection, comfort, and price. And the cost difference is huge. You can end up saving a small fortune over the months just by making that swap.

With the price of shopping continuing to skyrocket, why not try applying this logic to not only baby products but also other household or food items?

Did you know for example, that in blind product testing Aldi's own butter beats Lurpak? And it costs a fraction of the price.

I told my kids I was going to stop buying Heinz ketchup, and they were horrified, so I went to the shop, bought 4 different kinds of ketchup and did my own secret product testing. I made them try all 4 out of containers with no name, and Heinz actually came in third place.

I think we’re all a little guilty of letting the big brands and their clever marketing brainwash us. It’s so easy to be swayed by familiar logos and pretty packaging. But at the end of the day, it’s not about what looks nicest on the shelf, it’s about how good the product really is.

I totally recommend downloading the Yuka or Think Dirty apps. They're so good, and sometimes they’ll even suggest cheaper or cleaner swaps. It can be eye-opening to see that the “budget” option sometimes comes out on top.

So give it a go and let me know if you find any products where the cheaper one is actually better!