Inflation is raging. Prices continue to rise incessantly and the purchasing power of the French decreases just as much. According to UFC Que Choisir, inflation would reach 6.9% in June. After 5.3% in April and 6.1% in May, this figure has continued to grow in recent months.

Faced with this, all savings are good to take. Many consumers decide to turn to cheaper products, even if the quality is lower. This is how first prices and hard discount supermarkets are coming back to the fore.

According to a study by the Food Observatory (Oqali) carried out in 2015, low-cost products generally have the same nutritional quality as brands. In reality, what differentiates these products from each other is above all the diversity of the offer.

“This translates, for example, into a less diversified offer of low-sugar products, or higher quality products, or even a narrower offer of products within the so-called “gourmet” families of the sector”, notes the Oqali in his report, as noted by Sud-Ouest. Entry-level products are therefore generally much more basic.

However, the report points out that someone who mainly consumes entry-level products will have a slightly lower protein intake than someone who consumes more big brands. However, “such consumption of first-price products would not imply a risk of deficiency or insufficient intake for the consumer”, we can read.

Thus, the first prizes are not to be excluded from your shopping cart. However, there are some products that are best avoided.