SUPERMARKETS are selling near-identical products at different prices – and charging more than double for a nicer-looking label.
Morrisons, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's all sell own-brand products that have the same ingredients and weight as items in their value ranges – but some cost twice as much.
The Sun analysed products at Britain's four biggest supermarkets and found that all sold slightly different versions of the same product at different prices.
Some products weigh the same and have the same ingredients, but the value range can be half the price.
The biggest price difference we found was at Tesco.
The supermarket charges 48p for a 200g Stockwell and Co branded pack of roasted and salted peanuts, but £1 for a near-identical packet under its Tesco own-brand label.
Both packs weigh 200g and they have the exact same ingredients.
In some cases, value range products are made to different recipes, which is why the price can be cheaper.
In all our examples, the packaging is different, which may also account for the price discrepancies.
Some supermarkets may also argue that its own-brand label items are better quality than its basics range products.
But in many examples we found, products have exactly the same ingredients and weights yet still have different prices.
Sainsbury's charges 15p more for its 75p 1.5kg own-brand plain flour than for its 60p basics plain flour.
Both are made with 100 per cent fortified British wheat flour.
Meanwhile, Tesco charges £1.80 for its own-brand 340g Squeezy Clear Honey but only 99p for its 340g Stockwell and Co Honey – despite both containing 100 per cent pure honey.
In another example, Asda charges 25p more for its 45p own-brand 500g spaghetti than for its Smart Price 20p 500g spaghetti.
Morrisons sells its 1 litre Savers apple juice from concentrate for just 55p, but its 1 litre own-brand apple juice from concentrate for £1 – a difference of 45p.
Morrisons confirmed to The Sun that shoppers pay more for the packaging, because the more expensive item has a "resealable plastic tab," whereas the savers product does not.
A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: "Our Basics and Sainsbury’s ranges are designed to offer customers a variety of products at a range of prices.
"The price for different products are influenced by a range of factors.”
The Sun has also contacted Asda and Tesco for comment and we will update this story if we hear back.
It's not the first time this issue has come to light.
Last year, Channel 4's Supershoppers exposed other examples of supermarkets selling near-identical products at vastly different prices.
Meanwhile, nearly 60,000 Asda workers could lose their paid lunch breaks under new contracts.
If you want to get some fizz in for Easter, head down to Aldi as it's slashed the cost of bubbly to £4 a bottle.
If you're after something a little different for Easter, Lidl is selling a sweet wine that tastes like hot cross buns.
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