The old school dilemma of whether you go ‘brand’ or ‘own label’ for certain items continues today.
In food, it’s about quality versus cost. Are the own label ingredients the same quality as the branded version? Are the quantities of each ingredient similar? Are the cooking methods similar and packaging? Having worked for a food company in the 90’s that manufactured branded products and own label products, blind research often resulted in an own label preference!
So it comes as no surprise that a phenomenon has come to light in China namely the Pingti trend. The term is an abbreviation for pingjia tidaipin which means affordable substitute. Customers are seeking the same products as offered by luxury brands, but in an unbranded format but with similar if not identical attributes. In some cases the factories that produce the luxury branded products also produce the generic items.
Some luxury brands have suffered through this phenomenon, exacerbated by uncertain economic factors. When the economy is strong and customers have higher disposable income it’s not such an issue. However customers still get a sense of victory when finding a me-too generic. When they find them and display them on social media it can become a ‘badge of honour’.
When economic times are more challenging, both brands and customers are affected. Luxury brands must lean more on their heritage and their production values to justify their high retail prices. Consumers are often brand loyal, but they aren’t stupid. If they feel that they are being unfairly treated they will look for alternatives that deliver similar attributes.
A July 2026 Boston Consulting Group & Altagamma survey of 10,000 luxury goods consumers found that Design, Craftsmanship and Timelessness remain the top three purchase drivers across every spending tier, “70% of consumers have walked away over price: not because demand disappeared, but because the price-value equation broke down." Guia Ricci, BCG Managing Director and Partner.
We like the sense of quiet luxury that can be delivered in a generic but also greatly appreciate the heritage, quality and service that goes into a luxury brand so long as they contain eco-conscious attributes and adhere to a buy less, buy better philosophy!
Header Image: Generated by AI. Prada logo: ©PRADA 2007-2026 Prada Court Sneakers can be seen here: https://www.prada.com/gb/en/p/court-leather-sneakers/2EE483_070_F0009_F_G000
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©Ateliers Verts Ltd. 2026
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