Do you buy brand name medicines? Eg, Nurofen vs ibuprofen
Medicines come in all shapes and packaging, but often it’s the same active ingredient doing the job; see our Cut the Cost of Medicine guide. So do you go for brand names (eg, Nurofen or Lemsip) or do you go for generic/own brands (eg, ibuprofen or Superdrug Cold & Flu sachets)? Which of these options is closest to your situation for the last few times you’ve bought medicines?
Medicines come in all shapes and packaging, but often it’s the same active ingredient doing the job; see our Cut the Cost of Medicine guide.
So do you go for brand names (eg, Nurofen or Lemsip) or do you go for generic/own brands (eg, ibuprofen or Superdrug Cold & Flu sachets)?
Which of these options is closest to your situation for the last few times you’ve bought medicines?
Results
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) |  |
686 votes (73%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
156 votes (17%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
14 votes (1%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
35 votes (4%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
53 votes (6%) |
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) | |
1024 votes (69%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
311 votes (21%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
56 votes (4%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
35 votes (2%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
52 votes (4%) |
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) | |
2132 votes (72%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
475 votes (16%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
166 votes (6%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
73 votes (2%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
106 votes (4%) |
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) | |
4030 votes (70%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
953 votes (17%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
500 votes (9%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
118 votes (2%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
171 votes (3%) |
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) | |
1877 votes (79%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
312 votes (13%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
26 votes (1%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
74 votes (3%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
77 votes (3%) |
| I buy the cheapest I can find regardless of brand (so usually generic/own brands) | |
4366 votes (76%) |
| I try to buy cheap unless I’m not sure, when I go for the name I know | |
994 votes (17%) |
| I tend to buy cheap for me, but branded medicines for my kids | |
62 votes (1%) |
| I buy branded medicines unless the pharmacist confirms the generic is fine | |
180 votes (3%) |
| I tend to buy branded medicines – as I feel safer/know they work | |
154 votes (3%) |
19,268 votes received.
We try to use technology to limit voting to one per person. Occasionally, this may erroneously block a few people's votes (eg, from shared offices). Apologies for that.
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