“Food Is the Same”: Lebo Lion Shares Perspective on Branded and Generic Food, SA Divided
- South African marketing expert Lebo Lion sparked a debate after posting a TikTok breaking down name brands versus generic house brands
- Lebo used a viral clip of someone regretting a cheap purchase to explain why branding is about more than just price
- South Africans flooded the comments with divided opinions, with some defending their favourite store-brand picks
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Source: TikTok
A local marketing guru has reignited the age-old debate about whether cheaper really means better value when it comes to the food on your plate. Content creator and brand-building expert Lebo Lion, known on TikTok as @lebolion_sa, posted a video on 11 August 2026 asking one question South African shoppers know all too well: is saving a few rands on a generic product really worth it?
Name brands vs generic: What Lebo found
To kick things off, Lebo shared a funny viral clip of someone who deeply regretted going the budget route. She used it to make a broader point: that branding is not just about logos or price tags. It is a promise. A promise that every time you open that packet, the taste and quality will be exactly what you expect.
She encouraged viewers to think carefully before swapping out their trusted brands for cheaper alternatives, and to consider what they might actually be giving up in the process.
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Watch the TikTok video that got people talking:
Mzansi weighs in on the budget brand debate
The comments revealed that for many South Africans, the decision between a branded product and a store alternative comes down to personal experience and which shop you are standing in. Some viewers found the whole thing relatable and hilarious, while others were ready to defend their favourite store brands with everything they had:
User @TheGood_Sis said:
"You'll taste the savings 🤣."
User @lefatlekheleli6 wrote:
"People are sleeping on the Pick 'n Pay 💰 cornflakes."
User @Your Host: Mathabo Tlali! 🎤🔥 shared:
"Hear me out: Bokomo cornflakes? This is for the peeps who love that crunch! Far superior."
User @sunshinediaries3 added:
"Generic depends on where. The Pick'n Pay no-name is the GOAT. Shoprite and Boxer are bad, shame, sorry."
User @MasotobeKims noted:
"Once you work in a food production company, you learn that we buy brand, not food; ukudla kyafana (food is the same) 😂."
User @Ms N@l3d1 L@dy🍒 put it plainly:
"Being cheap is expensive."
3 Briefly News food-related articles
- A South African woman impressed social media users after sharing a clever hack where she used ChatGPT to streamline her Checkers grocery shopping and meal planning.
- A woman shared an exciting experiment she was conducting to test the shelf life of Woolworths' fresh fruits and vegetables, which still looked fresh on the second day.
- Popular content creator Makhi wowed social media users after showing off a massive grocery haul bought with her earnings from Facebook monetisation.
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Source: Briefly News
