Latest news with #dupe
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I found a dupe of Uniqlo's viral body bag for just a fiver – it comes in gorgeous pastel shades & fits loads in
UNIQLO'S £15 body bag has been all the rage on TikTok - but you can snap up a dupe version for a third of the price at Home Bargain. Bargain hunters spotted the budget retailer has brought out a replica bag for just £5, and it comes in a range of pretty pastel colours. 4 Shoppers have previously been posting about Uniqlo's Round Mini Shoulder Bag, which retails for £14.90. It has caused quite the storm on TikTok, with social media users hailing it a Mary Poppins bag for being deceptively big inside. If you've been eyeing up the viral body bag but can't justify the price tag, you're in luck. One savvy shopper has uncovered the bargain dupe at Home Bargain and it's every bit as stylish. 'Remember the UNIQLO viral handbags? 'Now at Home Bargains for only £5.' In their clip, which has racked up over 1,000 likes, they shared how you can pick it up in a range of dreamy pastel shades. These include a pale cream and sage green - but they added Home Bargains also has it in black too. The semi-circle bag has one shoulder strap, and a zip to keep your belongings secure. People are only just realising where Uniqlo's name actually came from, and it's leaving them stunned SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION Many people were quick to comment with their delight at finding a cheaper version of the sought-after bag. One said: 'noooo way! going to grab one.' Another added: 'OMG love this.' However, some people shared how they had found even more purse-friendly dupes. A shopper commented: 'I got one from Aldi for 50p,', while one said: 'I got one in matalan reduced to £1.50.' UNIQLO'S VIRAL BAG The Round Mini Shoulder Bag is lightweight and versatile, as it can be worn as a bum bag around the waist, over the shoulder, as well as across the body. It is also surprisingly spacious inside, and is perfect to house your valuables safely. The convenient bag can be worn for everyday wear, whether that is on your next shopping spree, brunch date, or weekend walk. Made from a polyester shell, it's been coated with a water repellent agent to make this bag even more durable and truly keep your belongings safe. The inside is spacious enough to hold all your valuables, while the inner pocket is ideal to house your keys or smartphone separately. The Round Mini Shoulder Bag comes in a variety of colours, including classic black, white and camel shades. But shoppers can also snap up the Round Mini Shoulder Bag in pink, yellow, pale blue, navy blue and green. For under £15, we think this is one bargain accessory you will never regret buying.
Washington Post
24-07-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Shoppers' appetite for store brands, ‘dupes' grows in hunt for savings
Adrianna Rinaldi has enough high-quality leggings to last a week of remote work in New York without having to do laundry — and it didn't cost her a small fortune. Instead of continuing to spend up to $118 for one pair from Lululemon, she now buys a version that is a third of the price. CRZ Yoga has built a cult following for its near-perfect dupe — short for duplicate — of Lululemon leggings. 'The quality is just the same,' said Rinaldi, 34. 'There's more acceptance around not going for the brand name.' From copycat brands to store-label groceries, budget alternatives to everyday essentials and indulgences are having a moment. Rather than the cheap knockoffs of old, they often come close to their brand equivalent in quality. More Americans are prioritizing price and value in lieu of national brand loyalty, according to spending data and company earnings calls — while influencers are also embracing the change. 'The dupe feels like you've cheated or one-upped the system … especially in a time of economic uncertainty,' said Lauren Beitelspacher, a professor of marketing at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Brands and retailers are hustling to meet the moment as persistently high grocery prices, increasing personal debt levels and tariff uncertainty weigh heavily on consumers, creating a sense of urgency to save. Albertsons CEO Susan Morris told investors last week in its first quarter earnings call that the grocery retailer is 'leaning heavily into own brands,' looking to meet customer demand for more options at lower prices. This expansion could also be a 'great solution for our customer' when tariffs push up grocery prices, she said. Even mid- to high-income consumers are changing how they spend, despite 'still doing pretty well' on paper, said Chedly Louis, a retail analyst and vice president at Moody's. They are trading down to retailers such as Walmart, Dollar General and Dollar Tree, which historically serve low- to mid-income consumers. And the increasing popularity of store brands signals 'higher caution from the consumer,' she said. The same is true in some discretionary categories, where there are more options for quality products at attainable prices. 'People may not feel so beholden to a single brand — rather it's more about an overall aesthetic or niche that they want to express,' Jenna Drenten, a marketing professor specializing in digital consumer culture at Loyola University Chicago, wrote in an email. 'For every single one of the brand name 'must-haves', there are suggestions for the cheaper (but still good) version to buy instead.' The trend is most evident in the grocery aisles, said Sally Lyons Wyatt, of the market research firm Circana. Large supermarket chains, big-box stores and value retailers have been leaning into private labels, which have higher margins than name brands, for decades. But they doubled down in 2022 as prices surged, noted Lyon Wyatt, the company's senior adviser on global packaged goods and the food service industry. By 2024, sales on private-label food and nonfood grocery products hit an all-time high of $270.6 billion, a 4 percent increase over 2023, according to a report from Circana and the Private Label Manufacturers Association. That is about a fifth of total sales last year. National brands climbed 1 percent. 'The investments have certainly been worth it for grocers,' said Neil Saunders, a managing director at retail analytics firm GlobalData. 'They'll probably push on it even harder.' Canned food company Del Monte, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, and General Mills, the maker of Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, have pointed to private labels as being increasingly tough competition. In a 2024 Ipsos poll, a third of respondents said most or all of their groceries within the previous week were store brands, while only 24 percent said the same of national brands. (Forty-one percent responded that the share was half and half.) These products often look strikingly similar to their national-brand equivalent, Beitelspacher said, 'to signal to the customer that they're the same quality.' Customers are also more clued in, with a better understanding that store brand products are sometimes manufactured in the same facility as the national brand, according to Saunders. Stephanie Olson, 31, said it wasn't until she lost her job during the coronavirus pandemic that she started planning her grocery lists around sales and coupons. Olson said she shops at Kroger in part because she lives in its hometown of Cincinnati, and because the store brands often have the best discounts and coupons, making the price gap against national brands even wider. 'They definitely make it enticing to buy their brand,' said Olson, who works in talent acquisition. In the past few years, retailers not only announced new private-label lines, but also improved branding, quality and selection, Saunders said. Target invested in its organic line Good and Gather and its indulgent offerings from Favorite Day. Albertsons' line of sweets — Overjoyed — is reminiscent of Target's, using brightly colored packaging and whimsical font. Meanwhile, Walmart has seen success with Bettergoods, which features organic and 'healthier' products that have been a draw for higher-income customers. Amazon turned to the other end of the spectrum, announcing Amazon Saver, a no-frills line of grocery staples. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) Then there are the wholesale chains, most notably Costco and its Kirkland Signature brand, which have long dominated in the space, Lyons Wyatt said. The brand, which includes apparel, alcohol and groceries, accounted for 23 percent of Costco's revenue last year, generating $56 billion, according to the PLMA report. Those sales alone exceed those of Best Buy, Coca-Cola and Dollar General. Newer competitors are the Germany-based value retailers Aldi and Lidl, which have been rapidly expanding in the U.S. Aldi opened 120 new U.S. stores last year and its U.S. sales grew 14 percent over 2023, reaching $54 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. One quarter of U.S. households now shop at Aldi, Dave Rinaldo, then the president of Aldi USA, said at a PLMA conference. Jack Salzman, 29, doesn't mind walking a bit farther outside his neighborhood in Chicago to go to Aldi because his money 'goes a lot further,' the freelance TV and film production assistant said. 'I can spend under $100 and have enough stuff for a full week, and then some, at Aldi.' Plus, he often can't taste the difference between the store brand versus the national brand. Sydney Patterson, 30, feels similarly about over-the-counter medication. Growing up, she was used to seeing Tylenol, Advil and Aleve in her medicine cabinet. Now she thinks twice before reaching for those familiar brands, looking instead to the 'Target version that's $5 cheaper,' the fundraising consultant in Dallas said. While it's true that aspirational brands still hold weight in the fashion and beauty space, consumers are more open minded about trying cheaper alternatives, said Drenten, of Loyola University Chicago. Influencers were the catalyst, she added, because by speaking openly and enthusiastically about a dupe, it gives permission to followers to do the same — and even brag about it. Brands like Quince, E.L.F. Beauty, Few Moda and Dossier have built their customer base by explicitly duping expensive, popular products. Dossier, which went viral on TikTok for its 'impression perfumes' of designer brands, recently opened its first store in New York City. Instead of spending $335 on Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540, Dossier has its own version called Amber Saffron for $49. Sales of fragrance dupe brands surged 103 percent in mid-June compared to the same period last year, according to NielsenIQ. Cosmetic dupe sales increased almost 10 percent and facial skin dupe brands were up about 27 percent. Consumers are also allocating more of their spending to cheaper goods over expensive ones, according to Adobe Analytics, which tracked sales from June 2024 to June 2025. In apparel, the share of the cheapest goods increased about 9 percent, while the share of most expensive goods decreased by 5.7 percent. Quince, which sells apparel, accessories, suitcases, homeware and kitchenware, is more reminiscent of a private label model, in which its products are made and sold by the factories making them. While its website doesn't advertise the brand it's copying, Quince has made the comparison in marketing texts: 'Our answer to the $5K Bottega bag is here,' one text read. 'Same luxe craftsmanship. Same premium handwoven Italian leather.' Quince's version costs $130. Few Moda, a membership-model fashion website, asserts that its products are 'made by the same manufacturers as the leading brands you know and love, at cost' and that it bypasses 'the middlemen and the markups.' Most items on the website note which pricey brand's manufacturer it shares, such as that of Staud, Theory and Ted Baker. Then there is Amazon, where many fashion and accessory sellers dupe trends — as CRZ Yoga does. Rinaldi, who works in ad tech in New York, said she and her friends are often sharing and showing off their finds. 'I just complimented my friend's outfit and … 50 percent of what she was wearing was from Amazon,' she said. 'Now, it's socially acceptable.'
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Aldi is launching an Olaplex haircare dupe range for £24 cheaper – & it includes a bargain £4.99 moisture mask
OLPALEX has gained a cult following - but it also comes with a rather hefty price tag. If you would rather not fork out £28 for the bonded haircare range, you may be in luck, as Aldi is bringing out a new £3.99 dupe. 7 Launching 31st July, Aldi's Lacura Bonded Haircare Collection is aiming to rival Olaplex, but for 86 per cent cheaper. Shoppers were recently devastated when their previous bonded products were discontinued, but there are five new items coming this month. Aldi claims their products are 'scientifically targeted to repair, rebuild, and protect damaged hair, from root to tip.' They added: "From colour correction to deep repair, this collection covers every step — for less than the price of a coffee and a croissant (outside of London!)' They claim the collection is the 'secret to glossy, bond-strengthened hair', and - with each product costing under a fiver - is a purse-friendly option for those on a budget. The first item in the range is the Lacura Bonded Shampoo, which costs £3.99 for a 250ml bottle. It is enriched with Glycerin, Castor, Banana, and Pomegranate Extract, and 'works to repair and strengthen hair from the very first wash.' It's also a steal, given the Olaplex Bond Maintenance Shampoo is £24.01. Follow the shampoo with the Lacura Bonded Conditioner, which is also £3.99 for 250ml - compared to the £24.01 Olaplex Bond Maintenance Conditioner. This product aims to 'fortify damaged locks with the help of Avocado and Argan Oil, resulting in a frizz-free finish.' My hair's so thin you can see my scalp but miracle £8 buy fixes it in seconds Aldi shoppers can also pick up the Lacura Pre-Wash Hair Treatment, which is a pre-shampoo treatment said to leave you with 'stronger and shinier' locks. The £3.99 product has been compared to the £24.01 Olaplex Intensive Bond Building Treatment and has extracts of Jojoba Seed Oil and Panthenol. There is also a £4.99 Lacura Bonded Moisture Mask, which has Argan Oil, Rice Bran and Hemp Seed Oil. 7 The Olaplex dupes at Aldi ALDI'S Lacura Bonded Haircare Collection claims to deliver "luxury-level results without the luxury price tag. Lacura Bonded Shampoo (£3.99, 250ml) Lacura Bonded Conditioner (£3.99, 250ml) Lacura Pre-Wash Hair Treatment (£3.99 100ml) Lacura Bonded Purple Shampoo (£3.99, 250ml) Lacura Bonded Moisture Mask (£4.99, 100ml) It is 'an intense reparative mask designed to strengthen and smooth damaged hair', and is 82 per cent cheaper than the £23.01 Olaplex Bond Intense Moisture Mask. The last new item in the Olaplex dupe range is the £3.99 Lacura Bonded Purple Shampoo, which has been compared to the £24.01 Olaplex Blonde Enhancer Toning Shampoo. It is 'formulated with violet pigments to counteract yellow and orange hues, whilst neutralising brassiness for bolder and brighter locks.' You'll have to be quick to get your hands on Aldi's Bonded Haircare Collection. Once it hits shelves on July 31, it'll be available while stocks last. It comes just weeks after Aldi confirmed it had axed a shoppers' favourite £2.99 Liz Earle beauty dupe from shelves. The discounter has stopped making the hot cloth cleanser which many said was similar to Liz Earle's £30 Cleanse and Polish cleanser. The story behind Olaplex OLAPLEX hair care products continue to hold attention in the beauty world nearly ten years after their launch. In 2014, Olaplex came to life with Dean and Darcy Christal. The company's products reportedly aim to help repair broken bonds in the hair by targeting five types of damage: chemical, heat, mechanical, environmental, and lifestyle changes. The Santa Barbara-based company started in a California garage and is now sold in over 100 countries. Olaplex Holdings Inc. was bought by the private equity firm, Advent International, in 2019. Drs. Eric Pressly and Craig Hawker developed the base formula for the product. They are credited with the "invention," - adding Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate - according to the Olaplex website. "Hair wasn't just healthier; it took on a completely different quality — blondes were brighter, brunettes more radiant, and redheads more vibrant."
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Home Bargains is selling dupe of iconic childhood chocolate bar cruelly discontinued by Nestle after 60 years
HOME Bargains is selling a dupe of an iconic chocolate bar that was discontinued by Nestle after 60 years. Sweet-toothed shoppers were stunned to see Jungly chocolate, which looks very similar to Animal Bars, on the discounter's shelves. Customers described it as "pure nostalgia" after spotting the treat. While another said: "Yum use to buy these in Spain." Another bargain hunter who tried the treat said they tasted "banging". But some were not as impressed with one shopper saying they should "bring back Animal Bars instead". Nestle Jungly is usually found in Spanish shops and draws huge similarities to the beloved treat which was axed in November 2023. Both bars feature the outline of wild animals and contain milk chocolate. Different variations of the Jungly Bar have appeared on the bargain stores shelves in the past few months, including individually wrapped chocolates scanning for £1. If you are keen to shop for the treat, you will have to head to your nearest Home Bargains store as it is not available to shop online. You can find your nearest branch by visiting You can also shop the treat on for €2.78 (£2.41), but you will need to factory in delivery costs. We've outdone ourselves with this one' say Cadbury Ireland as they reveal new limited edition bar 'coming soon Shoppers were left reeling after Nestlé said it would no longer sell Animal Bars. The chocolate company said declines in sales were behind its axing. At the time shoppers said: 'Isn't it mental that they are discontinuing something so popular.' While another said: "They're gluten free so I use them as well. Gutted." Nestle also culled its iconic Caramac bar at the same time. MORE DISCONTINUED CHOC Shoppers were left heartbroken earlier this year after it was revealed that Toblerone Dark would no longer be made. Mars axed its dark chocolate Bounty in 2023, leaving customers heartbroken. At the time shoppers said the moves was "bad for their mental health". Others were quick to share their pain with one fan saying: "Noooooo. Dark chocolate Bountys beat milk chocolate Bountys hands down. However, it's not all bad news sometimes iconic chocolate bars make a return. Milky Way Crispy Rolls returned earlier after they were discontinued three years ago. White chocolate Maltesers have also made a return after a 11 year hiatus. How to save money on chocolate We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar. Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs... Go own brand - if you're not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you'll save by going for the supermarket's own brand bars. Shop around - if you've spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it's cheaper elsewhere. Websites like let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you're getting the best deal. Look out for yellow stickers - supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they've been reduced. They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged. Buy bigger bars - most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar. So if you've got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lululemon Sues Costco for Knockoff Activewear: See the Dupes in Question
When it comes to luxury items, high-end accessories and clothes with steep prices, everyone loves a good 'dupe.' From an affordable version of that fancy foundation you tried a sample of once to a cute top with almost the same fabric composition as that name-brand seller, finding reasonably priced items that resemble those distributed by your favorite companies is like striking gold—but a popular dupe just landed a major store in hot water. Lululemon, a retailer known for its athletic apparel, is suing Costco for selling knockoff versions of some of its pricier, hot ticket items. Here, everything we know. Last Friday, Lululemon filed their lawsuit against Costco, saying that the wholesale shopping institution has 'unlawfully traded' on Lululemon's 'reputation, goodwill and sweat equity by selling unauthorized and unlicensed apparel employing knockoff, infringing versions' of the athletic brands popular products, most of which retail at prices upwards of $100. To remedy this, Lululemon is asking Costco to pay monetary damages, as well as stop selling these alleged dupes. "As an innovation-led company that invests significantly in the research, development and design of our products, we take the responsibility of protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights very seriously and pursue the appropriate legal action when necessary," said a Lululemon spokesperson to USA TODAY. A handful of popular Lululemon items are included in this lineup of alleged duped items. The brand's Scuba collection is referred to often in the lawsuit. For example, it states that their Scuba Hoodie was replicated in the form of Costco's Danskin Half-Zip Hoodie. While Lululemon's Scuba hoodies fall around the $100 price range, Costco's version sells for about $8. Another Costco product called out in the lawsuit was their dupe of the Lululemon Define Jacket. While the athletic company's version comes in again around $128, Costco's version, the Spyder Women's Yoga Jacket, costs around $22. The list certainly does not end there, as men's clothing is also called out in this lawsuit. Lululemon's Men's ABC Pant, which costs around $100, was compared to Costco's Kirkland 5 Pocket Pant. In the clothing and fashion industry, as well as the beauty industry, there have been several instances in which lawsuits were brought forth regarding 'dupes.' For example, in the past, Adidas sued Forever 21 for selling products with stripe designs that resembled Adidas designs, with the duped products coming in at a much cheaper price. According to Lululemon's lawsuit, the brand feels as though these similar products will confuse customers. As stated in the lawsuit, Lululemon reached out to Costco back in November of 2024 regarding their 'infringement of Lululemon's intellectual property, including the SCUBA Mark,' as well as design patents. At the time, Costco responded by removing some of these products, though a few still remain, specifically, the Danskin Half-Zip and the Spyder Women's Yoga Jacket. Lululemon demands a jury trial. Looking for more trending stories? Click through below! 'People We Meet on Vacation' Movie Gets A Release Date: Everything We Know About The Film Doctors Say Body Fat Percentage Offers a More Accurate Health Picture Than BMI—Here's Why Did Marge Simpson Really Die? The Controversial 'Simpsons' Episode That Has Fans Talking
