A bottle of Coop dishwashing liquid costs SEK 28.99. A bottle of Yes Original costs SEK 47.99. Both clean dishes. One costs 66% more.
What the data shows
Sivix analysed Swedish price records across dozens of product categories, comparing branded products to own-label equivalents from Coop, Änglamark, and Garant. The median brand premium across food categories is 7.7%. But that median is doing a lot of work to hide a very wide range.
| Category | Brand premium over own-label |
|---|---|
| Shaving products | +121% |
| Dishwashing detergent | +63% |
| Yoghurt | +33% |
Own-label vs branded — selected products (SEK)
Source: Sivix Sweden, Oct 2025 – Mar 2026
The gap in shaving products is striking. Coop's own shaving gel sits at SEK 43.50. Gillette Satin Care Sensitive 200ml is SEK 77.95 — 79% more for the same 200ml tube. Cold & flu medicine and vitamins show similar gaps: branded versions typically cost double the own-label equivalent.
At the other end: yoghurt, where the category median premium is 33% but individual comparisons often sit lower. Coop Mild Yoghurt Naturell (SEK 25.50/kg) versus Arla Lätt A-fil (SEK 28.95/kg) is just 13%. Both are in the same chilled aisle, and shoppers can see there is not much in it.
And then there is beer, where the model flips entirely. Branded mainstream lagers are 15% cheaper than unbranded or craft alternatives. Volume pricing beats the brand premium.
Why this happens
The brand premium is not really about the product. It is about what the buyer is willing to believe.
In health and personal care, people are reluctant to trade down. A cold medicine is SEK 70 branded or SEK 33 own-label — but who wants to experiment when their head hurts? The same logic applies to shaving gel and vitamins. In food staples, where the own-label version sits right next to the branded one and looks essentially the same, the premium collapses. Arla and Coop yoghurt are both perfectly fine yoghurt. Shoppers have figured that out.
What it means for you
The 7.7% median is not the number to watch. The question is which category you are buying in.
For shaving products, dishwasher tablets, and vitamins, own-label can cost 60–120% less. That is real money across a year of shopping. For yoghurt and most everyday dairy, the gap is small enough that the choice is genuinely yours.
Start with the category where the gap is biggest. The Coop version of most things exists — and in Sweden, it is usually on the same shelf.
Data source: Based on SEK price submissions collected by Sivix users across food and non-food product categories in Sweden, October 2025 – March 2026. Own-label defined as Coop, Änglamark, Garant, and Xtra branded products. Minimum threshold: 10+ branded and 5+ own-label products per category.