[gbog]

North Korea is a good inverting mirror of our modern societies, and there is always something of inspiration in the diametrically opposite. I, for one, would welcome a brandless packaging of most products, where a pack of coffee would just be a dark brown folded paper with "coffee" written on it. Same with sugar, yogurt, butter, etc. We are brainwashed into believing that sugar X is different from sugar Y but it is the same thing with different packaging, often produced in the same lines in the same factories.

Muji is a successful Japanese brandless shop where I get my clothes. We have generics drugs that are less expensive. I think a brandless Walmart would be successful too, for those who refuse to be brainwashed.

[FabHK]

> brandless packaging

I stayed in Yanggakdo International Hotel on Yanggak Island in the river Taedong in Pyongyang on a tour, and there were two restaurants, and they were called "Restaurant 1" and "Restaurant 2". I found that quite refreshing.

[bane]

Where they any different or just overflow?

[FabHK]

They looked pretty similar, and we had set meals, so don't know whether their a-la-carte menu was different...

[sjellis]

"Muji is a successful Japanese brandless shop where I get my clothes. We have generics drugs that are less expensive. I think a brandless Walmart would be successful too, for those who refuse to be brainwashed."

This is one of the appeals of Marks & Spencer, who are one of the last survivors of the old British department stores. They sell clothes and food, all almost entirely their own-brand products, which are not cheap but are good quality. You can go into an M&S and buy essentials just by collecting the things on your list, without ever having to choose between brands.

[rtpg]

Muji is a pretty fun case in irony. No brand markings but super obvious that things come from it due to its unique style.

[gbog]

Maye it is "unique" but then just because it is the simplest design possible. T-shirts are just T-shirts with nothing special, even no "tickets" (the shitty piece of cloth with all the useless warning signs that hurts the skin and serve no purpose).

[lost_my_pwd]

In the US in the 70s-80s this used to be a thing:

http://gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-misc-foods-ai...

There were actually a few no-brand brands from supermarket chains like this that I can recall.

[kakwa_]

I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging.

Here is the label of the tin I ate yesterday for example:

https://image.ibb.co/kCxA0b/IMG_20171008_094309.jpg

no product name, just the composition of it.

Even the color are meant to associate to the composition (green -> little peas, pink/red -> bacon, white -> onions, orange -> carrots).

And a realistic photo of what to expect.

[wingerlang]

Does it change colors for each product? I would never consider that one as a budget brand by looking at it.

In Sweden (etc, I suppose) we have Euroshopper which is as minimal as it gets. It's instantly recognisable in each isle.

Example http://files2.coloribus.com/files/adsarchive/part_1664/16649...

[SyneRyder]

Australia has Black & Gold brand, not specific to a certain store but always low priced and bland packaging that is identical for every product (yellow box, black text).

http://www.lossofprivacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/abou...

Still not as utilitarian as the Dharma Initiative food packaging in the TV show Lost, though:

https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1313454/l...

[kw71]

Walmart tried this with the 'Price First' brand, I don't watch tv but I pointed it out to my wife and she said it reminds her of 'Lost'

[inferiorhuman]

> I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging.

Very common in the United States as stores don't license the brand names and so have to come up with a non-trademarked name.

[rbonvall]

In Chile we have the acuenta brand, whose packages are almost as plain as you can get: https://i.imgur.com/DeH1KR4.png

[fiblye]

The ironic thing about Muji is everything I come across there costs 50-100% more than branded products I see elsewhere. Single serving packets of curry for 800 yen? Basic shirts for 3000 yen? No thanks.

[gbog]

I live in Beijing and there, for the few I know (because I never shop elsewhere), clothes in Muji are good quality, simple functional design, and relatively cheap.

[someguydave]

This is still a thing in U.S. grocery stores, it's just that they have "store brand" generic products. For instance in Costco they sell "Kirkland brand". These generics are usually a good deal in terms of quality for price.

[rkuykendall-com]

Canada has this, with amazing stark-yellow packaging and big black Helvetica nouns:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Name_(brand)