BASILDON’S Denise Van Outen is the face of a new Channel 4 documentary helping people navigate shopping in the cost-of-living crisis.

Secrets of the Supermarket Own Brands follows the TV presenter and West End star as she reveals the truth behind who really makes the supermarkets’ own brands, helps viewers find alternatives and names big brands who also make budget ownlabel products.

Denise said she “completely changed” her shopping habits when the cost-of-living crisis hit.

She admits that she was once guilty of “snobbery when it comes to shopping”, but now her mindset has changed.

She said: “Now I will never hesitate to shop in what would be considered a budget supermarket and buy their own brand, and I’ve actually converted a few of my friends and family as well.

“I come from a working class family, and all my friends as well - a lot of them are struggling at the moment.

“So I feel really connected to the fact we really need to try and support people and help them - I do feel passionate about that.

“Most of us at the moment are trying to watch our spending.”

She notes own brand products are increasingly “dominating the shelves” and the presenter found a few surprises during her investigation.

She said: “People would think they’d be compromising on quality [when buying own brands]. But actually, you’re not because a lot of the time there’s a slight tweak with the ingredients with certain produce, but generally, you’re paying for the packaging and the big advertising campaigns [with known brands].”

During the documentary, she conducted an experiment where she got members of the public to try two different ice creams.

One appeared to be from a fancy brand, and another from a supermarket ownbrand. They were the same ice cream, but the tasters thought the branded item tasted better.

Denise admitted: “I was standing there watching it, and I thought I’d be exactly the same.

“I’ve been guilty of it. It’s a snobbery when it comes to shopping - you think because sometimes things haven’t got fancy packaging, it’s not necessarily as good. But actually, the product inside is the same quality.”

Denise said she is committed to using own brands and even has convinced her daughter Betsy, who she shares with Southend-born actor Lee Mead.

“My daughter, for instance, she’s only 13, she would normally go for a known makeup remover brand or a known body wash,” she said.

“Now she goes for the own brand, because she’s seen from what I’ve said to her: what’s the difference? Well, there isn’t any.

Denise has a Christmas episode on the same topic in the works, which she says is a particularly interesting time of year to consider shopping habits.

Secrets Of The Supermarket Own Brands airs on Channel 4 tonight at 8pm.