A recent visit to the grocery aisles of three stores in suburban Cincinnati underlined the lower prices chains are offering on their own brands alongside national brands:

Kroger Co. store:

Diet-oriented cereal, 12-ounce box: Kellogg’s Special K $4.34; store brand two-for-$4

Bleach in 1.42-gallon container: Clorox $3.89; store brand $2.99

Meijer Inc. store:

Chicken fettucine frozen dinner: Stouffer’s $3.36; store brand $1.71

Six-pack toilet tissue: Kleenex Cottonelle $4.38; store brand $3

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. store:

Butter pecan ice cream, 1.5 quart: Edy’s $3.96; store brand $2.50 for 1.75 quart

One can, cut green beans: Del Monte 82 cents, store brand 52 cents.