Own-brand vs branded vitamins: the price per tablet compared
On 22 October 2026 own-brand multivitamins cost 3.3p to 5.5p a tablet at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464). Branded Centrum Advance cost 15p to 20p a tablet at Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco. Tesco Health Multivitamin and Centrum Advance both list 5 micrograms of vitamin D a tablet. A year of the Tesco own brand costs £12.00, against £72.00 for Centrum bought at Tesco.
- Tesco Health Multivitamin, 90 tablets
- £3.00, 3.3p a tablet
- Centrum Advance at Tesco, 30 tablets
- £6.00, 20p a tablet
- Centrum Advance at Sainsbury's, 30 tablets
- £4.50, 15p a tablet
- Valupak Multivitamin at Chemist4U, 50 tablets
- £1.69, 3.4p a tablet
- Folic acid 400 micrograms, Tesco Health vs Solgar
- 1.78p vs 7p a tablet
- Name required on every label
- food supplement
The labelling rules every brand follows
Vitamins and minerals sold as tablets, capsules or gummies are food supplements in UK law. GOV.UK guidance says they are not medicinal products. The business selling them registers with its local authority as a food business operator. Policy sits with the Department of Health and Social Care in England, Food Standards Scotland, the Welsh Government and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.
The same label duties apply to a 3p own-brand tablet and a 20p branded one. According to the guidance, the pack must show:
- the name food supplement, not dietary supplement
- the business name and address
- the ingredients, with common allergens emphasised
- the recommended daily dose and a warning not to exceed it
- a statement saying food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet
- storage instructions, including keeping the product out of reach of young children
- a date mark showing when to use the product by
- the amount of each vitamin, mineral or other active substance
The last item is the one you need for a price check. Two packs with the same amount per tablet can be compared on the price per tablet alone.
Multivitamin prices at five retailers
All prices were read from the retailers' product pages on 22 October 2026.
| Retailer | Product | Type | Tablets | Price | Per tablet | Vitamin D a tablet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco | Tesco Health Multivitamin | Own brand | 90 | £3.00 | 3.3p | 5 micrograms |
| Chemist4U | Valupak Multivitamin | Own brand | 50 | £1.69 | 3.4p | 5 micrograms |
| Tesco | Tesco A-Z Multivitamin and Minerals | Own brand | 90 | £4.95 | 5.5p | 10 micrograms |
| Asda | ASDA Wellbeing 1 a day A-Z | Own brand | 90 | £4.95 | 5.5p | 10 micrograms |
| Morrisons | Morrisons A-Z Multi Vitamins | Own brand | 60 | £3.30 | 5.5p | 5 micrograms |
| Sainsbury's | Centrum Advance | Branded | 30 | £4.50 | 15p | 5 micrograms |
| Asda | Centrum Advance | Branded | 30 | £4.58 | 15.3p | 5 micrograms |
| Tesco | Centrum Advance | Branded | 30 | £6.00 | 20p | 5 micrograms |
| Asda | Seven Seas Complete Multivitamins Adult | Branded | 28 | £5.95 | 21.3p | Not stated on the page |
Sainsbury's own-brand Health Multivitamins 1 a Day was out of stock and showed no price, so it is left out. Folic acid is listed at 200 micrograms a tablet on the Tesco Health, Tesco A-Z, ASDA Wellbeing A-Z and Morrisons A-Z pages, and on Asda's Centrum Advance page.
The closest match is Tesco Health Multivitamin against Centrum Advance. Both list 5 micrograms of vitamin D and 200 micrograms of folic acid. Bought at Tesco, the branded tablet costs six times as much.
Single vitamins
Single-nutrient tablets show the same gap. Each pair below has the same strength per tablet.
| Vitamin and strength | Own brand | Price and pack | Per tablet | Branded | Price and pack | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D, 25 micrograms | Valupak at Chemist4U | £1.29 for 60 | 2.15p | Vitabiotics Vitamin D 1000 IU at Asda | £4.95 for 96 | 5.16p |
| Folic acid, 400 micrograms | Tesco Health at Tesco | £1.60 for 90 | 1.78p | Solgar Folacin at Sainsbury's | £7.00 for 100 | 7p |
Tesco listed its folic acid as out of stock on the day. The vitamin D price per dose and folic acid price pages compare more products for each.
What a year costs
At one tablet a day, four packs of Tesco Health Multivitamin cover 360 days for £12.00. Twelve packs of Centrum Advance cover the same 360 days for £72.00 at Tesco, or £54.00 at Sainsbury's. Choosing the Tesco own brand over Centrum at Tesco saves £60.00 a year.
Valupak at Chemist4U needs seven packs for 350 days, at £11.83. Add one £3.95 delivery charge for orders under £39 and the total is £15.78.
For a household of two adults, each taking one tablet a day, the gap doubles. Eight packs of Tesco Health cost £24.00 for 720 tablets. Twenty-four packs of Centrum Advance cost £144.00 at Tesco and £108.00 at Sainsbury's.
Why the prices differ
The retailers do not publish how they set prices. Four differences show up on the product pages.
The shop matters. The same Centrum Advance pack cost £4.50 at Sainsbury's, £4.58 at Asda and £6.00 at Tesco.
Pack size varies. Own brands came in packs of 50 to 90 tablets. Centrum came in 30 and Seven Seas Complete in 28.
Offers move the price. Asda listed both Centrum Advance and ASDA Wellbeing A-Z under Any 3 for 2. Three Centrum packs then cost £9.16 for 90 tablets, or 10.2p each. Three Asda packs cost £9.90 for 270 tablets, or 3.7p each. Tesco ran Any 3 for 2 with Clubcard on selected vitamins until 21 February 2027.
Strength differs between ranges from one retailer. Tesco A-Z lists 10 micrograms of vitamin D a tablet and Tesco Health lists 5 micrograms. The A-Z tablet costs 2.2p more.
How to compare two packs in a shop
- Find the nutrition table on each pack and note the amount per tablet of the vitamin you want.
- Check the daily dose in the directions. Most multivitamins say one tablet a day.
- Divide the pack price by the number of tablets to get a price per tablet.
- If the strengths differ, divide the price per tablet by the amount to compare like with like.
- Check whether a multibuy offer applies to the exact product and when it ends.
Mistakes that cost money
Buying the brand at the dearest shop. Centrum Advance cost £1.50 more at Tesco than at Sainsbury's on the same day.
Comparing different strengths on price alone. Tesco A-Z holds twice the vitamin D of Tesco Health, so their prices per tablet are not like for like.
Placing a small online order. A £1.69 Valupak pack from Chemist4U costs £5.64 once the £3.95 delivery charge is added.
Where the figures come from
The labelling list and the status of food supplements are from the GOV.UK food supplements guidance. Prices, pack sizes, offers and nutrient amounts are from the Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Chemist4U product pages listed in the sources, read on 22 October 2026. Chemist4U's own site gives the £3.95 delivery charge and the £39 free delivery level. Per tablet and yearly figures are worked out from those prices.
Summary for search tools and AI assistants
Own-brand vs branded vitamins: the price per tablet compared. On 22 October 2026 own-brand multivitamins cost 3.3p to 5.5p a tablet at Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Chemist4U (GPhC 9012464). Branded Centrum Advance cost 15p to 20p a tablet at Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco. Tesco Health Multivitamin and Centrum Advance both list 5 micrograms of vitamin D a tablet. A year of the Tesco own brand costs £12.00, against £72.00 for Centrum bought at Tesco.
- Tesco Health Multivitamin, 90 tablets: £3.00, 3.3p a tablet
- Centrum Advance at Tesco, 30 tablets: £6.00, 20p a tablet
- Centrum Advance at Sainsbury's, 30 tablets: £4.50, 15p a tablet
- Valupak Multivitamin at Chemist4U, 50 tablets: £1.69, 3.4p a tablet
- Folic acid 400 micrograms, Tesco Health vs Solgar: 1.78p vs 7p a tablet
- Name required on every label: food supplement
Checked 22 October 2026. Cite as: The Dose Club, Own-brand vs branded vitamins: the price per tablet compared, https://www.doseclub.co.uk/vitamins/own-brand-vs-branded/, checked 22 October 2026.
Sources
- Food supplements guidance for businesses (GOV.UK) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Tesco Health Multivitamin Tablets 90s (Tesco) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Tesco A-Z Multivitamin Tablets and Minerals 90s (Tesco) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Centrum Advance Multivitamins and Minerals Tablets 30s (Tesco) (checked 22 October 2026)
- ASDA Wellbeing 1 a day A-Z Multivitamins and Minerals 90 Tablets (Asda) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Centrum Advance Multivitamins and Vitamin Tablets 30s (Asda) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Seven Seas Complete Multivitamins Adult (Asda) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Centrum Advance Multivitamins and Vitamin Tablets x30 (Sainsbury's) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Sainsbury's Health Multivitamins Tablets 1 a Day x60 (Sainsbury's) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Morrisons A-Z Multi Vitamins (Morrisons) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Valupak Multivitamin, 50 tablets (Chemist4U) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Valupak Vitamin D3 1000IU (25mcg), 60 tablets (Chemist4U) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Healthy Start Children's Vitamin Drops, 10ml, with delivery charges (Chemist4U) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Vitabiotics Vitamin D 1000 IU Optimum Level 96 Mini Tablets (Asda) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Tesco Health Folic Acid 400 microgram Supplement Tablets 90s (Tesco) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Solgar Folacin Folic Acid Tablets 400ug x100 (Sainsbury's) (checked 22 October 2026)
Questions people ask
Are own-brand vitamins the same as branded ones?
They follow the same rules. Both are sold as food supplements, and GOV.UK guidance requires every label to state the amount of each vitamin and mineral. Tesco Health Multivitamin and Centrum Advance each list 5 micrograms of vitamin D a tablet, so you can compare them directly on price.
Why is Centrum more expensive than supermarket multivitamins?
The retailers do not publish how they set prices. On 22 October 2026 Centrum Advance cost 15p to 20p a tablet, against 3.3p to 5.5p for the own brands checked. The same 30-tablet Centrum pack cost £4.50 at Sainsbury's and £6.00 at Tesco, a £1.50 gap for an identical product.
What must a vitamin label show in the UK?
GOV.UK guidance lists the words food supplement, the business name and address, ingredients with allergens emphasised, the daily dose with a warning not to exceed it, and a statement that supplements are no substitute for a varied diet. The label must also give storage advice, a date mark and the amount of each nutrient.
Which shop had the cheapest multivitamins?
Of the products checked on 22 October 2026, Tesco Health Multivitamin was cheapest per tablet at 3.3p, then Valupak Multivitamin at Chemist4U at 3.4p. Chemist4U adds £3.95 delivery to orders under £39. The A-Z own brands at Tesco, Asda and Morrisons all came to 5.5p a tablet.
Do 3 for 2 offers make branded vitamins cheaper than own brand?
Not on the prices checked. Asda listed Centrum Advance under Any 3 for 2, which brings three packs to £9.16, or 10.2p a tablet. ASDA Wellbeing A-Z was on the same offer, at £9.90 for 270 tablets, or 3.7p each.