A study by Consumer Reports finds many store-brand foods taste as good -- or even better -- than their name-brand rivals.

YONKERS, N.Y. (

TheStreet

) -- In what will be both welcome news for private-label brands and heresy for packaged-food makers, a new Consumer Reports' study has found that 23 of 29 store-brand foods tasted just as good, or better than, national brands.

According to the taste test, many food products from

Target

(TGT) - Get Report

,

Wal-Mart Stores

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and

Costco Wholesale

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, were rated on par or higher to their counter parts from

General Mills

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,

Kraft

(KFT)

and

Campbell Soup

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.

Target's Archer Farms chewy soft bake cookies, Costco's Kirkland signature organic medium salsa and Wal-Mart's Great Value whipped topping were actually preferred to similar products from Pepperidge Farm, Old El Paso, Betty Crocker and Kraft.

These store-brands were also 27% cheaper than big-name rivals. In addition, 70% of those surveyed by Consumer Reports said they were highly satisfied with the quality of store brands they purchases.

-- Reported by Jeanine Poggi in New York.

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