Gelatelli Feeds You. Ben & Jerry’s Flatters You

What a £3 tub of ice cream can teach us about perceived value, packaging, and the psychology of branding.

Today, I picked up a tub of Ben & Jerry’s for £4 at Lidl. On sale. Bargain. I practically strutted out of the store like I’d just robbed Jeff Bezos.

But here’s the kicker: if that same tub had said Gelatelli (Lidl’s private label brand, yes I had to Google it too), I would’ve rolled my trolley straight past. Even if it was half the price. Even if it was the exact same weight, same vanilla base, same chocolate chunks.

And let’s be real, my days of watching CNBC documentaries paid off. I know damn well these ice creams are made of more or less the same ingredients. The real difference? Where the money goes. With Ben & Jerry’s, I’m not just paying for cream and sugar. I’m paying for:

• clever packaging design that screams “fun rebel energy”

• prime eye-level shelf placement (retail space is politics, don’t be fooled)

• social media managers cranking out quirky cow memes and witty tweets

• campaigns that weave in peace, love, and climate change activism

• oh, and the warm fuzzy feeling that I’m buying a lifestyle, not just dessert

  
  

Meanwhile Gelatelli? It’s just… ice cream. A no-nonsense tub sitting quietly on the bottom shelf. Feeds you, sure. But doesn’t flatter you.

This is what branding does: it hijacks perceived value. Objectively, both tubs give me the same sugar high and inevitable regret. Subjectively, Ben & Jerry’s makes me feel like I’m indulging in something bigger, a treat, a moment, a vibe. Gelatelli makes me feel like I’m cutting corners.

And here’s the wild part: a discount doesn’t just make Ben & Jerry’s cheaper, it makes it irresistible. £3 feels like a bargain because I believe in the brand. Meanwhile, Gelatelli could drop to £1 and I’d still feel “meh.”

The lesson? Branding doesn’t just shift how products are sold, it shapes how we see ourselves as buyers. I didn’t walk out with ice cream. I walked out with a tub of identity, dopamine, and a marketing masterclass in my Sainsbury’s bag.

So yeah. Gelatelli feeds you. Ben & Jerry’s flatters you. And today? I happily paid to be flattered.