Claims by upmarket shampoos 'don't wash'

Basic shampoos are often better value than upmarket brands that cost up to 30 times as much, an investigation has found.

Basic shampoos are often better value than upmarket brands that cost up to 30 times as much, an investigation has found. Which? magazine, published by the Consumers' Association, said that in some cases a supermarket own-brand could do as well or better than the leading products.

An expert working in the shampoo industry told Which? that manufacturers often "tend to stretch the truth". The top-selling brand Fructis, for example, said it contained fruit acids but the expert questioned what benefit they had in a shampoo.

Which? picked 22 shampoo brands to assess how well they prevented dyed hair from fading, or treated dry, damaged hair. Tesco's Wheatgerm and Cornsilk shampoo – 68p for 750ml – outperformed Redken Colour Extend (which costs 36 times as much). Pantene Pro-V Classic Care (£1.99 for a 200ml bottle) scored bottom in both categories.

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily, costing £5.25 for a 250ml bottle, also scored poorly in the tests on dry and damaged hair. The two top-rated makes in this section were Umberto Giannini Urgent Repair Moisture Booster, priced £4.15 for 250ml, and Elvive Nutritive shampoo (£3.19 for 300ml).