The Same But Different

This is my ongoing project to spot which US products or brands are like which UK products or brands, because it has never been done before anywhere, in slim humorous books or elsewhere. These are my observations as and when I think of them, so don’t expect completeness or accuracy, or indeed entertainment. Keep your expectations low, is what I’m saying.

(* includes bonus reactionary curmudgeon entries! No prize if you can spot them!)

(This information was originally in these three posts: 123. I wanted to add some and expand it, so I’ve made it a single page.)

Type of thingUSUK
Food3 MusketeersequalsMilky Way
Store7-ElevenequalsLondis / Wavy Line (as was)
Store???equalsWHSmith (I'm still looking)
StoreAlbertsonsequalsAsda (I think you know what I mean)
ObjectBank Routing NumberequalsBank Sort Code
Objectblanketequalsduvet / quilt
PersonBrian Williamssimilar toZeinab Badawi
PersonBro-Magnonssimilar toTownies (i.e. collars flipped up)
FoodCaramelequalsCaramel
FoodCiderequalsApple Juice
ProductCif kitchen cleanerequalsCif, which used to be called Jif
ProductCloroxequalsDomestos
Objectcomforterequalsthin duvet
StoreCVSequalsBoots
FooddessertequalsPudding
FoodEnglish ToffeeequalsA crunchy kind of butterscotch stuff, usually covered in chocolate and chopped nuts. Like a Dime bar with nuts on.
TV / RadioFamily FeudequalsFamily Fortunes
Objectfizzy sweet powderequalsSherbet
FoodflanequalsCreme Caramel pudding like what used to make me cat up when I was a kid.
StoreGelsonsequalsWaitrose
PersonGlenn Beck / Sean Hannitysimilar toRichard Littlejohn / Peter Hitchens
FoodGood Humor ice creamequalsWalls ice cream (same logo)
FoodHard but chewy caramelequalstoffee
FoodHard CiderequalsCider
FoodHershey's chocolatedoes not equalchocolate
ProductJifequalsa brand of peanut butter
PersonLarry KingequalsMichael Parkinson (i.e. sycophantic but with a delusion of being a hard-hitting interviewer)
PersonLarry Kingdoes not equalJeremy Paxman (no matter what Larry thinks)
FoodLays potato chipsequalsWalkers crisps (same logo)
FoodMilky WayequalsMars
TV / RadioNPR and its local affiliates KPBS, KPCC, KQED and KALW etcsimilar toBBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service
FoodNyquilequalsNight Nurse
Foodopen topped sweet or savory pieequalsflan (e.g. cheese flan, strawberry flan)
Objectpavementequalsroad surface
ProductPine-solsimilar toDettol
FoodpuddingequalsBlancmange
Objectquiltequalsthin quilted cover with design on it like they used to make.
TV / RadioReno 911!kind of equalsOperation Good Guys
PersonRick WarrenequalsRowan Williams
StoreRite Aidequals(a slightly shabby) Boots
TV / RadioSanford & SonequalsSteptoe & Son
ObjectsheetequalsSheet
FoodsherbetequalsSorbet
Objectsidewalkequalspavement
Phrasesmoke a cigaretteequalssmoke a fag
Phrasesmoke a fagequalsshoot a homosexual dead
FoodSnickersequalsMarathon*
FoodStarburstequalsOpal Fruits*
StoreTargetequalswhat Woolworths could have been
ObjectTrailer (as in Trailer Park)equalsCaravan
StoreVonsequalsSainsburys / Tesco
StoreWalgreensequalsBoots
StoreMacysequalsDebenhams
StoreNordstromequalsNordstrom
StoreWalmart (clothes only)equalsPrimark
StoreVictoria's SecretequalsLa Senza