Every deconstruction

Retail pack

£34.005 litres

Raw active

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC 50)68424-85-1

A dilute quaternary ammonium biocide sold as a lifestyle patio product. The active is commodity BAC 50; the brand is paying for the trigger bottle and the television advert.

Retail pack

£24.995 litres

Raw active

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC 50)68424-85-1

Another BAC patio biocide in a different coloured bottle. Same quaternary ammonium as Wet & Forget; same bulk drum of BAC 50. You are paying for the brand, not a different molecule.

Retail pack

£8.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Oxalic acid dihydrate6153-56-6

Oxalic acid is the classic rust and tannin bleach for masonry. HG bottles a dilute solution; a kilogram of crystals makes tens of litres of the same chemistry.

Retail pack

£24.995 litres

Raw active

Sodium hypochlorite 14–15% (industrial / dairy grade)7681-52-9

Standard commercial bleach solution sold at five times agricultural merchant prices.

Retail pack

£16.505 litres

Raw active

Technical hydrochloric acid 32–36%7647-01-0

Retail brick acid is technical hydrochloric acid cut to about 9%. 5 litres of 36% acid plus 15 litres of water is 20 litres of the same working strength.

Retail pack

£36.005 litres

Raw active

Water-based silane/siloxane masonry impregnator (50%)2943-75-1

A dilute siloxane in a 5 litre tin. Trade water-based silane/siloxane concentrates at 50% dilute 1+9 to about 5% working sealer — same job, more litres, less solvent perfume.

Retail pack

£11.992.5 litres

Raw active

Spirit vinegar 25% (acetic acid)64-19-7

The ‘organic patio cleaner’ is about 18% acetic acid with a drop of sugar-derived surfactant. Dilute 1:3 and you have ~4.5% vinegar. Spirit vinegar at 25% is the same molecule in a 5 litre jerry.

Retail pack

£8.99500 millilitres

Raw active

Phosphoric acid 81% (food / technical) diluted to ~25%7664-38-2

This is not oxalic (that is HG masonry rust) and it is not hydrochloric (Mortar Clen). Phosphoric acid etches rust to iron phosphate. Technical 81% phosphoric diluted to about 25% is the same attack without the gel tax. Keep it off limestone.

Retail pack

£16.004 litres

Raw active

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC 50)7173-51-5

This is not old Jeyes Fluid (tar acids are gone). Patio Power is 1.75% DDAC — a twin-chain quat, not the benzalkonium in Patio Magic. Dilute DDAC 50 to about 0.35% and you have the same working spray as the 4 L bottle mixed 1+4.

Retail pack

£14.005 litres

Raw active

Sodium metasilicate pentahydrate10213-79-3

This is not Patio Magic (BAC) and it is not Mortar Clen (HCl). KilrockPRO is a dilute alkaline masonry degreaser — disodium metasilicate (CAS 6834-92-0) with soda ash and a chelator. Metasilicate pentahydrate crystals mixed at about 30 g/L match the bottle strength; then dilute 1:20 for light stains as the pack does.

Retail pack

£33.005 litres

Raw active

Tetrapotassium pyrophosphate (TKPP)7320-34-5

Not a patio biocide (BAC/DDAC) and not brick acid. LTP’s 2025 SDS lists tetrapotassium pyrophosphate (~1–3%) with glycol ether and a little ammonia — a phosphate-builder scrub for grease and old wax. TKPP crystals at about 20 g/L match the bottle’s builder strength; then dilute as the pack does.

Retail pack

£18.001 litre

Raw active

Benzyl alcohol100-51-6

A viscous sealer stripper whose SDS lists benzyl alcohol at roughly 30–50%. Bulk benzyl alcohol is the same solvent that softens wax and acrylic films so you can scrub and wet-vac them off — not a biocide and not brick acid.

Retail pack

£29.995 kg tub

Raw active

Sodium percarbonate (technical oxygen bleach)15630-89-4

Logco’s Eco patio powder is sodium percarbonate (CAS 15630-89-4) — the same solid peroxide adduct as Vanish Oxi, sold as a 5 kg outdoor tub. Fifty grams per litre of warm water is the deck/patio band (about 5 m²/L). It is not BAC, not DDAC and not hypochlorite. A technical 5 kg sack is the same oxidiser without the decking label.

Retail pack

£16.56250 millilitres

Raw active

Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice64742-49-0

Lithofin OIL-EX is a solvent poultice, not an alkaline degreaser. The GB SDS lists C9–C10 hydrocarbons (CAS 64742-49-0) at 60–65%, C9 aromatics (CAS 64742-95-6) at 15–20%, and d-limonene (CAS 5989-27-5) at 0.5–1% in an absorbent paste. It is not KilrockPRO metasilicate, not LTP Grimex TKPP, and not Solvex benzyl alcohol. Low-aromatic white spirit plus fuller’s earth is the same solvent-and-absorb job without the 250 ml tube tax.

Retail pack

£43.801 litre

Raw active

Lithofin Stainstop PLUS (same siloxane impregnator, 5 litre tin)69430-37-1

Not Thompson’s water-based silane. The GB SDS for Lithofin Stainstop PLUS lists an amino-functional dimethyl siloxane (CAS 69430-37-1) at 15–20% in hydrocarbon solvent, plus a trace of methanol. It sinks in and darkens absorbent stone. Pro Tiler Tools lists the same tin at £43.80 for 1 litre and £202.20 for 5 litres (inc VAT) — about £40 a litre in the big tin, an 8% tin-size gap, not a stronger molecule.

Retail pack

£19.995 litres

Raw active

2-Butoxyethanol (butyl glycol, 99%+)111-76-2

Traffic film removers are a glycol-ether solvent (2-butoxyethanol, CAS 111-76-2) plus alkali and surfactant. The 5 litre Bilt Hamber bottle lists butyl glycol as the active solvent — a common TFR formulation across the industry. A 25 litre drum of 2-butoxyethanol from a lab supplier diluted with sodium hydroxide and surfactant is the same working chemistry at a fraction of the branded price per litre.

Retail pack

£13.501 litre

Raw active

Soluble Ascophyllum nodosum kelp powder84775-78-0

A watered-down cold-pressed kelp extract. Soluble Ascophyllum nodosum powder is the same crop, sold by the kilogram to hydroponic growers, at a fraction of the bottled price.

Retail pack

£24.00100 m² box

Raw active

Agricultural soluble iron(II) sulphate heptahydrate7782-63-0

The moss-blackening punch is ferrous sulphate — the same agricultural iron used on bowling greens. The 4-in-1 box is mostly filler, NPK dust and a brand. Buy the salt.

Retail pack

£9.504 kg

Raw active

Agricultural NPK 7-7-7 compound fertiliser66455-26-3

7-7-7 is a commodity NPK blend. The cardboard box is a portioned sack of agricultural compound fertiliser. Buy it by the 25 kg bag from a merchant, not 4 kg at a time from a garden centre.

Retail pack

£6.001 litre

Raw active

Soluble NPK 20-20-20 (hydroponic grade)66455-26-3

A dilute bottle of soluble NPK. Hydroponic 20-20-20 (or similar) powder is the same three numbers, un-dyed and un-marketed, at a gram per litre instead of a capful of coloured water.

Retail pack

£38.0020 kg bag

Raw active

Sulphate of potash (0-0-50)7778-80-5

The moss dies because of high potash, not a magic organic patent. Sulphate of potash (0-0-50) supplies the same K2O without iron staining; a cheap Bacillus or compost-tea inoculant does the digestion step. A 20 kg 5-5-20 bag is mostly filler next to 10 kg of 50% K2O.

Retail pack

£4.9975 g tub

Raw active

Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)133-32-4

A 75 g tub is 74.9 g of talc carrying 75 mg of IBA. That is about £67/kg for cosmetic powder. 0.5 g of pure IBA in 500 g of unscented talc is the same 0.1% dip.

Retail pack

£14.99500 millilitres

Raw active

Horticultural potassium soft soap57-13-6 / 61790-44-1

Dilute foliar urea plus a potassium fatty-acid soap that smothers soft-bodied insects. A 500 ml bottle at 10 ml/L makes about 50 litres; the same working spray from bulk soap and urea is pence per litre.

Retail pack

£5.501 litre

Raw active

Soluble tomato fertiliser 4-4-8 (or 6-5-12)66455-26-3

A dilute high-potash bottle with a pinch of kelp. Soluble tomato feed around 4-4-8 (or 6-5-12) at 2 g/L is the same three numbers without the green dye. This is not Miracle-Gro 20-20-20 — tomatoes want potassium.

Retail pack

£6.501.5 kg box

Raw active

Magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (Epsom salts)10034-99-8

The garden-centre box is agricultural Epsom salts with a picture of a tomato. MgSO4·7H2O is a commodity desiccant and bath salt. Buy it by the 5 kg bag, not 1.5 kg at a time. This is not BetterYou magnesium oil (that is chloride).

Retail pack

£7.501.5 kg box

Raw active

Agricultural ammonium sulphate 21% N7783-20-2

21% nitrogen as ammonium sulphate. The cardboard box is a portioned sack of a fertiliser merchants sell in 25 kg lots. It greens grass. It also acidifies — do not pile it on chalk-hating stone paths.

Retail pack

£7.49800 g tub

Raw active

Ferric phosphate slug bait (~1% FePO4)10045-86-0

Metaldehyde is gone. What remains is ~1% ferric phosphate in a cereal pellet. The 800 g tub is a small bag of the same bait sold in 2–5 kg buckets to allotmenteers. You are paying for the child-resistant lid.

Retail pack

£6.9980 g (4 × 20 g sachets)

Raw active

Fe-EDDHA 6% chelated iron (plus a pinch of Mg/Mn if you want the full tonic)16455-61-1

This is not ferrous sulphate (that is Evergreen moss killer) and it will not blacken a pale patio the same way. EDDHA/EDTA iron stays available on chalky soil. Four 20 g sachets are a tiny bag of the 6% chelate sold in 250 g tubs to nurseries.

Retail pack

£5.991.5 kg box

Raw active

Potassium nitrate 13-0-46 (nitrate of potash)7757-79-1

This is not Tomorite (a dilute 4-3-8 bottle) and it is not 20-20-20. Potassium nitrate is 13-0-46: nitrogen plus potash in one salt. The garden-centre 1.5 kg box is agricultural KNO3 with a tomato on the front. Buy it in 5 kg.

Retail pack

£10.992.5 kg box

Raw active

Vitax Q4 5.3-7.5-10 + 3% MgO (20 kg professional sack)66455-26-3

Q4 is a specific 5.3-7.5-10 organo-mineral with magnesium — not Growmore 7-7-7 and not Q4 HN (10.5-7.5-10.2). The garden box is a portioned sack. The same analysis is sold as a 20 kg professional bag.

Retail pack

£5.491.5 kg box

Raw active

Fish, blood and bone meal (25 kg; typically 5-5-6 or 3-9-3)N/A - Organic Blend

This is not Growmore 7-7-7. It is an organic P-forward meal. Westland’s garden powder is 3-9-3 and, on the SDS, roughly half silica dust. A 25 kg sack of fish, blood and bone is the same job without the 1.5 kg box tax — check the analysis; trade bags are often 5-5-6.

Retail pack

£8.99750 grams

Raw active

Soluble fertiliser 12.5-25-25 (or near PK bloom 10-30-20)66455-26-3

This is not Miracle-Gro 20-20-20 and it is not Tomorite 4-3-8. Formula 8 is a low-N, high-P/K soluble at 12.5-25-25 for ripening onions, leeks, heathers and conifers. The same analysis sells as hydroponic bloom / PK-heavy soluble powder by the kilogram — some shops now label the range Incredigrow.

Retail pack

£6.991.5 kg box

Raw active

Triple superphosphate 46% P2O5 (or 17% as labelled granules)7758-87-4

A phosphorus-forward 0-17-0 — not Growmore 7-7-7, not fish blood and bone meal. Superphosphate is triple superphosphate granules sold in a small box. Merchants sell the same 17% P2O5 sack by the 25 kg for root establishment and autumn planting.

Retail pack

£8.491 litre

Raw active

Glyphosate IPA salt concentrate 360 g/L38641-94-0

Pathclear RTU is glyphosate at about 0.46 g/L in a trigger bottle. The same working strength comes from 13 ml of 360 g/L glyphosate concentrate per litre of water — pennies per litre versus £8.49 for the branded RTU.

Retail pack

£13.991 litre

Raw active

Triclopyr 480 g/L concentrate55335-06-3

SBK is triclopyr at 48 g/L in a solvent base — the classic woody-weed killer. The same working band (about 0.96 g/L after dilution) comes from professional triclopyr concentrate without the garden-centre markup.

Retail pack

£5.99175 grams

Raw active

Copper sulphate pentahydrate + hydrated lime (Bordeaux)7758-98-7

Bordeaux mixture is copper sulphate reacted with lime — the same blue wash Victorian gardeners used. The sachet is a portioned blend; buying copper sulphate pentahydrate and hydrated lime separately fills many seasons of the same spray.

Retail pack

£11.991 litre

Raw active

Myclobutanil 96% technical88671-89-0

Rose Clear Ultra is myclobutanil at about 0.875 g/L in the concentrate bottle — a triazole fungicide sold in a rose-shaped label. Technical myclobutanil powder dissolved to the same ppm is the same systemic without the garden-centre premium.

Retail pack

£2.75175 millilitres

Raw active

Soluble NPK 20-20-20 (hydroponic grade)66455-26-3

Baby Bio is a capful of soluble 6-6-6 in coloured water. Hydroponic 20-20-20 powder at a lower gram-per-litre rate is the same three nutrients without the tiny bottle markup.

Retail pack

£4.99225 grams

Raw active

Flowers of sulphur (elemental sulphur 99%)7704-34-9

Vitax Yellow Sulphur is 98% elemental sulphur (CAS 7704-34-9) in a 225 g puff pack. Flowers of sulphur from a 1 kg horticultural bag is the same dust — a contact fungicide and soil acidifier, not a systemic triazole and not Bordeaux copper.

Retail pack

£8.49200 millilitres

Raw active

Mecoprop-P 37.5 g/L + dicamba 4.675 g/L lawn concentrate16484-77-8 / 1918-00-9

Doff’s 200 ml lawn bottle is mecoprop-P at 37.5 g/L plus dicamba at 4.675 g/L — a selective auxin herbicide for turf, not glyphosate. Weedol LN Conc is the same pair. Current Weedol Lawn (MAPP 17599) is a different three-way — MCPA, fluroxypyr and clopyralid — see that teardown. A 1 L bottle of the mecoprop-P/dicamba formulation is the same working spray without the 200 ml garden-centre tax.

Retail pack

£9.99125 millilitres

Raw active

Tebuconazole 96% technical107534-96-3

Provanto Fungus Fighter is tebuconazole at 25 g/L in a 125 ml rose bottle. Four millilitres per litre lands at about 0.1 g/L — the same DMI triazole as a weighed pinch of 96% technical. It is not myclobutanil (Rose Clear), not sulphur, and not Bordeaux copper.

Retail pack

£3.50150 grams

Raw active

Permethrin 0.5% crawling-insect powder52645-53-1

Nippon powder is permethrin at 0.488% on talc — a pyrethroid crawling-insect dust in a 150 g shaker. A 1 kg bag of the same 0.5% permethrin powder is the same dust without the puffer-pack markup. It is not DEET, not glyphosate, and it is very toxic to cats and aquatic life.

Retail pack

£5.991 litre

Raw active

Pelargonic acid 186.7 g/L weedkiller concentrate112-05-0

Resolva Xpress 24H RTU is pelargonic acid (nonanoic acid, CAS 112-05-0) at about 31 g/L — a contact fatty-acid desiccant, not glyphosate. Classic Resolva 24H is a different bottle (glyphosate). 170 ml of 186.7 g/L concentrate made up to 1 litre matches the trigger strength.

Retail pack

£8.9930 millilitres

Raw active

Deltamethrin 15 g/L emulsion concentrate52918-63-5

Provanto Ultimate Bug Killer is deltamethrin at 15 g/L in a 30 ml garden-centre bottle. Half a millilitre per litre outdoors lands at about 7.5 mg/L — the same pyrethroid as a 1 L amenity pack of that 15 g/L emulsion. It is not permethrin ant dust, not SB soft soap, and it is very toxic to aquatic life and bees when spray is wet.

Retail pack

£10.49200 millilitres

Raw active

Acetamiprid 5 g/L soluble concentrate135410-20-7

BugClear Ultra is acetamiprid at 5 g/L — a neonicotinoid systemic, not a pyrethroid dust and not soft soap. Ten millilitres per litre lands at 0.05 g/L, matching the ornamental label. A 1 L amateur pack of that 5 g/L SL is the same molecule without the 200 ml garden-centre pour.

Retail pack

£14.99500 millilitres

Raw active

MCPA 53.4 g/L + fluroxypyr 10.7 g/L + clopyralid 5.4 g/L lawn concentrate94-74-6 / 69377-81-7 / 1702-17-6

Current Weedol Lawn (MAPP 17599) is MCPA at about 53.4 g/L plus fluroxypyr 10.7 g/L and clopyralid 5.4 g/L — a three-way selective turf herbicide, not Doff’s mecoprop-P/dicamba pair and not Pathclear glyphosate. A 1 L amateur pack of that same three-way is the working spray without the 500 ml carton tax.

Retail pack

£10.99225 millilitres

Raw active

Triticonazole 96% technical131983-72-7

Fungus Clear Ultra is triticonazole at 10.2 g/L in a 225 ml rose bottle. Fifteen millilitres per litre lands at about 0.15 g/L — the same DMI triazole as a weighed pinch of 96% technical. It is not myclobutanil (Rose Clear), not tebuconazole (Provanto Fungus Fighter), and not sulphur.

Retail pack

£6.501 litre

Raw active

Glyphosate IPA salt concentrate 360 g/L38641-94-0

Classic Resolva 24H RTU (MAPP 18921) is glyphosate diammonium at about 0.99% w/w — not Xpress pelargonic, and about twice the Pathclear 0.46% band. Thirty millilitres of 360 g/L glyphosate concentrate per litre matches that RTU. Read the cap: Xpress / Xtra Fast is a different bottle.

Retail pack

£6.50800 millilitres

Raw active

Refined rapeseed oil emulsified to 17 g/L8002-13-9

BugClear Fruit & Veg Ultra is rapeseed oil at 17 g/L (CAS 8002-13-9) — a contact oil suffocant, not acetamiprid (BugClear Ultra concentrate) and not deltamethrin. Nineteen millilitres of refined rapeseed oil made up to a litre with a drop of washing-up liquid matches the trigger. It is not a neurotoxin and it will scorch oil-shy plants.

Retail pack

£5.991.5 kg box

Raw active

Agricultural potassium sulphate (sulphate of potash, 0-0-48)7778-80-5

Westland’s 1.5 kg box is potassium sulphate (K₂SO₄, CAS 7778-80-5) at about 0-0-48 — potash only, not nitrate of potash (KNO₃, 13-0-46) and not Tomorite. A 25 kg agricultural sack is the same salt. Some bags carry potassium hydrogen sulphate and an eye-damage warning — read the SDS.

Retail pack

£8.004 kg

Raw active

Agricultural ground limestone (calcium carbonate / dolomite lime)1317-65-3

Westland’s 4 kg box is agricultural lime: limestone calcium carbonate (CAS 1317-65-3) with dolomite (CAS 16389-88-1) — not hydrated lime, not ferrous sulphate, and not a weedkiller. A 25 kg ag-lime sack is the same pH-up salt. Test the soil first; keep it off rhododendrons.

Retail pack

£5.491.5 kg box

Raw active

Steamed bone meal (agricultural, ~3.5-18-0)68476-17-1

Westland’s 1.5 kg box is steamed bone meal — slow organic phosphate (typically about 3.5-18-0), not Growmore 7-7-7, not superphosphate 0-17-0, and not Fish, Blood & Bone (a three-meal blend). A 25 kg agricultural sack is the same ground bone. CAS 68476-17-1 is the meal, not a secret rooting hormone.

Retail pack

£4.9925 grams

Raw active

Amateur-labelled spinosad ant bait 0.081% (same liquid)168316-95-8

Nippon Ant Killer Liquid is spinosad at 0.081% (CAS 168316-95-8) in a 25 g honey-sweet bait — Vitax SDS, not a spray. It is not Nippon Ant Killer Powder (permethrin dust) and not Provanto Ultimate Bug Killer (deltamethrin). Technical spinosad SC is a professional foliar insecticide: there is no sensible UK household bulk path that a householder can legally mix as ant bait. A 4 × 25 g pack of the same labelled liquid is the only honest stack.

Retail pack

£5.501 litre

Raw active

Cypermethrin 5 g/L amateur emulsion (diluted to 50 ppm)52315-07-8

Doff Rose Shield RTU is cypermethrin at 0.05 g/L plus myclobutanil at 0.075 g/L — a pyrethroid and a triazole in one trigger. Cypermethrin (CAS 52315-07-8) is not permethrin ant dust and not Provanto deltamethrin. The fungus half is the Rose Clear molecule. Dilute a householder-labelled cypermethrin concentrate to 50 ppm for the bug job.

Retail pack

£9.001 kg tub

Raw active

Sodium percarbonate (food/technical grade)15630-89-4

Sodium percarbonate is a solid hydrogen-peroxide adduct. The pink tub is perfume, dye and a scoop. Technical-grade percarbonate is the same oxidiser used in bulk laundries.

Retail pack

£2.20750 millilitres

Raw active

Household thin bleach (sodium hypochlorite ~5%)7681-52-9

Sodium hypochlorite plus a thickener so it clings to ceramic. Thin household bleach is the same oxidiser without the brand, the dye and the TV campaign. Never mix it with acids or ammonia.

Retail pack

£3.50750 millilitres

Raw active

Citric acid monohydrate (food grade)5949-29-1

Hard-water scale is calcium carbonate. Citric acid dissolves it. The trigger bottle is perfume and a nozzle; a bag of food-grade citric acid is the same attack on the kettle, the head and the pan.

Retail pack

£2.29850 g tub

Raw active

Precipitated calcium carbonate (chalk powder) + liquid castile soap471-34-1

Simple fine chalk (calcium carbonate) suspended in vegetable soap and pink dye.

Retail pack

£2.00750 ml trigger

Raw active

Dairy-grade sodium hypochlorite 14% (diluted to 3.5%)7681-52-9

Highly diluted bleach sold with a plastic spray trigger. Diluting bulk hypochlorite costs pennies.

Retail pack

£4.00500 millilitres

Raw active

Sodium hydroxide pearls 99% (caustic soda)1310-73-2

The bag is theatre. The gel is dilute sodium hydroxide. Caustic soda pearls at about 40 g/L make the same 4% attack on burnt fats. Corrosive — this is not a toy, and it is not a lemon-scented miracle.

Retail pack

£1.80200 millilitres

Raw active

Hydrogen peroxide 12% (40-volume cream peroxide / technical)7722-84-1

3% is 10-volume peroxide. Hair-developer 12% (40-volume) diluted 1:3 is the same 3% oxidiser in litres, not 200 ml pharmacy bottles. Do not drink it. Do not use 12% on skin undiluted.

Retail pack

£3.5075 millilitres (3 × 25 ml sachets)

Raw active

Lactic acid 80% (food / technical)79-33-4

This is not citric acid and it is not sulfamic. The sachet is 70–90% lactic acid — the same food-industry acid sold in 1 litre jerry cans. One 25 ml pour descale a kettle; three sachets is a tiny pour from that jerry.

Retail pack

£14.50500 g tub

Raw active

Sulfamic acid 99% (sulphamic acid crystals)5329-14-6

Sulfamic acid is the plumber’s descaler: a solid, less fuming than hydrochloric, stronger on scale than citric. The 500 g Fernox tub is a labelled bag of the same 99% crystals sold in 1 kg jars for a kettle-and-combi DIY stack.

Retail pack

£2.49500 millilitres

Raw active

Household ammonia 9–10% (ammonium hydroxide)1336-21-6

UK Windolene is no longer ammonia. Kleen Off still is: a ~9–10% ammonium hydroxide solution in a 500 ml bottle. A 5 litre jerry of 10% household ammonia is the same molecule. Never mix it with bleach. The catch is the fumes, not a secret surfactant.

Retail pack

£3.00500 millilitres

Raw active

Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~70%67-63-0

WHO-style sanitiser is 70–80% alcohol plus a drop of glycerin. The branded gel is that mix with a pump. 99% isopropyl alcohol diluted 7:3 with water is the same working strength in litres, not 500 ml pumps. Flammable — not a drink, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£2.50750 ml bottle

Raw active

Technical hydrochloric acid 32–36% diluted to toilet strength7647-01-0

Nine grams of hydrochloric acid per 100 g of liquid — toilet limescale and uric scale, not patio brick acid. The same HCl family as Mortar Clen but far weaker and formulated for ceramic WC pans. Dilute 30–36% pool-grade HCl carefully to a similar working strength, or buy labelled toilet acid once and compare the SDS.

Retail pack

£18.001 litre

Raw active

Sulphuric acid 96% (trade drain strength)7664-93-9

This is not caustic soda gel (Oven Pride is sodium hydroxide). One Shot is ~91% sulphuric acid — a completely different drain chemistry. Trade-strength, corrosive, and labelled ‘never add water’. Bulk 96% sulphuric is the same molecule in a drum; still not a casual consumer product.

Retail pack

£1.25320 ml bottle

Raw active

SLES 70% paste (sodium laureth sulphate)68585-34-2

Fairy is mostly water and SLES — the workhorse anionic surfactant in almost every UK washing-up bottle. A 25 kg drum of SLES 70% paste dilutes to hundreds of litres of 2% working liquor. You are paying for the green bottle and the scent, not a proprietary molecule.

Retail pack

£4.501 litre

Raw active

Sodium hydroxide pearls 99% (caustic soda)1310-73-2

Caustic drain gel — not sulphuric acid (One Shot) and not 4% oven gel (Oven Pride). Mr Muscle Kitchen Drain is ~36% sodium hydroxide in a viscous gel. Caustic soda pearls dissolved thick with salt make the same chemistry; still corrosive, still ‘add to drain, flush later’.

Retail pack

£3.50750 millilitres

Raw active

Chloroxylenol (PCMX) 99% technical88-04-0

Dettol’s smell is chloroxylenol (PCMX, CAS 88-04-0) at about 4.8%. A kilogram of technical PCMX crystals dissolved to the same strength is the same biocide without the trigger tax.

Retail pack

£2.50250 grams

Raw active

Oxalic acid dihydrate6153-56-6

Bar Keepers Friend is oxalic acid plus a mild abrasive — the same rust-busting chemistry as HG patio rust remover, repackaged for the kitchen. Oxalic dihydrate crystals and bicarbonate paste do the job without the pink can.

Retail pack

£3.251 litre

Raw active

Household thin bleach (sodium hypochlorite ~5%)7681-52-9

Milton is sodium hypochlorite at about 2% — half the strength of thick toilet bleach but the same oxidiser. Dilute 5% thin bleach to 2% and you have the same sterilising chemistry without the pink cap.

Retail pack

£1.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Citric acid monohydrate + calcium carbonate5949-29-1

Cif is citric acid plus a mild limestone abrasive in a cream base — the same soft scrub as mixing food-grade citric with chalk. The Pink Stuff is quartz abrasive instead; Cif is acid-forward for limescale film.

Retail pack

£4.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC 50)68424-85-1

Zoflora’s biocide is benzalkonium chloride at about 1.87% — the same quat family as Patio Magic, sold as a scented kitchen concentrate. A 1:40 dilute is about 470 ppm BAC. One millilitre of BAC 50 in a litre of water lands in that working band; the perfume and ethanol are the brand, not the kill.

Retail pack

£2.491 kg

Raw active

Sodium carbonate decahydrate (soda crystals)6132-02-1

Dri-Pak’s bag is sodium carbonate decahydrate (CAS 6132-02-1) — washing soda. The molecule is the product. A 5 kg sack of the same crystals is the cupboard staple without the 1 kg grocery markup. This is not Vanish (that is percarbonate) and not borax substitute (sesquicarbonate).

Retail pack

£2.99500 grams

Raw active

Sodium sesquicarbonate (borax substitute)533-96-0

Borax substitute is sodium sesquicarbonate (CAS 533-96-0) — not borax, not soda crystals, not bicarbonate. Dri-Pak’s 500 g box is a grocery pour of the same salt sold in 5 kg sacks. The EU reclassified borates; this is the carbonate/bicarbonate double salt that replaced the cupboard staple.

Retail pack

£1.99500 grams

Raw active

Sodium bicarbonate (food-grade bicarbonate of soda)144-55-8

Dri-Pak’s 500 g box is sodium bicarbonate (CAS 144-55-8) — baking soda. The molecule is the product. A 5 kg sack of the same food-grade powder is the cupboard staple without the grocery-box markup. This is not soda crystals (carbonate) and not borax substitute (sesquicarbonate).

Retail pack

£1.30750 millilitres

Raw active

Acetic acid 80% (diluted to ~4.5% w/v)64-19-7

Astonish’s vinegar spray is acetic acid (CAS 64-19-7) at under 5% plus a drop of surfactant and perfume. Diluting 80% acetic acid 1:19 lands in the same band as the trigger bottle — without the citrus markup. This is not citric (Cillit Bang / Cif) and not soda crystals.

Retail pack

£8.501.5 litres

Raw active

SLES 27% liquid (sodium laureth sulphate)68585-34-2

Carpet-washer ‘solution’ is dilute anionic surfactant with perfume. Sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) at a few percent in the tank does the same wet-extraction job without the rose-burst markup.

Retail pack

£3.50300 millilitres

Raw active

Sodium hydroxide pearls 99% (caustic soda)1310-73-2

Another caustic gel with marketing. The attack on polymerised fats is sodium hydroxide. Dissolve caustic soda pearls to about 4% w/v and you get the same chemistry without the trigger-bottle tax.

Retail pack

£3.50250 millilitres

Raw active

Citric acid monohydrate (food grade)5949-29-1

The liquid Service-it bottle is 5–10% citric acid — a kettle descaler poured into an empty drum. Food-grade citric at about 75 g/L is the same heater-and-door-seal wash without the 250 ml appliance-aisle tax. This is not the powder Deep Clean (that is percarbonate — see Vanish).

Retail pack

£2.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Isopropyl alcohol 99% (IPA) diluted to ~10%67-63-0

Classic Windolene cream is isopropanol at about 5–15% in a pink emulsion — the smear-cutting solvent is IPA (CAS 67-63-0), not a secret glass polymer. Dilute 99% IPA 1:9 for a ~10% wipe. That is not Carex 70% hand gel, and it is not the modern trigger ‘Diamond Shine’ (glycol ether).

Retail pack

£4.991.5 litres

Raw active

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC 50) diluted to ~2.4%68424-85-1

Dettol laundry cleanser is about 2.4% mixed quats (dialkyl dimethylammonium + benzalkonium) — the same cationic family as Zoflora, sold as a scented conditioner-drawer pour. Dilute BAC 50 to 2.4% and you have the biocide without the 1.5 L cotton-breeze tax. It is not PCMX Dettol spray and not bleach.

Retail pack

£6.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Phosphoric acid 81% (food / technical) diluted to ~30%7664-38-2

HG Super Powerful foam is phosphoric acid at about 30% w/w — a bathroom descale, not Jenolite rust gel and not citric kettle sachets. Dilute 81% food-grade phosphoric 1:1.7 to the same band. Keep it off marble and never mix it with bleach.

Retail pack

£3.00500 millilitres

Raw active

Formic acid 85% (diluted to ~3%)64-18-6

Current UK Viakal Classic spray is formic acid (CAS 64-18-6) at about 1–5% plus citric at 1–5% — not Fernox sulfamic crystals and not Cillit Bang’s citric/sulfamic kitchen trigger. Dilute 85% formic 1:27 to the same ~3% band. Older professional Viakal listed sulfamic or maleic — read the SDS on the bottle you hold.

Retail pack

£3.50750 millilitres

Raw active

LAS 96% paste (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate)85536-14-7

This is not Cillit Bang Limescale. The grease trigger’s classified anionic on the kitchen-degreaser SDS is linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS, CAS 85536-14-7) at under 3%. Fairy is SLES — a different sulphate. Dilute LAS 96% paste to about 3% and you have the same grease-cut without the orange-bottle tax.

Retail pack

£3.50500 grams

Raw active

Detergent-grade zeolite 4A (sodium aluminosilicate)1318-02-1

Calgon 3-in-1 powder is mostly zeolite 4A (CAS 1318-02-1) — a detergent ion-exchange builder, not citric acid and not soda crystals. The box lists more than 30% zeolites plus a pinch of polycarboxylate and perfume. A 5 kg sack of detergent-grade 4A is the same softening mineral. This is not pond clinoptilolite and not a kettle descaler.

Retail pack

£2.5075 grams

Raw active

Sodium dithionite ~85% (textile hydrosulphite)7775-14-6

The 75 g sachet is a reductive bleach: 15–30% sodium dithionite (CAS 7775-14-6), not Vanish percarbonate and not hypochlorite. About 20 g of 85% textile hydrosulphite in a 5 L soak matches the sachet’s active without the laundry-aisle tax. It liberates sulphur dioxide if it meets acid — never mix it with vinegar, descale or bleach.

Retail pack

£3.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD)128446-35-5

The odour trap in Febreze fabric spray is hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (CAS 128446-35-5) at about 1% — a sugar ring that hosts smelly molecules. The television advert is the perfume. A 1% cyclodextrin wipe is the same host chemistry without the Unstopables tax. It is not a disinfectant and it is not bicarbonate in a trigger.

Retail pack

£4.502 kg

Raw active

PDV / water-softener salt (sodium chloride, coarse)7647-14-5

Finish dishwasher salt is sodium chloride (CAS 7647-14-5) — coarse, high-purity salt for the machine’s ion-exchange softener. The molecule is the product. A 25 kg sack of PDV or water-softener salt is the same regenerant without the 2 kg grocery-box tax. This is not tablet detergent, not rinse aid, and not table salt (anti-caking agents can clog the softener).

Retail pack

£2.50700 millilitres

Raw active

d-Limonene (citrus terpene, 90%+ purity)5989-27-5

Cif Lemon Power lists d-limonene (CAS 5989-27-5) at 1–5% alongside a non-ionic surfactant. The limonene does the degreasing; the surfactant lifts it; the lemon is the marketing. A 5% d-limonene working spray from a 90% concentrate costs a fraction of the trigger bottle.

Retail pack

£4.50500 grams

Raw active

Subtilisin protease powder (enzyme, food/technical grade)9014-01-1

Bio-Tex lists subtilisin (CAS 9014-01-1) as the active enzyme, carried on sulphate. Protease is the workhorse of every biological laundry tablet sold in Europe. Food-grade subtilisin powder from a fermentation supplier is the same enzyme at a fraction of the grocery shelf price.

Retail pack

£3.50500 millilitres

Raw active

Glycolic acid solution (70%)79-14-1

Viakal's GB SDS lists glycolic acid (CAS 79-14-1) at 5–15% as the primary descaling active, not hydrochloric acid and not citric acid. Glycolic is a short-chain alpha-hydroxy acid that dissolves calcium carbonate gently enough for chrome and ceramic. Bulk 70% glycolic diluted to a 10% working spray is the same chemistry without the brand fragrance charge.

Retail pack

£5.99250 grams

Raw active

Tetrasodium EDTA dihydrate (food/technical grade)64-02-8

Ecozone's SDS lists tetrasodium EDTA (CAS 64-02-8) as the primary chelating agent alongside citric acid. EDTA sequesters calcium and magnesium ions that form limescale, stripping them from the heating element without the heat that citric descaling requires. Bulk tetrasodium EDTA dihydrate is food-additive grade and costs a fraction of a foil pouch.

Retail pack

£10.50390 grams (30 tablets)

Raw active

Trisodium citrate dihydrate (food grade)6132-04-3

Current Calgon 4-in-1 tabs declare 15–30% polycarboxylates (sodium polyacrylate family, CAS 9003-04-7) plus perfume. Older Express tabs also listed sodium citrate. The everyday hardness job is a teaspoon of food-grade trisodium citrate — not a monthly citric drum descale (that is Service-it).

Retail pack

£11.501 kg bottle

Raw active

Dense soda ash (sodium carbonate 99%)497-19-8

pH Plus is dense soda ash — 99% sodium carbonate, CAS 497-19-8. Pool-shop packaging turns a £2.70/kg commodity into an £11.50/kg ritual.

Retail pack

£9.991.5 kg

Raw active

Sodium bisulphate (dry acid)7681-38-1

pH Minus is dry acid — sodium bisulphate. Pool retail is a small tub; chemical suppliers sell it in 5 kg lots for a third of the per-kilo price.

Retail pack

£42.005 kg

Raw active

TCCA 90% chlorine tablets (200 g)87-90-1

The tablet is 90% TCCA — the same stabilised chlorine used in bulk 200 g pucks. ‘Multifunction’ is a pinch of clarifier and a lot of packaging. Buy TCCA, dose from an SDS, and keep cyanuric acid in range.

Retail pack

£11.991 kg tub

Raw active

Food / technical grade sodium bicarbonate144-55-8

Standard baking soda sold at a 1,200% retail markup under spa branding.

Retail pack

£13.991 kg bottle

Raw active

Calcium chloride flakes (77–80% technical grade)10043-52-4

Repackaged de-icing and industrial desiccating salt marked up tenfold.

Retail pack

£16.501 kg tub

Raw active

Technical cyanuric acid granules108-80-5

100% cyanuric acid in a 1 kg spa tub. The same granules sell in 5 kg lots at a fraction of the per-kilo price. Dose to a test kit (typically 30–50 ppm CYA), not a marketing scoop.

Retail pack

£24.501 litre

Raw active

HEDP 60% phosphonate concentrate2809-21-4

A 15% phosphonate in a 1 litre bottle. Industrial 60% HEDP is the same sequestering chemistry; 50 ml of 60% in 10,000 litres is a typical maintenance dose.

Retail pack

£34.002.5 kg tub

Raw active

Calcium hypochlorite granules 65–70%7778-54-3

This is not TCCA and it is not bottle bleach. Cal-hypo is the same oxidiser sold to commercial pools in 5–10 kg kegs. A 2.5 kg spa tub is a small pour from that keg.

Retail pack

£18.991 kg tub

Raw active

Potassium monopersulphate triple salt (MPS)70693-62-8

‘Non-chlorine shock’ is Oxone-type MPS — the same triple salt used in bulk oxidisers. A 1 kg spa tub is a markup on a 5 kg bucket. It oxidises organics; it is not a sanitiser on its own.

Retail pack

£24.001 kg tub

Raw active

BCDMH bromine tablets 20 g16079-88-2

Spa bromine tablets are BCDMH. The 1 kg tub is the same 20 g pucks sold in 5 kg tubs to holiday-park plant rooms. You still need a floater and a test kit.

Retail pack

£12.991 kg tub

Raw active

Aluminium sulphate (alum) crystals 17%10043-01-3

Floc is alum. Aluminium sulphate is a water-works coagulant sold in 5–25 kg sacks. A 1 kg spa tub is a labelled scoop from that sack. Not a sand-filter magic potion, and not polyquat. Vacuum to waste after it drops.

Retail pack

£16.502.5 kg tub

Raw active

Sodium thiosulphate pentahydrate (chlorine reducer)7772-98-7

The spa-shop ‘chlorine reducer’ is photographer’s hypo: sodium thiosulphate. A 2.5 kg tub is a small bag of the 5 kg photo/pool salt. Dose from a test kit. Too much and you will have no sanitiser left.

Retail pack

£14.991 litre

Raw active

Copper sulphate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O)7758-98-7

Not BAC (Clearwater algaecide is a quat — we skip that duplicate). Lo-Chlor copper is copper sulphate in acidified water — a classic metal algicide. Bulk CuSO4·5H2O crystals dissolve to the same copper donor without the pool-shop markup.

Retail pack

£12.991 kg tub

Raw active

Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate (NaDCC / dichlor, ~55% available Cl)51580-86-0

Clearwater’s 1 kg spa granules are sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate (troclosene sodium, CAS 51580-86-0) — dichlor, not TCCA tablets and not Fi-Clor Superfast cal-hypo. About 2 g per 1,000 L raises free chlorine by 1 ppm; 10 g/m³ is a typical ~5 ppm shock. A 5 kg trade sack is the same salt. Dichlor adds cyanuric acid, unlike cal-hypo.

Retail pack

£20.501 litre

Raw active

PolyDADMAC 20% aqueous pool clarifier26062-79-3

This is a polymer clarifier, not floc. Complete Pool Controls’ Ultimate Water Clarifier SDS lists an aqueous solution of polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC, CAS 26062-79-3) at 10–30%. It polishes fines into the filter. Aluminium sulphate floc drops a blanket you vacuum to waste. A 5 L trade jerry of the same 20% band is the same polymer without the 1 L spa-shop tax.

Retail pack

£23.991 litre

Raw active

Lanthanum chloride hydrate solution (Starver X, 5 litre)20211-76-1

Phosphate remover is lanthanum chloride, not a clarifier and not an algaecide. Lo-Chlor’s UK SDS (Port Talbot) lists lanthanum chloride hydrate (CAS 20211-76-1) at 10–30%. Swimming Pool Chemicals lists the same liquid at £23.99 for 1 litre and £89.99 for 5 litres — about £18 a litre in the jerry, a quarter off the small bottle. It does not sanitise.

Retail pack

£36.993 litres

Raw active

Sodium bromide (bromine bank activating salt)7647-15-6

Copper-free pool algicide is a polymeric quat, not copper sulphate and not BAC. The Fi-Clor SDS lists polymerised quaternary ammonium (CAS 25988-97-0) at 10–25%, plus etidronic acid (CAS 2809-21-4) at 2.5–10%. A 3 litre bottle is about £37. A 5 litre trade jerry of polyquat algaecide is about £31 — roughly half the price per litre, if the jerry’s SDS is in the same strength band.

Retail pack

£19.992 kg tub

Raw active

Sodium bromide technical grade (NaBr)7647-15-6

Bromine activator is pure sodium bromide (NaBr, CAS 7647-15-6). The pool and spa trade sells it in branded 2 kg tubs; lab and photo suppliers sell the same technical-grade sodium bromide in 5 kg bags. There is no magic activation chemistry in the tub — you pay for the label and the small pack.

Retail pack

£39.991 litre bottle

Raw active

PHMB solution (polyhexanide 20%, pool grade)32289-58-0

Baquacil sanitiser is 20% PHMB (polyhexanide, CAS 32289-58-0) in water. PHMB is a broad-spectrum polymeric biguanide used in contact lens solution, wound irrigation and industrial biocides. The pool trade charges a heavy premium per litre; the same molecule is available as a 20% pool-grade solution from aquatics distributors at roughly half the retail price per litre.

Retail pack

£10.0045 tablets (22.5 g vitamin C)

Raw active

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), food grade50-81-7

An effervescent sugar-and-flavour delivery system around ascorbic acid and B vitamins. Food-grade vitamin C powder is the same molecule. This is a supplement deconstruction, not medical advice.

Retail pack

£12.95100 millilitres

Raw active

Magnesium chloride hexahydrate flakes7791-18-6

‘Magnesium oil’ is a saturated solution of magnesium chloride, not a lipid. Flakes from the same Dead Sea / Zechstein geology dissolve in water for pennies. Not a medicine; evidence for transdermal magnesium is mixed.

Retail pack

£42.0030 sachets (180 g total)

Raw active

DIY high-potency electrolyte raw stack7647-14-5 / 7447-40-7

Costs over £1.40 per sachet for about £0.06 worth of common mineral salts. Food supplement comparison, not medical advice.

Retail pack

£38.0030 servings (180 g bag)

Raw active

8-in-1 dual-extracted mushroom extract (30%+ beta-glucans)Blend

Heavily marketed low-ratio mushroom mycelium powder diluted with standard instant coffee. Food supplement, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£32.45180 g (30 servings)

Raw active

Spirulina–chlorella powder + soluble inulin + enzyme stack9005-80-5

Seven proprietary blends hide sub-clinical doses of spirulina, chlorella and enzymes behind cheap chicory root and maltodextrin. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£38.9960 gummies (30 servings)

Raw active

Targeted women’s flora probiotic (50 billion CFU) + bromelain50-81-7 / 9001-00-7

High-sugar gummies with low CFU counts, sold at a prestige markup. Delayed-release capsules give bacteria a better chance of surviving the stomach. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine or a treatment.

Retail pack

£48.0030 g jar (30-day supply)

Raw active

Standardised 50% fulvic acid shilajit extract + zinc & boron stack479-66-3

Unregulated resin jars often lack a standardised fulvic-acid assay and have a poor heavy-metal record. A third-party-tested extract capsule is the less romantic, more measurable option. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£72.0030-serving pouch

Raw active

Magnesium bisglycinate + free-form L-theanine + tart cherry extract14783-68-7 / 3081-61-6

Over £2.40 a cup for cheap, gut-irritating magnesium citrate and micro-dosed botanicals. Bisglycinate plus free-form L-theanine is the same night-time stack without the cocoa tax. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£28.00500 ml jar (14-day supply)

Raw active

Dried organic Irish sea moss (DIY gel) / bladderwrack kelp stack9000-07-1

£28 every fortnight for 90% boiled water and seaweed gel that spoils in two weeks. Dry Irish moss hydrates into litres of the same gel. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£28.0060 gummies (30 × 3 g servings)

Raw active

Micronised creatine monohydrate (200 mesh)6020-87-7

A 30-day tub is often 3 g creatine per day in a sugar gummy, not the 5 g used in most sports-nutrition trials, at roughly 90p a serving. 1 kg of micronised powder is 200 × 5 g servings. Food supplement comparison, not medical advice.

Retail pack

£34.0060 capsules (300 mg each)

Raw active

Berberine HCl 500 mg capsules633-65-8

Social-media ‘natural Ozempic’ branding on ordinary berberine HCl. A 60-capsule 300 mg tub is a short, pricey course next to 120 × 500 mg capsules. Not a medicine and not a substitute for prescribed drugs.

Retail pack

£11.5059 millilitres

Raw active

Rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis)8000-25-7

A small dropper of cheap carrier oils with a little rosemary. 25 drops of steam-distilled rosemary in 50 ml of sweet almond oil is about 2% essential oil — the same order of strength, without the 59 ml brand tax.

Retail pack

£24.9960 gummies (30 × ~2.5 g servings)

Raw active

Hydrolysed collagen peptides (bovine or marine)92113-31-0

A month of gummies is often ~75 g of collagen in a lot of sugar. 400 g of unflavoured peptides is the same hydrolysed protein at a few pence a serving. Food supplement comparison, not a cosmetic medicine.

Retail pack

£9.9515 millilitres (about 100 sprays)

Raw active

Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) 4,000 IU capsules67-97-0

The spray is cholecalciferol in oil with mint. A year’s 4,000 IU capsules is the same vitamin D without the oral-spray story. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine — follow NHS guidance on dose.

Retail pack

£18.0060 gummies (30 × 2 gummies)

Raw active

Biotin (vitamin B7) 1,000 µg tablets58-85-5

A month of gummies is a few milligrams of biotin in sugar. NHS-style NRV is 50 µg; many gummies dump 5,000–10,000 µg because it is cheap and water-soluble. A year of 1,000 µg tablets is the same vitamin without the sweet. Food supplement comparison, not minoxidil and not a medicine.

Retail pack

£22.0060 gummies (30 × 2 gummies)

Raw active

Ashwagandha root extract 600 mg capsules (standardised / KSM-66 style)90147-43-6

The gummy is a under-dosed withanolide extract in sugar. Standardised root extract (often 5% withanolides, or a named KSM-66 capsule) is the same plant without the sweet. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine, not a substitute for prescribed anxiety treatment.

Retail pack

£16.0060 gummies (30 × 2 gummies)

Raw active

Fish oil 1,000 mg capsules (EPA/DHA)8016-13-5

Gummy omega-3 is a few hundred milligrams of oil in a lot of sugar, often well below a 1,000 mg fish-oil capsule. The bulk equivalent is a bottle of 1,000 mg EPA/DHA capsules, not another sweet. Food supplement comparison, not a medicine.

Retail pack

£24.9960 gummies (30 servings)

Raw active

Calcium / magnesium BHB powder (exogenous ketone salts)5187-35-7

A month of sugar gummies with a few hundred milligrams of BHB salts — nowhere near the multi-gram doses used in exogenous-ketone studies. Bulk BHB powder is the same salt without the sweet; neither is a weight-loss medicine.

Retail pack

£22.0060 capsules (15–25 mg elemental zinc)

Raw active

Zinc citrate tablets (15 mg elemental zinc)546-46-3

Zinc is an essential mineral sold with bedroom marketing. A year of plain 15 mg zinc citrate tablets is the same element without the ‘testosterone’ tax. Food supplement only — not a hormone drug.

Retail pack

£9.5030 sachets (~3.5 g ispaghula each)

Raw active

Psyllium husk powder (Plantago ovata)8063-16-7

The pharmacy sachet is flavoured ispaghula husk. A 500 g bag of plain psyllium husk is the same plant fibre at a few pence a drink. Food supplement / fibre food — not a medicine for disease.

Retail pack

£29.0012 × 60 ml bottles

Raw active

Food-grade activated charcoal powder7440-44-0

Black water with a gram or two of powdered carbon and a lemon story. Food-grade activated charcoal is the same adsorbent in a tub — it is not a liver flush, not a hangover cure, and not something to take beside your medicines.

Retail pack

£18.0060 ml dropper (≈60 servings)

Raw active

Sodium copper chlorophyllin powder11006-34-1

Mint-flavoured sodium copper chlorophyllin in a pretty dropper. The same water-soluble green dye/pigment sells as bulk powder — mix a pinch into a glass. Food colour / food-supplement comparison, not a blood oxygenator or liver cleanse.

Retail pack

£13.0060 capsules (2 months)

Raw active

Curcumin 95% capsules with piperine (Bioperine-style)458-37-7

A standardised curcumin capsule with ginger and piperine — the same trio sold as ‘joint’ stacks everywhere. Buy 95% curcuminoids plus black pepper extract separately and you skip the Instagram brand tub. Food supplement comparison, not an arthritis medicine.

Retail pack

£14.0060 capsules (6–12 week supply)

Raw active

Magnesium bisglycinate powder or tablets (elemental Mg labelled)14783-68-7

Capsules of magnesium bisglycinate with a little B6 and D3 marketing — the same gentle Mg salt Beam’s dupe stack uses, without the £2.40 cocoa cup. Buy bisglycinate powder or tablets by elemental magnesium on the label. Food supplement comparison, not a sleep medicine.

Retail pack

£7.99100 millilitres

Raw active

DEET 99% technical134-62-3

Autan Tropical is DEET at 50% in a spray bottle. Technical DEET dissolved in isopropanol to the same strength is the same repellent without the travel-aisle markup.