In case you haven’t noticed, laundry detergent is getting expensive. Those 1/2 gallon jugs are $10-12 each at WALMART, much more at the grocery store.
You are right there. They are really far more expensive than it makes sense as typically ingredients for various detergents do not cost a lot in huge bulk.
Maybe there is something in the various high dollar ones that I am not aware of but I recall seeing quite a few years ago that all the ingredients in typical ones cost only a few cents.
I bought quite a bit of Tide at Wal-Mart when they had it on clearance. It wasn’t all that cheap even then. My late wife always used “All” but I am not sure why.
I have been buying off brands but at least known off brands. They clean adequately but not as well as the best ones.