I checked my area's ad, and the price here is $5, er, $4.99 with loyalty card, and additional $3 coupon available in Sunday newspapers. The cost of said papers would probably cancel out most of the coupon savings for those of us like me who no longer bother getting a paper regularly. So it's not just New York that gets the sale prices.

I think I've noticed Persil on sale with them before, but I don't pay that much attention. Rite Aid is not a regular store for  me. Years back, the store in my immediate area was not a very pleasant place to shop. They had trouble with having sufficient stock for sales (which is the reason one person I know stopped shopping there, period). I finally had a bad experience with a clerk, and said enough is enough. This local store seems better now, but the period I actively avoided them got me in the habit of going elsewhere. So I seldom shop there, and don't necessarily pay attention to ads.

For record used some of the original first bottle of Persil got last year (trying to use up the stuff), and really don't like the scent.

Pesil scent has been an issue for me, too. I was curious about Persil when it was first available at regular US stores...but reluctant to try it, because of the accounts of how overwhelming the scent was. Finally, I got a sampler bottle of "Original" at Target. The scent was too potent, although I managed to use the bottle up. Later, I got a supply of Persil "Fresh Linen" when it was on clearance at one store. ($3 IIRC, after digital coupon downloaded to my loyalty card.) The scent was considerably more restrained, but there was something I didn't like about it sometimes.

Although to be fair, I don't like Tide scents, either, much of the time. I'm finding myself happier, overall, with unscented most of the time.

I think a slight scent would be nice for some items, sometimes, but it seems like scents are either overpowering...or else they don't seem to survive the dryer.

colored scented water masquerading as laundry detergent

Well, such detergents have one plus: it's hard for those who can't be bothered to measure amounts to accidentally use too much!

I've noticed careful dosing does help. It certainly helped a lot with the Persil "Original." And careful dosing also helps with rinsing the detergent in general out. Too much detergent will make the rinse (at least for the machine I'm using) look like a second wash period.

Although years back, I tried some Tide sample. And the scent (even though I didn't use the whole sample packet, but tried to dose according to actual need) was amazingly, eye wateringly potent when the laundry was dry. Fortunately, I haven't had that problem with Tide recently.

I have also noticed a lot of stuff for sale in a small, local thrift store often has a strong reek of detergent. They wash some stuff before selling it, and I have a vision of them overdosing detergent in the back room.

I've noticed that Persil only gets a little shelf space in my area, too.

Although it can be argued that Tide needs as much space as it can get, given that there are about six billion different versions.

But once I was out on my own I started using Tide.  I don't remember why, probably because it was rated #1 and the effects of seeing years of their advertising.

And I have used it ever since.  I'm not brand loyal to that many products, not really sure why I am to Tide.  Chalk it up to their advertising I guess.

Even past the bleach issue, I can imagine that there might be situations where Persil might perform better for a given user than Tide, even if Tide was better in some lab tests. Washers vary. Clothes being washed varies. What is needed with cleaning varies (Stains? How many? What type? Etc). The local water. Water heater temperature. Even, perhaps, how appeased the Laundry Room Gods are today.

Indeed, we see that reality reflected here pretty regularly. Someone asks about a new detergent. And some people here say it's the greatest thing ever. Others say it's OK. Others say it makes Xtra look like Tide.