I have not tried the Lawry's version,
I tried one, (I forget the brand,) and I did not like it one bit. It was extremely salty, and the rest of the spices tasted a bit stale, and this was from a store with rapid turnover. I did not add salt, I followed the package exactly.
I do make marinara from scratch, and tomato meat sauce, but sometimes (2 out of 10?) I will doctor up a jar of a regionally made sauce called "Mid's." I add more mushrooms, fresh garlic (at least one clove, possibly more), and additional basil.
I suppose these have a place, but I've always been much more of a scratch cook. Now that I have a stove I really, really want (a NEW Whirlpool gas, with self-cleaning oven!) I am more inclined to cook again, and from scratch. The stove and fridge were presents from me to me. I paid my landlord for the old ones.........
Lawrence/Maytagbear