No surprises there, Tony ... but "alternative sources" of thermal paper (and almost all other "consumables") have been about since the Dawns of Biomed.
I believe that it's up to users (customers, owners) whether they choose to trade-off perceived savings against any noticeable (but perhaps acceptable) quality.
Although "the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten", in the final analysis, it's the customers' call (decision).