I've seen real maple syrup at Walmart, along with the artificial stuff. As far as it being as good, well it depends. A lot of variables can influence the finished product, such as time of year, (early or late season), production method, (batch or continuous), blended or not, age of sap before being processed, etc.
The retail market usually wants light colored syrup. Individuals tend to prefer a darker, stronger flavored product. Syrup is graded by color. Type A or B, light, medium, or dark amber for table syrup, and heavier, darker types and grades suitable for cooking, or further processing.
That's why bottling in glass is the ultimate show off for a sugarmaker...the product has to be perfect. Glass won't hide anything, while plastic will. You won't see the niter,(sugarsand), or cloudy syrup in a plastic bottle, but it's readily apparent in glass.
Of course plastic is often cheaper and more practical for bottling larger quantities, such as gallon containers, so just because your syrup comes in plastic doesn't mean it's inferior. But then again, how would you know if it was?
