TIMES article-shopping at ALDI, NETTO & LIDL

kiwichick

Hi All,

Thought you might like to know I have just finished reading an article in the Times which is very encouraging. It tells us all about the background behind these 3 supermarkets, why they are good and how thenation is loosing its snobbery about them.

They say "for staple items shoppers can probably save a third".

Its helped me make up my mind. I will go into the ALDI near me on Satuerday for my "top up shop" and compare things. I couldnt really care less how the store is layed out and products diplayed if it is going to save me a few pounds.

Sounds like a big YAY for all us OS'ers.

HOLsale

they have aldi's in the states too, my aunt worked at one for years, imagine my surprise when i moved to scotland and found them here

a scottish friend of ours moved to germany. on a visit back he said that many of the items in lidl are just name brands in germany (which is much cheaper for cost of living over all than the uk). aldi produces it's own food for the most part so that explains why they can be cheaper... never seen a netto so can't say much for them

i'm constanly impressed by lidl which i shop at regularly. i've only found a few items that i thought were disgusting, mainly any of their products like spaghetti or meatballs in their tomato sauce... it tastes chemically to me. but their baked beans are passable

things that are fantastic

all of lidls jams mmmmm cherry jam loaded with whole cherries for 69p a jar, yes please!

cherry brandy mmmmm
fake baileys very nice

potato rostis (hashbrowns)

bacon mishapes often has big pieces only £1.18/kg

their sandwich type biscuits with chocolate in the centre, they look like large rich tea (come in a red roll with a dutch girl on the front) really nice

their christmas stuff is usually very nice as well

dry roasted peanutes

don't use them anymore but their nappies and wipes are good

the recycled toilet paper is not the softest but much cheaper than a lot of other stuff

their mackeral in the tin is lovely, i eat it as a snack!

loads more, definately worth a look

one thing that should be mentioned... some lidl's fruit and veg can be just downright nasty. i've been to many and it's mainly the same stores all the time. if your store is one of the ones with the not so nice stuff it's always worth a brief check but everything else is worth it, honest. if you're lucky enough to have more than one store in your area try another one it varies widely in the same city! i'm lucky, i've got one right down the road that has better fruit and veg than tesco or asda but when i was in glasgow that wasn't the case! just don't dismiss everything else if the produce isn't up to snuff, most of their stuff is very good

haven't shopped at an aldi's in a long time but they're good too. in scotland i never lived really close to one, but in the US i shopped there regularly. i even shop there when i go back to visit friends and family as theres one right across the road from the hotel i stay at

lilmisskitkat

They've just opened a new Netto in town (Burnley) so might go and have a look tomorrow before i go to Asda.

Anyone shop at Netto?

Kate xxx

roversbabe

Only tried Netto once, Aldi is OK tho but I do tend to stick with asda as that is the nearest.

Hiya kitkat from another Rossendale peep :wave: :hello:

rb x

Ticklemouse

Kate - I much prefer Aldi and Lidl to Netto - I think Netto just bang out normal stuff at a cheaper price, whereas the others have their own lines which are fab. However, have a look and see. If they sell what you use, then great. Sometimes you can get great bargains in there on none-food stuff.

Is there a Lidl in Burnley? I was in town the other day and went to Aldi, saw the Netto and wondered where the Lidl was. There must be one - they tend to come in 3's After all, Accrington and Blackburn have all 3.

Tim_L

My best Lidl bargains - Black Forest Smoked Ham at about the same price as the cheapest Tesco water and gristle combination, whole salami for about 2.50, Muesli (I like the boxed kind, but the bags are tremendous too), mozzarella cheese, Jam as mentioned, strong bread flour - excellent for breadmakers and 2/3rds of the Asda price for similar. The frozen steaks are also pretty good - very thick and pretty tender, excellent for barbecues.

And so on really - there's one near to the place my children do swimming lessons so I pop in for a look around once a week. It's not massively cheaper than Asda or Tescos, but it's certainly excellent value for particular things.

$17mma

We shop at Nettos every week and for a family of four ( including pack lunches )we only spend £50-60 per week!! :j compared to some of my friends who still insist on shopping at large ( plusher) super markets spending double what we do!

More fool to them I say..

chickenlady_3

Lidl is the best shop ever! I only discovered it a few months ago, and it saves me loads of money! I actually drive 13 miles to my nearest one - it is well worth the effort. I make a list as usual, and there are usually 3 or 4 items that they don't stock. Everything else is there.

Last week I got a huge trolley full for my family of 5. I reckoned it would have cost me £75-80 in Asda: it cost £55!!! Lots of bits for Christmas too.

I have said it before, I know I am sad, but Lidl is better than sex...

Sweet_Pea_2

I've never tried Netto as there is not one near to me, but I spotted a Lidl recently that is not too far away, hiding down a side street, so when I get chance I will go and have a wander around. I'm a bit of an Aldi bore though. OH's eyes glaze over once I start. I've only found a couple of things I didnt like, these were fish fingers 'cos the coating comes off if you grill them, and their own bread which is OK for toast only. I get about two thirds of my weekly shop from Aldi, just go to Sainsburys for things OH likes really, like Special K.
I think the food in Aldi is on the whole excellent quality, in some cases better than well known brands. (Baked beans and tinned spaghetti for example have a lovely tomato sauce which IMO is better than Heinz) I prefer the taste of Aldi apple and blackcurrant squash to the Robinsons I used to drink. I've just coloured my hair with an Aldi colour which is £2 cheaper than the Garnier product I used to use. Aldi fruit and veg is brilliant quality, although its pre packaged and sometimes there is too much for what I want.
I also like the shopping trolleys, much easier to push than normal supermarket trolleys 'cos they are a bit smaller, everything is very clearly priced and I can reach everything (I'm only little!) and I like the way you can pack your shopping at your own pace.

I do think it varies from store to store 'though, but I think anyone who doesn't give it a try through sheer snobbishness is really silly. However if you've tried it and its not for you, then fair enough.

$17mma

We have Lidl and Aldi here as well so we are quite lucky to have all three, if i am not feeling lazy i will shop at all three for the seperate bargains and the wkly shopping will be even cheaper.

All three shops are good, they dont ave the selection you would find at a lare supermarket but the savings make up for it....

jobbingmusician

Aldi - have hardly ever been, not one on my normal circuit.

Netto - my impression is that they buy 'end of line' things quite often so that you can get the odd bargain....but you can't DEPEND on things being cheaper, you have to know the original prices quite well to judge whether you are getting a bargain on the brand names. Best buy to date - some WONDERFUL Gallo white wine which even OH (the one with the refined palette ) rated for only £2.99 a bottle.

Lidl - :T :T :T Consistently high quality. Our favourites include olive oil (top quality for the lowest price going, for extra virgin), toothpaste (OH was congratulated by his dentist!), dishwasher tablets, fresh chicken (not quite up to M & S standard, but about half the normal price) etc etc