Supermarkets charging more in N.Ireland than mainland UK.

Pretani

While looking through Lidl's this week I've noticed that we in N.I. get charged more than mainland UK in certain items. For instance, here's the Cambridgeshire offers compared to the N.Ireland offers.

The spice rack is £6:99 in England and £8:99 in N.Ireland.
The Pizza baking tray is £2:99 in England and £3:49 in N.Ireland


Has anyone noticed other supermarkets charging us more than mainland UK?

Nomad25

All the time - their 'excuse' is regional variation.

dsab

I think the problem with LIDL NI is that they belong to Lidl Ireland and not to Lidl UK, so the prices are more in line with the Lidl Ireland prices.

bribrian

Yep, noticed it a while back & informed Nolan on tv but nothing ever happened........

Pretani

Lidls have a major warehouse at Nutscorner (N.Ireland), I'm not sure whether it is coming from Dublin or the mainland, but I do know it's 50p dearer than the rest of the UK. WHY?

Marty_J

Probably because they're either done on an all-Ireland basis, in which case the special offers won't match those in Britain, or else because it costs more for a company based in Britain to do business in Northern Ireland than it does the rest of the UK (which is why things often get organised on an all-Ireland basis).

Artofdookie

Its usually because of transport costs to get the goods here..

Pretani

Marty_J wrote: »

Probably because they're either done on an all-Ireland basis, in which case the special offers won't match those in Britain, or else because it costs more for a company based in Britain to do business in Northern Ireland than it does the rest of the UK (which is why things often get organised on an all-Ireland basis).

If it's organised on an all Ireland basis (which I think Lidl's is) there should be no need for the extra charge as the goods are distributed from Europe without having to go through the mainland. When a company is primarily based on the mainland with one or two outlets in N.Ireland, prices tend to rise through shipping costs.

It's as if we in N.Ireland suffer (even when business is organised on an all-Ireland basis) because the cost of living is higher in the Republic than the UK, or else Lidl's are pulling a fly one.

Does anyone know if the other major supermarkets do this?

kidshorsesdogs

It has actually happened in the past that Lidl here has been cheaper than in the UK, I know that from when they were selling horse gear a couple of years ago as a few of us did comparisons on a horse forum. Not sure about now, but do keep cheaking as I think it may well be swings and roundabouts..

Pretani

That's interesting kidshorsedogs. It may mean that depending on where the goods (on offer) are currently stored, (ie- Ireland or Great Britian), this would dictate the hike in prices.

I suppose there's only one way to test that theory. If standard goods fluctuate in price between N.Ireland and mainland UK, then it's not down to the transport costs.

Marty_J

Pretani wrote: »

If it's organised on an all Ireland basis (which I think Lidl's is) there should be no need for the extra charge as the goods are distributed from Europe without having to go through the mainland. When a company is primarily based on the mainland with one or two outlets in N.Ireland, prices tend to rise through shipping costs.

It's as if we in N.Ireland suffer (even when business is organised on an all-Ireland basis) because the cost of living is higher in the Republic than the UK, or else Lidl's are pulling a fly one.

Does anyone know if the other major supermarkets do this?

Different markets, different pricing.