2012 no supermarket shop challenge

Gigervamp

Sharon87 wrote: »

I live in London so no farmers market near me, and no car.

There are quite a few farmers markets in London. Have a look here to see if there is one near you.

~Jem~

the_cat wrote: »

As far as ethics, they probably are all as bad. However for the sake of as much competition as possible (and therefore the incentive to keep prices down) I would prefer to support those other than the big 4. The more popular the likes of Aldi/Lidl etc are, the harder the big 4 have to try to keep their market share. The more of the competition they drive out of business (or keep pinned to a tiny market share), the easier it is for them to set whatever price they like for their goods, knowing we have no other choice

I would prefer to support local businesses where I can. Where I can't the next best thing is the smaller chains (imo)

If everyone chose Aldi/Budgens/Co op over Tesco/Morrisons etc then those stores would become the Big4 anyway, completley defeating the object.

Sharon87

Gigervamp wrote: »

There are quite a few farmers markets in London. Have a look here to see if there is one near you.

Nearest one is 3.7km nowhere near a tube stop and only for 4 hours on a Saturday, when I tend to have my driving lesson and the other is 4.1km on a completely different line to the tube stop where I live and only on Wednesday daytime, only good when I'm not working. I don't think I'll bother travelling that far for food. I'm just going to avoid Tesco as much as I can, except for whoopsie items at least.

hilstep2000

I live across the road from a small row of shops. We have a baker, butcher/greengrocer, post office, convenience store, ironmongers, chip shop, and a few other take aways. My butcher sources his meat and eggs from a local farm. A dozen large eggs are £1.80 and last week eight of mine were double yolks!
I am giving up my motability car at the end of this month, so I will be using these more than ever. The cost of some things may be more, but as I won't vbe using petrol, it works out the same!

EeViL_WeEvil

Ha, this caught my eye as I live in Barnoldswick (or 'Barlick' as it is known locally).

There are loads of shops in Barlick - 2 budget shops ala wilkos, butchers, bakers, a greengrocer etc. you can actually do a full shop in the town if you wanted to.

The worry people have is that these will disappear, but I'm not actually sure they will (apart from rip-off Co-Op).

You DO get better quality in a butchers and local greengrocers - the people who shop in these know that, which is why they go. I don't think this type of person will suddenly go to Tesco. Personally I hope it does come, and bring with it a flipping petrol station - all the other here are absolute rip offs!

Also, most people go to the Tescos/Morrisons in Skipton, the Sainsburys in Colne or the Tesco/ASDA/SAINSBURYS/LIDL/ALDI/NETTO in Burnley anyway, why not keep the money in the town for local jobs?

marlasinger

Just wondering how people are going with this challenge? I haven't been into one of the big 4 this year. I know we're only 13 days in, but to me it's a definite change.

I'm happily going to the local greengrocer and butcher each week, and it's not costing me any extra.

I will probably need to pop into Morrisons once a month, as there are some things that I just don't like from anywhere else, like black pudding from Lidl. It's quite vile. :eek:

lynzpower

I havent really been participating in this so much as yet, or rather I havent pushed myself as hard as I could have asyet I have definately frequented chains the only one at the mo is Asda of the big 4 but I am still using others like 99p stores or Icelands Wilkos etc. Saying that I have only been buying things I cant get or are wildly price prohibitive elsewhere including:

Caffeine free diet coke ( can only find asda doing it)
Cottage cheese
Pagen krisprolls
Boil in the bag rice
Multibags of crisps. ( all chains will do some type for £1 for 6)
Multipack of yoghurts ( sometimes I drop lucky in farmfoods)
fairtrade bananas ( only sains really does these at a price I can afford)

I can get 6 free range eggs at any corner shop around here for 99p at most so I cant see why I would pay 1.85 in asda for 6., some people have no idea I guess and thats how these big guns make thier money, people dont know or dont care that they can get the same product for half the price from a CORNER shop lol!

I have however decreased the amount I am spending in (well its only asda & sains of the big 4 I go to anyhow) I havent bought anything yet from Sains this year. Havent been in a Mr m, Tesco or Aldi, lidl netto ( is netto stil going?)

Buying a few bits & bats in M&S buying the decaff fairtrade Teabags in M&S as cheap as asda's offerings and way better taste.

Have bought some branded bits + pieces in farmfoods ( good for quorn, birds eye type stuff)

Otherwise its the market, and the butcher. Very happy so far, carrying on with that its going well. very happy with the HM sausages that are made on the premises for half the price as 'finest' types. and like the way I can get 6 instead of 8 etc.

Have reintroduced going to the independent chemist instead of Boots as of course we know Boots are massive tax avoiders so I try to avoid shopping there anyhow. There is not much I buy there in fairness started avoiding last year and never went back: its expensive anyway.

I would like to remove poundland from the shopping options as well but not sure I can just yet!! ( thats for ethical reasons too)