Good and bad buys from Aldi and Lidl

ariba10

daveyjp wrote: »

The chicken will be from Thailand or Brazil and don't think its only Aldi who source it from there. Morrisons and Asda certainly do.

We eat it, not talk to it.

paulineb_2

A._Badger wrote: »

It may have been the point of the thread, but as the 'intellectually challenged' remark demonstrated, there is an almost cult-like attitude that has grown up around Aldi, in particular. Some commenters seem more prone to it than others.

I shop in aldi because its cheap and convenient. I also shop in home bargains which is next door to aldi. I make the occasional purchase from other big supermarkets. If I bought something from aldi and thought it was rubbish Id say it was rubbish. But the only product Ive bought from aldi that I really dont like is their soya milk. Anything else Ive tried over the years, Ive liked enough to buy it again.

Their fruit and veg is cheap, some people wont buy it from there, others will. In Tesco just now a kg of onions is a pound, last week on the aldi super 6 a kilo of onions was 49p. That 51p might not matter much to someone on a higher income but for someone like me who watches every penny, it does matter.

I also much prefer the service in aldi. Having been in tesco more than once and its taken about 10 mins to get through the checkout due to very slow cashiers or people chatting, I like that you get through aldi quicker. The service in home bargains is also excellent, Ive yet to meet a checkout operator in there who doesnt ask how you are and ask if you want a hand with your packing. For me personallly, the fact that those two stores are next door to one another, I can get the bulk of everything I need without much fuss.

I do buy yellow stickered products from bigger supermarkets now and then, but Tesco in particular, many of their products are overpriced, my local tesco is about a 5 minute walk away from aldi. Their prices can go up and down like a yo yo and thats true of a few of the bigger supermarkets. I was in Tesco a few weeks ago and had some coupons to use. I had bought a litre of juice the day before, it was on offer at a pound. The next day on the shelf it was £1.20 and a higher price of £1.50 was crossed out so that people thought they were getting a bargain even though it had been 20p cheaper the day before.

Some very similar products in aldi are half the price of Tesco and aldi prices dont tend to go up down, up down, so that the supermarket makes you think you are getting a bargain, when you actuallly arent.

Im not intellectually challenged, Im skint and I happen to like aldi, no more and no less.

Bailey25

I'm new to aldi and did my second shop there yesterday. Like many others I have become increasingly fed up of the other big supermarkets and trying to keep up with special offers.I could spend ages comparing prices online then in the shop trying to get the best value (weight etc). It's ridiculous!

Anyway back to aldi. I was also surprised at the packaging, to glance at it looks similar to brands. I dragged hubby along who was a bit unsure at first but when we got to the checkout we were shocked by the total. In a good way!

From 1st shop 2 weeks ago.
Good buys:
cleaning products, anti bac spray, bathroom cleaner
hand wash, washing up liquid
All the fresh veg has been ok and good value
baking potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots
crisps, mini chedder type, hubby said wouldn't tell the difference in blind test
frozen wedges, loved these and really good value
Pasta sauces, mushroom and spicy tomato
baked beans

not so good:
These aren't bad by any means but just noticed:
Hot choc a bit watery, but it is low fat and they do tend to be
toilet roll, went for the 3ply thinking that was the best but not impressed, a bit rough!
hubby thought the chopped tomatoes were watery too but fine for making sauces

Overall a great experience and I actually found the less choice refreshing and lack of offers good (steady prices). I have a lidl near work and have not been as impressed here but I can't be specific to products as it's been about 5 months since I shopped there.

charlies_mum

hayday75 wrote: »

The Aldi experiance was not what i had hoped for .It made me feel poor to be honest .

Seriously ? I am lucky to have a good choice of supermarkets but choose to shop at Aldi. I wouldn't dream of shopping at Sainsburys. Why pay more for exactly the same things ? And no, my reason for shopping at Aldi isn't because I can't afford to shop at Sainsburys

It's your choice where to shop but your comments show why the big supermarkets have held the monopoly for so long.

A._Badger

Doc_N wrote: »

What's all this stuff I'm reading above about Aldi chicken from Brazil, Thailand etc? Aldi do a perfectly good range of British chicken (including some excellent free range). Is there some confusion here?

This is pretty rich coming from someone who uses the term 'intellectually challenged'.

I suggest you brush up your reading skills, 'Doc'.

A._Badger

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Dead animal preserved in perpetuity in a tin can. Who would want to go anywhere near it?

Anybody who ate the diet suggested by human dentition and valued the convenience and safety of modern food packaging?

A._Badger

paulineb wrote: »

Some very similar products in aldi are half the price of Tesco and aldi prices dont tend to go up down, up down, so that the supermarket makes you think you are getting a bargain, when you actuallly arent.

Im not intellectually challenged, Im skint and I happen to like aldi, no more and no less.

I really don't know why people try to defend Aldi by attacking Tesco. If this was an 'I think Tesco is ghastly' thread, I would be in there with you. But the degree of tribal loyalty being shown to Aldi beggars belief.

And please do remember that the 'intellectually challenged' remark was used by one of the Aldi cheerleaders on this thread, to describe people who prefer to stick to buying the brands they know they like and have come to trust.

paulineb_2

I'm talking about my experience of shopping in Aldi as compared to tesco as someone on a low income. I don't think that saying tescos prices for similar items are often double is an attack. Neither do I think getting something for a quid in tesco one day then seeing it being promoted as a bargain the next day at 20p dearer is an attack. It's my experience.

I shop in Aldi because I like the products and the prices. I shop in home bargains for the same reasons.

paulineb_2

There's been an Aldi in my home town for 19 years. I don't shop there because it's all of a sudden fashionable or because other people like it. I shop in it because I like it. No more and no less.

jemb

Back on track.... the chicken en croute with leek and cheddar is very nice. £2.99 for 2 but big and the same sort of thing, same quality is £5 in M and S.