Good and bad buys from Aldi and Lidl

robin58

davetech wrote: »

As a Local Aldi opened almost 2 mins from us we started to do shopping their, but over the last month or two noticed that prices have started to increase - but noticed that the ready meals, that was once 89p, which where very nice, dropped to 69p bargain, however the quality changed over time and now the price has gone up to 75p, if anyone else has noticed a similar pattern? they keep the packaging the same, but change the item inside,

Yes Aldi do change the contents inside their products from time to time.

They tend to change suppliers of their products every 2-3 years depending when the contract to supply them runs out. Like all other supermarkets they shop around for the next supplier.

I find that one thing they do do is listen ( via head office) to their customers and if a product turns out to be a dude they will change things.

robrymond

I noticed the price rises across certain items, but they certainly aren't back to 2013 levels.

The frozen ready meals have stayed the same to me, though I did read on the Facebook that the fish pie had changed and was now much fattier, but we haven't had this version in our store.

Tbh the frozen ready meals have virtually disappeared whilst Christmas stuff takes up the freezers. I do think they could do with a product refresh (most other items have changed packaging in the last 12 months).

Feral_Moon

I never buy ready meals as I prefer to cook everything I eat myself using raw ingredients. Can't fault Aldi on the quality of their fish, meat and poultry products etc. Large free range eggs are half the price of those sold in my local Coop. Decent selection of cheeses and deli products. Great wines at discount prices!

I rarely have issues with fresh fruit & veg either, although I know some people have complained but in my opinion that's likely as much to do with how they store them at home than a supply problem.

PLRFD

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Large free range eggs are half the price of those sold in my local Coop.

Chicken coop ?

torbrex

Loadsa bargains in the 30% off chillers this morning in Lidl, I could have filled my freezer twice over

All due to the space required for all the fresh fowl they have got in.

A._Badger

[QUOTE=Feral Moon;69749369

I rarely have issues with fresh fruit & veg either, although I know some people have complained but in my opinion that's likely as much to do with how they store them at home than a supply problem.[/QUOTE]

I'm surprised. I've tried Aldi's fruit and veg but I have reluctantly concluded that it is simply not up to scratch, either in terms of quality or freshness.

An interesting 'accident' confirmed the point the other week, I absent mindedly bought some red grapes from Aldi, forgetting that I had impulse-bought more or less the same thing from Sainsbury's a couple of days before. I am no fan at all of Sainsbury's (in fact I think their prices frequently border on the rip-off) but I have to hold my hand up and admit that the Sainsbury's ones not only tasted better but lasted over a week longer.

That's only one example, I know, but it is typical of my experience with Aldi F and V, sourced from two different branches. Poor quality potatoes, not so wonderful citrus fruit, terrible onions, in fact the only things I have found good from them are their lettuces, which are cheap and rather good.

I'm an Aldi convert and generally sing their praises but I feel they have a long way to go with fruit and veg to rival the other supermarkets.

Feral_Moon

A._Badger wrote: »

I'm surprised. I've tried Aldi's fruit and veg but I have reluctantly concluded that it is simply not up to scratch, either in terms of quality or freshness.

An interesting 'accident' confirmed the point the other week, I absent mindedly bought some red grapes from Aldi, forgetting that I had impulse-bought more or less the same thing from Sainsbury's a couple of days before. I am no fan at all of Sainsbury's (in fact I think their prices frequently border on the rip-off) but I have to hold my hand up and admit that the Sainsbury's ones not only tasted better but lasted over a week longer.

That's only one example, I know, but it is typical of my experience with Aldi F and V, sourced from two different branches. Poor quality potatoes, not so wonderful citrus fruit, terrible onions, in fact the only things I have found good from them are their lettuces, which are cheap and rather good.

I'm an Aldi convert and generally sing their praises but I feel they have a long way to go with fruit and veg to rival the other supermarkets.

I wonder whether there might be some regional variation then. I live very close to some of the farms that produce much of Aldi's local fresh produce so it's likely to be very freshly picked and not far to travel to some of the stores. If the same produce is transported nationally to other stores then it naturally wouldnt be as fresh by the two me it hit the shelves.

I buy almost all my fruit & veg in Aldi and I only tend to shop fortnightly so it has to last. I used up some plums last night that I bought a month ago. I've got potatoes, onions, celery and carrots in the fridge which I bought 2-3 weeks ago, still perfectly fresh and useable. And the red grapes I recently bought were some of the sweetest and juiciest I've ever tasted.

Only once did I have a bag of onions whereby I noticed some slight mildew on the outer leaves so removed these and wiped with a damp cloth before putting them in the fridge and they were perfectly fine.

davetech

the fruit and veg is hit and miss, and if they claim its so fresh, put a date on it! rather than putting some weird code on as they currently do!

Happygreen

I opened a roll of Christmas wrapping paper this morning and it is fabulous sturdy stuff, I think it was from Aldi. Paper made from wood from renewable sources and it is lovely print on real brown paper (not the thin plastic coated one-use rubbish that tears if you look at it sharply!) I wish I'd got more but will not get into the store before Wednesday...

candygirl

Have never had a problem with Aldees f n v, and i've shopped there since the late 90s