'How would you describe Lidl? Is it “poor food for poor people”?' blog discussion

pukkamum

I have started shopping at lidl, previously shopped at morrisons and i have cut our family of 5's food bill from £120 to £60 per week.
I do cook from scratch most days so the quality and value of the meat and veg are important to me and I have yet to be disappointed.
I recently did a full week shop plus food for a cold meat, cheese etc buffet for 11 people and still only spent £70.
I have to say also the pack of 10 cornetto type ice creams for £2 are the best we have ever tasted.

lostinrates

I go to them once a year or so.

I am not sure about origins of milk or meat products, which is a major issue for me, so wouldn't buy those really ( feel the same about supermarkets and other preprep food so not a damn at the 'budget brands'. Veg seems variable on my rare visits, but when its looked good have bought it, including big box of clementines at Christmas. Bought one of the best pairs of outdoor work boots I've ever had from there.

CC-Warrior

It certainly is not poor food for poor people. You have to be selective, just like you do in Tesco's and Asda. And the advantage of not having so many different types of one product is that you can quickly get what you need, and get out. As there's little pleasure to be had in grocery shopping.

I did read somewhere a while ago that more and more middle-class people are shopping at the budget supermarkets.

AlexaV

Hi everyone!

I like Lidl because you can always find something different although it's not the best shopping experience.

I think their new Fresh Bakery section has helped their Sales rise as it never fails to make me hungry when I'm in there shopping

Regards

Alexa

mattytun

Its ok for odds and ends, but no good for a full shop

torbrex

Lidl is where I do most of my shopping with occassional top-up in Aldi, I never use any of the so-called big four at all.

The only thing I can't get there is my preferred choice of toilet paper but that is available for me in the town centre in the shop opposite my bank

azzabazza

Lidl is our nearest supermarket - Asda or Tesco a 10 mile drive away - double the distance.

We buy our fruit, veg, milk, bread, cheese, meat and other dairy products. Sometimes frozen pizza, ice cream etc. Always buy their tinned tomatoes and kidney beans. With careful picking of the fresh produce we don't have a problem. Milk usually has a very long shelf life and the majority of meat on sale is Scottish.

Certainly couldn't do all our shopping there but usually very happy with prices and quality.

PlymouthMaid

I do my small weekly shop there and it's fine for many things. Regualr purchases are bananas, spinach, avocados, salad stuff and most veggies. I also buy their parmesan, mozzerella, blue cheese and yoghurt and gammon for OH. The big tins of dog food and dog treats are fine too. We like their crisps too. I then do a 3 -4 weekly bit supermarket shop for the things which they don't sell. My biggest annoyance is that they do not sell big bottles of skimmed milk.

Porcupine

I do 80% of my shopping in Aldi, and 20% in Waitrose. Stock up at Lidl occasionally when I pass one, as there isn't one local to me. Haven't been to Tesco/Morrisons/Asda/Sainsbury's for ages even though we have all of them locally.

I think Aldi is good because:

• If you avoid the very cheapest things everything is decent quality.
  
• Everything is good value. Things aren't always the absolute cheapest compared to Tesco Value and friends, but I can be confident that for the quality I get everything is a good price. Chilled food (cheese, deli, etc) is particularly good.
  
• It's quick. I don't want spend hours doing a shop, I can get around quickly. Because I can trust that things are good VFM, I don't have to do endless price comparing of the 20 different lines of the same product.
  
• It has no pretensions. None of this putting the bread at the far corner of the shop so you have to walk around the whole thing. Or the tedious psychology of putting the cheap items on the bottom shelf so you see the expensive ones first.
  
• The 'Special Buys' are more miss than hit with me, but occasionally I find something that I need (would have bought anyway). They aren't always bargain basement, but the again the quality you get is usually better than you would expect for the price. Generally I'm buying tools and such which are decent quality.
  
• The checkout technique is an acquired skill. I usually grab a few empty boxes off shelves as I go around (there's usually a pallet the shelfstackers throw them on when unpacking). Then, when the checkout operator throws my shopping at me I can just drop it in a box. Boxes in trolley, trolley takes them to car, unload at home, boxes in recycling. No messing about with dozens of useless carrier bags.

Bad stuff:

• Price labelling is often haphazard
• Much of the fruit and veg aren't refrigerated so you have to be careful: buying high-turnover lines like Super 6 is generally fine, but others may have sat around for a while. As Aldi has got more popular freshness has improved.
• The really cheap stuff isn't a good idea (99p sausages were not my friend).
• I went to a town the other day whose main supermarket was Aldi. That was strange. I'm not sure I'd want that.

Lidl and Aldi have their own strengths and weaknesses: Lidl's dried fruit is better for instance, Aldi's veg is better. Lidl's food on 'special buy' is usually better, as does Lidl's wine. And so on.

I tend to buy all the fridge/storecupboard things are Aldi, and then topup betweentimes for bread/veg/milk/sundries at Waitrose. Generally works well for me.

thriftytwosome

I buy most of my shopping from Lidl and have done so for about 8 years. I find the quality is good, often better than some of the big stores and if I do go into one of the larger supermarkets I am amazed how expensive some items are. I am not a brand slave though so am willing to try different things and save money in the process.
I certainly wouldn't call our nearest Lidl store "poor food for poor people", you only have to look at the cars parked outside to dispel that myth. I must say a lot of older people use the store but they are just the ones that know about good quality and low prices.
My only gripe is that it is getting too popular!