MSE News: Morrisons to begin price matching Aldi and Lidl

givememoney

I shop at Morrisons every week anyway, so getting the new card is extra for me. We also buy their fuel.


Next weeks shop I have 3 vouchers which will give me £10 off my shop over £40 plus 10p off a litre of fuel.


On top of that, today we had to top up (just a little) fuel as we were going a distance and we received a £5 voucher off the shopping so that will be £15 off next week.


This week I received a coupon from their match and more which providing I spend £1, I get 200 pints. Also today I received through the post my new card (been using their temporary card up till now) and got a voucher in with that for 250 points when my card is scanned.


The week before last I had an £8 off voucher which came in a flyer and another one this week I used for £4 off.


I find their meat is much better than Tesco's their best braising steak is melt in the mouth in a casserole. I don't buy Sainsburys meat as it is too dear.


I have got to admit I don't scrimp and save as others on here probably have to, but on the other hand I do like a bargain along with nice food.

A._Badger

giveitatry wrote: »

You must be the one with blinkers on then, Ok you're honest opion then, better selection to morrisons, No absolutely not, Quality does not even compare with quality of Morrisons, Shopping experience at Aldi, only if you like climbing over obstacles. Display of products on shelves at Aldi, only if you like to spending time finding product missing from package, Toilets facilities none existence, cardboard box provided if caught out. Relaxing in cafeteria after shop, No provided with an umbrella if raining to drink you're cheep branded drink outside.Fuel for car No, given the directions to nearest Petrol Station probably Morrisons. Car parking only if you have pre book you're place in advance . Otherwise long wait. LAST OF ALL DID Checkout assistant say thank you, No .

It's barely even worth typing a response to this tripe.

I use both Morrisons and Aldi. Yes, Morrisons' stores look neater- but if neatness is your criterion, go to Waitrose or M&S.

In terms of product quality, Aldi is equal to Morrions in almost every product that I have tried - and in some cases superior.

Aldi has its faults (and I've frequently been moaned at on this forum for having had the audacity say what they are) but your rant is simply ill-informed prejudice.

[Deleted User]

Do you realise the Newbie Badge cuts both ways, be nice

I shop at Aldi and find the staff friendly and helpful even when they are busy.

Morrisons staff can be downright surly(but not all of them):p

Cornucopia

You're free to voice your opinion on things upon which it's reasonable voice opinions.

But there's no point coming on here and posting things that aren't true, because people will quite happily contradict you.

I've shopped in maybe 30-40 Aldi & Lidl stores and various Morrison's stores, too. I like Morrison's and yes, it is clean and tidy, but so are most Aldis & Lidls, too.

To tackle the specific points you made:-

- Most products in A & L are not displayed in wire baskets.

- I've not noticed a particular issue with damaged packaging. On the couple of occasions I've pointed out an issue, the staff have rectified it immediately.

- I find the quality of A & L products is generally fine, with some products being exceptional, and almost all being good value for money.

- Choice seems to be an issue for some people. A & L have limited choice in some areas, and wide choice in others. Aldi seems to specialise in particular things and has probably more choice than many big supermarkets in: cold meat, breakfast cereal, biscuits and chocolate. But I don't need 25 different types of tinned beans, so it doesn't bother me that they only have 2 or 3.

- The obscure brands are (generally) A or L's own brand. I don't know why they don't use their own names, but if you look on the product labels they usually have the A or L logo there. AFAIK, their production processes for their own brand items are no different to any other supermarket.

- I don't need toilets, a cafeteria or a petrol station to buy groceries. I like being able to do my shopping in 20 minutes. And I like the relative peace and calm of my local Aldi.

- I'm quite happy to bring my shopping home in free boxes. I can then re-use them, including as eBay packaging, which saves me money.

- There is an issue with car parks, especially with Aldi. They have grown market share rapidly, and the car parks are not big enough. Other than building bigger stores (which they do seem to be doing) I'm not sure what else they can do.

- I find the staff quite friendly. They always say hello when they begin scanning my shopping, which other stores do not always do. In particular I used to find the staff at my local Tesco (when I lived in London) to be quite surly at times - especially on the customer service desk.

- The tills are designed to have the shopping placed back into the trolley after scanning and packed elsewhere. Unfortunately, us Brits cannot cope with that concept, so A & L allow you to pack at the till. The design of the tills is such that they cannot serve the next customer until all your items are gone, so it hardly matters that they are scanning speed-freaks. I can keep up with them because I pack my stuff in free boxes.

The bottom line is that A & L have been consistently cheaper than the Big 4 for a long time, and that comes from being a no-frills shopping experience. If you don't like it, go somewhere else. If the Morrison's scheme works out, then it should be as economical as shopping at A & L - though I'll believe that when I see it.

geordie_joe

Cornucopia wrote: »

And that position is increasingly unsustainable. Asda is nipping at the toes of the other Big 3, and Aldi & Lidl are there setting the real underlying trends in the industry. Tesco are evidently in real trouble, and I suspect it's no coincidence that they are the biggest.

Tesco are not in "real trouble" that's just the media trying to make a story bigger than it actually is. Try looking at their figures instead of the news headlines.

Cornucopia wrote: »

I have slowly migrated from Tesco to Asda to Lidl and now Aldi, and I am not going back. The figures show I am far from being alone in that.

They also show you are in the minority.

As an aldi shopper you can't seem to understand that most people either can't shop at an aldi, or doing so would require a journey they are just not prepared to make.

Cornucopia wrote: »

This doesn't make sense. The issue is the fundamental greater efficiency of Aldi & Lidl, which enable them to have lower prices - not just on basics, but (as a general rule) on everything. Want venison burgers or truffle-flavoured ham... Aldi is the place.

What makes you think aldi are more efficient?

Cornucopia wrote: »

My argument is that the goods in the Big 4 are over-priced relative to A & L. Whether there is scope within the accounts of the Big 4 to properly address that is open to debate, but the omens are not good, IMHO.

Well your opinion, just like mine, counts for nothing. But at least my opinion is formed from looking at facts and figures and not media headlines.

Cornucopia wrote: »

I watch Aldi prices, and whilst there is no big fanfare, they are actually highly competitive.

Highly competetive? Whatever happened to 30% cheaper?

Cornucopia wrote: »

As an example, their basic Pizzas have been 99p for several years. And then they got reduced to 89p... at the same time as an Iceland 89p promotion.

Actually you are completely wrong there, I proved it to someone else not long ago.

The 89p is not an iceland promotion, it's a permanent price. Iceland reduced their price long before aldi did. Obviously as a result of iceland doing it.

Cornucopia wrote: »

They will also trim a few pennies off here and there, presumably when the supply chain allows them to.

Or when the competition do it and hire a bloke called Peter to tell everyone.

If they could do it after Peter started tweeting about iceland reducing pizzas to 89p, they could have done it before.......BUT THEY DIDN'T!

This shows they are charging what they can not what a fair price would be.

Cornucopia wrote: »

Sure, but as an in-store customer, am I happy to subsidise people who have their groceries delivered?

Why not, as a customer you will pay more for certain items so other items can be sold cheaper. Unless you only buy the ones that are being sold cheaper and not the ones that are more expensive then you are subsidising others.

If you don't use the aldi web site then you are subsidising those who do. If you buy insurance and don't make a claim you are subsidising those who do. If you pay NI and don't get ill that month you are subsidising those who do.

Why turn against those who get their shopping delivered?

And more importantly, what will you do when aldi start delivering shopping? Use the service and become on of those you don't like, or not use it and subsidise those who do?

Cornucopia wrote: »

Perhaps tortuous is the wrong word.

There is no perhaps about it.

Cornucopia wrote: »

Maybe I mean that it is not as straightforward as simply reducing the price.

Of course they aren't, they aren't supposed to be.

Cornucopia wrote: »

In the first place, the various schemes focus unduly on famous brand goods

We are talking about Morrisons price match, not other supermarkets BRAND MATCH.

Cornucopia wrote: »

- when the core of Aldi & Lidl is "own" brand, and they are not particularly well-stocked or competitive with famous brand stuff.

So, aldi isn't the place to go if you like branded goods?

Cornucopia wrote: »

Secondly, they have many restrictions: you have to spend £x or have a minimum number of products, or whatever.

The more I read this thread the more I come to realise that aldi and lidl shoppers can't seem to more than the fingers on one hand.

First the lidl ad that describes a list of 6 Things as "an endless list". Well it's only endless if you can only count to five!

Then you describe TWO conditions as MANY! Did you forget what comes after two and couldn't spell "several" ?

Yes you have to spend at least £15, no harm in that.

Yes you have to have at least one comparable item. I should have thought that was common sense, if you have less than one comparable item you have nothing to compare.

Perhaps they should have worded it so you can understand. Maybe "It don't work if you don't have stuff that's the same"

Cornucopia wrote: »

Then you might have to claim somehow, and you may only get the benefit in store credit or points.

You don't have to claim anything and what is wrong with getting it back in store credits? You shop in the store anyway, otherwise you wouldn't have the credits/points.

Cornucopia wrote: »

All of these things detract from the basic "price match" proposition.

And what exactly is "the basic "price match" proposition"?

Cornucopia wrote: »

Come back to me when I can walk into Sainsbury's for 400g Ham slices and pay something approaching the Aldi price of £1.69, rather than today's JS price of £3. Because whilst they persist with price-points that are nearly twice as much, I am simply not going to shop there.

You do know we are talking about Morrisons, don't you?

Imdaewen

Aldi doesn't have toilets because they have smaller stores because they don't need a full aisle dedicated to baked beans.

I find the tills really slow at other stores now that I am used to the throwing game at Aldi (and THE SHELF).

As for Customer Service? Really? Morrisons staff have told me that they have never sold an item when they had a move around. Most staff at ALL supermarkets don't understand the difference between ready made popcorn, microwave sh*te and popcorn kernels. I have refunded items at Aldi as long as I had the receipt, and any errors (with tokens etc) are corrected once management put in the authorisation number.

As for the quality of the store, it depends on what store you go to and what time of day. I have been to a Lidls in London where it wasn't as nice as one in Southampton.

Aldi and Lidls are a culture shock because they are BASIC. That is where the beauty comes in from saving money by shopping there.

Morrisons, Tesco and Asda would probably look similar if they only stocked own brand items.

Cornucopia

geordie_joe wrote: »

Tesco are not in "real trouble" that's just the media trying to make a story bigger than it actually is. Try looking at their figures instead of the news headlines.

Why did their Chief Exec go?

They also show you are in the minority.

Then why is Morrison's doing this?

As an aldi shopper you can't seem to understand that most people either can't shop at an aldi, or doing so would require a journey they are just not prepared to make.

D'you mean a physical journey or a spiritual one? Don't most large towns have an Aldi or a Lidl. I don't know, because all the ones round here do.

What makes you think aldi are more efficient?

I can think of two objective measures: profit versus capital employed, and end-customer prices versus profit.

Highly competetive? Whatever happened to 30% cheaper?

Ah the wonders of internet posting: they are highly competitive will all other retailers. They are probably 30% cheaper than Asda & Morrison's and 40% cheaper than Tesco's and Sainsbury's.

Actually you are completely wrong there, I proved it to someone else not long ago.

The 89p is not an iceland promotion, it's a permanent price. Iceland reduced their price long before aldi did. Obviously as a result of iceland doing it.

Semantics - the point is that it is a price match with Iceland.

If they could do it after Peter started tweeting about iceland reducing pizzas to 89p, they could have done it before.......BUT THEY DIDN'T!

This shows they are charging what they can not what a fair price would be.

I don't think anyone could really complain that 99p for a full-size pizza was excessive. I was amazed when they reduced them further.

[Delivery Subsidy] Why not...

I suppose partly because it's a new service (why introduce something that is unlikely to ever be profitable in its own right?)

And more importantly, what will you do when aldi start delivering shopping? Use the service and become on of those you don't like, or not use it and subsidise those who do?

We'll have to see.

[Convoluted price matching]Of course they aren't, they aren't supposed to be... [as straightforward as reducing the price]

Why not?

We are talking about Morrisons price match, not other supermarkets BRAND MATCH.

I don't think it's unreasonable to talk about them all.

So, aldi isn't the place to go if you like branded goods?

I would say no.

The more I read this thread the more I come to realise that aldi and lidl shoppers can't seem to more than the fingers on one hand.

There's no need for rudeness. I would remind you that Aldi was Which Supermarket of the Year in 2012 and 2013. And whilst they were beaten (but only by Waitrose) in 2014, they retained the Which members' vote. I don't believe Which and their members are stupid.

Yes you have to spend at least £15, no harm in that.

Unless you don't want to spend £15, or don't need that many things. As usual, the Big 4 trying to tie people in. Loyalty isn't loyalty unless it is done without bribes and ties.

And what exactly is "the basic "price match" proposition"?

That prices are similar or the same in different shops. Price... Match... it's not rocket science. What we have here is some prices matched with points, when the conditions are right.

You do know we are talking about Morrisons, don't you?

It's what we call an example. Here are some Morrison's examples...

- Bran Flakes (1kg - £1.84) Aldi equivalent £1.17
- Honey Nut Cornflakes (500g - £1.99) Aldi £1.19
- Gnocchi (500g - 99p) Aldi 65p
- Tuna Chunks in brine (185g - 99p) Aldi 62p
- Houmous (200g - 99p) Aldi 52p
- Brie (£1.60) Aldi 99p
- Danish Blue Cheese (£1.79) Aldi 99p

and so on.

These are not a few pennies difference, they would add up to several pounds (not points) across a weekly shop.

daveyjp

happytomeet wrote: »

Can anyone explain this about Aldi, Tried Aldi a few months ago, went into shop.advertising board saying store assistants required £9. something an hr, after several months I noticed alot of new faces, asked assistant told me they got rid of loads of staff only to take on more for £6. somethink..So Aldi not that good to sack staff to give all you Aldi lovers a few pence off your shop. Nothing to do with Aldi being Germany ?and having to be given a big rebate along with France for staying in EU funded supposedly by the British tax payer, at least Morrisions is a british company trying to give us brits a fair deal when shopping.

Hands up if that makes sense to anyone on first reading.

pieboyjr

Can someone confirm if my calculations are correct with the following?

Hardys Stamp of Australia Shiraz Cabernet 75cl
Hardys Stamp of Australia Chardonnay Semillon 75cl

Both of these are £7.25 and earn 2000 points each. In Tesco at the moment they are both £4.99.

So if I buy two bottles that would be £14.50 (and add something else for 50p) that would be £15.00 and qualify for the 'match' part of the discount.

At Tesco the comparable shop would be £9.99 (plus the 50p) so would equate to a £4.51 difference (4510 points).

I would then also receive the 4000 points for the 'more' part of the discount.

The total would then be approximately 8510 points and almost £10 off.

Will this work? I remember a similar scheme at Tesco where you had to have a minimum number of items in the comparable shop.

Cornucopia

IIUC, the Morrison's scheme is minimum spend, not number of items.

However, the bonus points look like they are already "matching" a price - so maybe there is an exclusion for double bubble.

Let us know what happens if you try it.