Aldi / Lidl foods v Basic /Smart / Value brands

trinidadone

Hello all,

There is a lot of threads and talk about how Lidl and Aldi have cheap foods compare to the major supermarkets.Some even say there is a food war going on, with reduce foods in Tesco and roll back Asda.

Friends however, maintain the cheap supermarket only brands are far cheaper than Aldi or Lidl

Does Aldi or Lidl have there own brands too?

Is it really about buyng foods from a variety of supermarkets, or is there really a one supermarket fits all "overall good value store"?

Is it really about using coupons, BOGOFS, Cash back, loyalty cards and Price match schemes?

JJ_Egan

They are made for Aldi / Lidl mostly or are European brands .
They sell very little branded stuff as in well known brands .
I find that Aldi and Lidl food is mostly superior to many branded and unbranded foods .Certainly far better quality than many of the supermarkets basics range .

Edwardia

I went to Aldi last week and wasn't impressed. Most of the veg was pre-packed and the packaging is mostly Aldi own brand stuff made to look like brands rather than real brands, just like Lidl.

Personally I think Lidl is better but the (grass-pastured GM-free) NZ venison steaks we had were gorgeous.

I've compared Sainsbury's Basics and Essential Waitrose New Zealand lamb to Lidl and prefer Lidl.

None of it is organic but NZ is a GM-free zone so you're never eating secondhand GM (unlike non-organic in UK) and NZ lamb has to be grass-pastured which makes it taste really good.

robin58

Edwardia wrote: »

I went to Aldi last week and wasn't impressed. Most of the veg was pre-packed and the packaging is mostly Aldi own brand stuff made to look like brands rather than real brands, just like Lidl.

Personally I think Lidl is better but the (grass-pastured GM-free) NZ venison steaks we had were gorgeous.

I've compared Sainsbury's Basics and Essential Waitrose New Zealand lamb to Lidl and prefer Lidl.

None of it is organic but NZ is a GM-free zone so you're never eating secondhand GM (unlike non-organic in UK) and NZ lamb has to be grass-pastured which makes it taste really good.

The prepacked vegetable debate is a bit misleading.

If you go into 'locals' of the main supermarkets, they are all prepacked.

My local main Salisbury's is about 2/3 rds prepacked.

Main difference is Aldi does not charge you a ridiculous prices for the prepacked vegetables, unlike what some of the big 4 charge.

Sazzie23

I am a fan of the aldi veg, it seems to,last a reasonable amount of time, although I would say soft fruits tend to be not as good.

Regards own brands being cheaper, I would agree, like the basics rice pud, fine in all the supermarkets, my strategy is that if I go to Mr T or Sains etc, perhaps once a month, I bulk buy the tinned packet stuff I like from there, like 10 tins of basics peaches and mushy peas and soya milk etc. then the rest of my shop is Iceland or Aldi or Home Bargains etc .

As I also shop for the OH and he likes Mr T, I do end up there more often than I would like, but try to be there in a late Tues afternoon as seem to get more reduced items then.