Where does everyone do their grocery shop

jackyann

I mainly avoid supermarkets. I have always tried to shop at independent traders & markets, but when feeding a large family, there were a lot of things that I really had to get at a supermarket (remember KwikSave?)
Some other families joined us to set up a wholefood co-operative group, we bought basics in bulk and fed our families very well.

Now I do a once a month shop at a local wholefood co-operative that sells to the public - buying for instance 1kg of porridge oats instead of 20! They do very good quality food, especially dried fruit, nuts and spices very cheaply.
Fruit & veg from one of 2 local markets, depending on what suits that week.
Small amounts of high quality meat from the farmers' market or local butcher (who will carefully prepare just what I want)
Eggs & game from one of our local keepers.
Cheese & butter (just the 2 of us, a little goes a long way) from the farmers' market
So, just milk and odd extras (tinned tomatoes) or top-ups from the local Co-op (which is a proper store) and occasional forays into Lidl or Waitrose (I go by them about once a month and pop in to see what there is). I recommend Lidl's part-baked bread as a useful standby.

Nick_C

I just did an online order at Waitrose for just over £100. "Normal" price £142.56. Price after special offers £107.81. £20 voucher (5th online shop) and 10% for using my Halifax CC brings it down to £79.03. And £4.20 from Top Cashback. And free delivery.

:-)

Awful website though. Takes forever to use.

jackyann

Oh yes! I sign up for "loyalty" cards and use the vouchers they send for Xmas or parties.
Recently got the booze for a big family party by going between Co-op, Lidl, Waitrose taking advantage of vouchers & offers.

usernameisvalid

Our small town has, lidl, a small tescos and a couple of independents (10 mile trip)

I shop in lidl

Our two nearest big towns both have sainsburys and tescos and one has an asda ( 40 mile round trip)

I used to go to one of those every few weeks to get the things lidls didn't stock

Now however,all those stores have cut their ranges, stocking only what locals demand, so now I have to go to the city ( 100 mile round trip) to get what bits I want

It's madness. They all have aisle upon aisle of crisps and biscuits and cakes, not one 'localish ' shop stocks things like 00 flour or anchovy paste or other little ingredients I like to have They used to, even if I had to go one town one month and another town the next as neither town would stock everything. It's really mad it's like I can only get taramasalta in one town, not the other, black pudding (English style) in the other

I accept these aren't every day basics , just things I'm used to having in the cupboards

Lilys-Games

I shop around, cause I like to support the independents and the local market, and its cheaper. Its much less time consuming than it sounds-

I go to the local market for fruit, veg and eggs. SO much cheaper than supermarkets, especially when you stick to whats in season. Plus theres no pointless plastic packaging except on a few products and you can just buy exactly what you need, to avoid waste.

Local African food shop for spices, rice and most tinned/dried stuff like chickpeas, tomatoes. I also buy a big jar of coconut oil there for about £3.50 to use as a makeup remover/facial moisturiser, it works so well and lasts for months.

Lidl for almost everything else, like porridge, bread, jam pasta etc etc

Sainsburys for anything Lidl doesn't sell, like Alpro Milk and some hygiene products.

Occasionally Farmfoods for frozen veg and junk like ice cream.

jackyann

I think it depends on how you define "time consuming". I love markets, and regard wandering around them as a pleasant way to spend time. I did this once a week when I was at work.
I might include a treat like a coffee in a favourite cafe, or a walk.
To me, so much more pleasant than a supermarket, but to each their own.

I don't like on-line shopping for most food because I like to see it and get a feel for it. Very occasionally I'll order things like drinks & basics for a big do (again, usually if there's a voucher involved!)

Serendipitious

I used to buy Alpro soya milk from Sainsbury, then I converted to their own Basics unsweetened brand and saved about £250 a year (the price of my car insurance!) based on a one litre carton a day, and I went there for years until they stopped selling the Basics one altogether.

I found Tesco Everyday Value Unsweetened Soya a very good substitute at 59p litre, so I use that these days. My trips to Sainsbury are less frequent now, though their meat and bacon and sausage is good.

I use Co-op, Asda, and Tesco mostly, with household cleaners and loo roll from Home Bargains.

tighteningthebelt

A*di is good for me. 16mile round trip, so milk and bread top ups from Co op, and thurs/sat fruit top up local market.
There's nothing I don't like at a*di, but part of the joy of shopping there is their limited product range, so just occasionally I stock up on the missing things from elsewhere. For me that's mainly cooking ingredients, spices and baking stuff. I don't wish they stocked it though, as i seem to feel easily overwhelmed with choices, so enjoy the simplicity of whizzing round A and the cost, obviously!

zippychick

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wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver2

Tesco for items Tesco does best. Waitrose, Ocado, Farmison for independent shops.
I need to find good local butchers and take my trade into shops that don't datamine.