Good and Bad Buying at Lidl and Aldi (***Please don't expire***)

Space_Captain

The queues to get into my local Lidl, the closure of self service and the lack of social distancing have put me off going there for weeks. Tesco have got it under control very well so we go there instead. 

Cornucopia

My Lidl is fine.   I mean it's no Aldi, but it's fine.  

Another thing I noticed upon returning to Aldi after a few weeks is that they have started to tackle black plastic food packaging.   Apparently black plastic is hard for recycling processing machine to "see".   So it's good to see Aldi removing black plastic packaging and replacing it with other colours.

Eenymeeny

I like Morrison's for things that I can't get at Lidl's but we visited one night thinking that it would be quiet. True, there weren't  many customers but it was difficult manoeuvring around so many staff restocking shelves and there was only one assistant, trying to take care of seven self scans which were the only option. It felt really stressful, we won't be back until things are getting back to 'normal'.  (We did ask about putting one till on and the manager said he didn't have enough staff)

A._Badger

Eenymeeny said:

I like Morrison's for things that I can't get at Lidl's but we visited one night thinking that it would be quiet. True, there weren't  many customers but it was difficult manoeuvring around so many staff restocking shelves and there was only one assistant, trying to take care of seven self scans which were the only option. It felt really stressful, we won't be back until things are getting back to 'normal'.  (We did ask about putting one till on and the manager said he didn't have enough staff)

Similarly, I had to try Sainsbury's for a few things I couldn't get in Aldi (mostly thanks to fussy feline tastebuds). There was no crush in the shop but the checkouts, as always.were atrocious! I have no idea whether it is company policy to employ the fewest operators (and the slowest) at its checkouts but it has to be the worst supermarket in that respect. And don;t start me on Sainsbury's prices! 

General_Grant

A._Badger said:

Eenymeeny said:

I like Morrison's for things that I can't get at Lidl's but we visited one night thinking that it would be quiet. True, there weren't  many customers but it was difficult manoeuvring around so many staff restocking shelves and there was only one assistant, trying to take care of seven self scans which were the only option. It felt really stressful, we won't be back until things are getting back to 'normal'.  (We did ask about putting one till on and the manager said he didn't have enough staff)

Similarly, I had to try Sainsbury's for a few things I couldn't get in Aldi (mostly thanks to fussy feline tastebuds). There was no crush in the shop but the checkouts, as always.were atrocious! I have no idea whether it is company policy to employ the fewest operators (and the slowest) at its checkouts but it has to be the worst supermarket in that respect. And don;t start me on Sainsbury's prices! 

Regarding speed of the manned check-outs - I think Sainsbury's like their operators to acknowledge the human being who is their customer and allow time for this.  Lidl/Aldi operators are there to get the shopping through as quickly as possible.

But it seems to me that the self-serve checkouts at Lidl are quite slow.  You have to wait for a delay while one item registers that it has been placed in the bagging area before you can scan another.  Is that just me?

Cornucopia

General_Grant said:

Regarding speed of the manned check-outs - I think Sainsbury's like their operators to acknowledge the human being who is their customer and allow time for this.  Lidl/Aldi operators are there to get the shopping through as quickly as possible.

Where I am, both Lidl and Aldi cashiers definitely acknowledge you as you get to the till.   They scan quickly, and their extra-large barcodes are designed for exactly that.   

I pack into boxes at the checkout and I find staff in both stores are happy to accommodate that. 

Doc_N

General_Grant said:

A._Badger said:

Eenymeeny said:

I like Morrison's for things that I can't get at Lidl's but we visited one night thinking that it would be quiet. True, there weren't  many customers but it was difficult manoeuvring around so many staff restocking shelves and there was only one assistant, trying to take care of seven self scans which were the only option. It felt really stressful, we won't be back until things are getting back to 'normal'.  (We did ask about putting one till on and the manager said he didn't have enough staff)

Similarly, I had to try Sainsbury's for a few things I couldn't get in Aldi (mostly thanks to fussy feline tastebuds). There was no crush in the shop but the checkouts, as always.were atrocious! I have no idea whether it is company policy to employ the fewest operators (and the slowest) at its checkouts but it has to be the worst supermarket in that respect. And don;t start me on Sainsbury's prices! 

Regarding speed of the manned check-outs - I think Sainsbury's like their operators to acknowledge the human being who is their customer and allow time for this.  Lidl/Aldi operators are there to get the shopping through as quickly as possible.

But it seems to me that the self-serve checkouts at Lidl are quite slow.  You have to wait for a delay while one item registers that it has been placed in the bagging area before you can scan another.  Is that just me?

Not just you, no. The Lidl self-serve checkouts are ridiculously slow, and the staff acknowledge that. I can only assume they don’t trust their customer base, and that it’s caused by an anti-theft system.

A._Badger

General_Grant said:

A._Badger said:

Eenymeeny said:

I like Morrison's for things that I can't get at Lidl's but we visited one night thinking that it would be quiet. True, there weren't  many customers but it was difficult manoeuvring around so many staff restocking shelves and there was only one assistant, trying to take care of seven self scans which were the only option. It felt really stressful, we won't be back until things are getting back to 'normal'.  (We did ask about putting one till on and the manager said he didn't have enough staff)

Similarly, I had to try Sainsbury's for a few things I couldn't get in Aldi (mostly thanks to fussy feline tastebuds). There was no crush in the shop but the checkouts, as always.were atrocious! I have no idea whether it is company policy to employ the fewest operators (and the slowest) at its checkouts but it has to be the worst supermarket in that respect. And don;t start me on Sainsbury's prices! 

Regarding speed of the manned check-outs - I think Sainsbury's like their operators to acknowledge the human being who is their customer and allow time for this.  Lidl/Aldi operators are there to get the shopping through as quickly as possible.

But it seems to me that the self-serve checkouts at Lidl are quite slow.  You have to wait for a delay while one item registers that it has been placed in the bagging area before you can scan another.  Is that just me?

I can't comment about Lidl as I don't shop there but I feel you are quite wrong about Sainsbury's. Judging from my experience, their staff spend a lot of time talking among themselves, they have restricted numbers of tills open and are willing to keep customers frustrated in long queues.  A few words exchanged with a customer while you scan her shopping are not a lot of compensation for having had to stand in line for fifteen minutes. I certainly don't find I am treated as any less a human being in Aldi. They just move a bit quicker, that;s all.,. 

Rosa_Damascena

I don't go to Aldi that often because I drive very rarely, so mostly walk to my local Lidl which offers some exercise and I prefer to Asda, which although is a shorter distance away is over-run and dreadful. 

There is a new Aldi opening up at a site adjacent to the existing one, which I pass on my way out of town / to my parents'. It's particularly efficient on the way back, if I pitch up after 9pm and is my store of choice. Something tells me I'll be taking a lot more trips in that direction when the new store opens....the Seaxa will no doubt be turning in his burial mound.

Doc_N

Maybe Aldi have cracked it:

Aldi is putting traffic lights at store entrances as a new way of limiting shopper numbers during the coronavirus crisis. 
The lights turn from red to green when the next customer can enter, and control the number inside based on the store’s capacity and two-metre social distancing guidelines. 
The automatic doors only open when the lights are green.
The lights are rolling out at Aldi stores nationwide from this week, following a trial in 10 branches. 
NHS and blue-light workers are encouraged to go to straight to the front of the queue and other customers are asked to respect their priority access, Aldi said. 
Stores are also encouraging one customer per trolley where possible.