Is Asda now the discount supermarket in reality?

Bacman

Might seem a silly question but have a think.

A few years ago Aldi and Lidl built up their reputation by offering similar products for cheaper than other supermarkets which was great for general shopping, although their range of products were very limited compared to a large supermarket.

The prices have been creeping up from these "discount" supermarkets. I went into my local Aldi yesterday for some mangos as they were on offer and i'd forgot to get them earlier at Asda. I had a look about on their other fruit and vegetables; I have a pretty good memory for what I pay for items so could compare items, like for like pretty well.

Out of all the items I saw, some were a tiny bit cheaper than Asda prices however most were noticably more expensive; comparing veg and fruit which after all is not a processed product so a carrot is a carrot for example. Yes, compare Sainsburys, Tesco or Morrisons to Aldi or Lidl and yes, a lot cheaper, but not Asda. Asda has also thousands more products so offers more choice on items, good own-brand cheap items. My only gripe with Asda is their often empty shelves and poor re-stocking.

IMO, the best discount supermarket for the "real world" basket saving is Asda. No I don't work for them or anything to do with them, just giving my experiences. I didn't check the processed foods as those will be harder to compare and also I do all our cooking so I don't get pre-made foods, at least rarely anyway.

VfM4meplse

Can't concur with that. Yes it tends to be only a few more pennies more expensive for f&v than Aldi / Lidl, but anything else has much bigger margins, including its own generic items.

I cannot see Asda surviving in its current state.

A._Badger

I suspect Asda might be cheaper than the other major supermarkets but not Aldi (I can't comment about Lidl). Even if the OP is correct that Asda is cheaper for fruit and vegetables (they'd have to be trying very hard to beat the special offer 60p nets of limes and low cost pineapples, mind you) Asda's own brand products, judging from when I last shopped there, don't compare with Aldi's.

sarah1972

Bacman wrote: »

Might seem a silly question but have a think.

A few years ago Aldi and Lidl built up their reputation by offering similar products for cheaper than other supermarkets which was great for general shopping, although their range of products were very limited compared to a large supermarket.

The prices have been creeping up from these "discount" supermarkets. I went into my local Aldi yesterday for some mangos as they were on offer and i'd forgot to get them earlier at Asda. I had a look about on their other fruit and vegetables; I have a pretty good memory for what I pay for items so could compare items, like for like pretty well.

Out of all the items I saw, some were a tiny bit cheaper than Asda prices however most were noticably more expensive; comparing veg and fruit which after all is not a processed product so a carrot is a carrot for example. Yes, compare Sainsburys, Tesco or Morrisons to Aldi or Lidl and yes, a lot cheaper, but not Asda. Asda has also thousands more products so offers more choice on items, good own-brand cheap items. My only gripe with Asda is their often empty shelves and poor re-stocking.

IMO, the best discount supermarket for the "real world" basket saving is Asda. No I don't work for them or anything to do with them, just giving my experiences. I didn't check the processed foods as those will be harder to compare and also I do all our cooking so I don't get pre-made foods, at least rarely anyway.

I agree with you wholeheartedly and also in my personal opinion Asda quality is generally better than Aldi and Lidl.

coachman12

I have no axe to grind as most of our food shopping is delivered by the wonderful Ocado.
But I think Asda is a pretty good supermarket, who also sell clothes and household goods etc. Asda cannot be compared with the cheapo Lidl and Aldi.  I disagree with the suggestion that Asda cannot continue in its present state. In fact, I believe that it can continue to be a thorn in the side of Morrisons and Tesco.  I use Asda online for deliveries sometimes when I can't find a particular product on Ocado. There is definitely a place for Asda and I agree with Bacman that Asda are probably the "real world" food basket, as well as useful as for other goods.

Bacman

Ocado are pretty expensive, even taking into account any joining incentives or online discounts as their stock is Waitrose who are an expensive supermarket. The issue is the perception that Lidl and Aldi are still "cheapo", which in reality doesn't seem to still be the case, hence this post. People tend to move along a path fairly blinkered, only when something happens start looking about; whilst that is the case with food shopping, Lidl and Aldi are perceived still as "cheapo" even when not, at some point people will do what I did and compare the actual prices for similar and think "hey, they aren't cheaper and also their range is low; i'll go to Asda".

Asda have their own issues, empty shelves, etc; far from great however on the whole better value.

[Deleted User]

It's a lot nicer experience shopping in Aldi though. Its quick and uncomplicated. 
Who needs 10 different choices of beans? Life his hard enough!

Bacman

lol

Yes, I will certainly say shoppers at Lidl and Aldi seem to be "a nicer type of person", i'm not saying that with any snobbery or class type comment at all, I mean that at those other stores people talk to each other, if they get in the way they will move away and apologise, friendlier too (a bit like at Waitrose or M&S). Asda shoppers seem grumpier and guarded, a bit less friendly.

Very much generalisations of course, and after all I shop in preference at Asda as I like to pay less for products (we went to Waitrose the other day, no exaggeration, things were 2-3 times the Asda prices on a lot of items); i'd prefer to pay less and put up with grumpy customers and staff than pay more elsewhere.

A._Badger

Bacman said:

Ocado are pretty expensive, even taking into account any joining incentives or online discounts as their stock is Waitrose who are an expensive supermarket. The issue is the perception that Lidl and Aldi are still "cheapo", which in reality doesn't seem to still be the case, hence this post. People tend to move along a path fairly blinkered, only when something happens start looking about; whilst that is the case with food shopping, Lidl and Aldi are perceived still as "cheapo" even when not, at some point people will do what I did and compare the actual prices for similar and think "hey, they aren't cheaper and also their range is low; i'll go to Asda".

Asda have their own issues, empty shelves, etc; far from great however on the whole better value.

It's not really accurate to say Ocado's stock is the same as Waitrose's. They sell a lot of Waitrose products but Ocado also has its own lines - and that will change in the near future it's said, when Waitrose and Ocado finally part company. Meanwhile, Ocado does a price comparison on your bill with Tesco and, providing you shop sensibly with them, I find Ocado pretty reasonable value. 

I don't think we're going to agree on the comparison with Aldi (and no one has yet produced any figures one way or the other) but the comparison of my Aldi shopping trolley with Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's, tells me that Aldi is still significantly in front and that its own brand quality tends to be better (certainly than Tesco's). Asda? Usually reckoned to be a bit cheaper than Tesco (albeit even more downmarket) so perhaps it is closer to Aldi - but I would be surprised if it's actually cheaper. 

coachman12

It's not really accurate to say Ocado's stock is the same as Waitrose's. They sell a lot of Waitrose products but Ocado also has its own lines - and that will change in the near future it's said, when Waitrose and Ocado finally part company. Meanwhile, Ocado does a price comparison on your bill with Tesco and, providing you shop sensibly with them, I find Ocado pretty reasonable value. 

I don't think we're going to agree on the comparison with Aldi (and no one has yet produced any figures one way or the other) but the comparison of my Aldi shopping trolley with Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury's, tells me that Aldi is still significantly in front and that its own brand quality tends to be better (certainly than Tesco's). Asda? Usually reckoned to be a bit cheaper than Tesco (albeit even more downmarket) so perhaps it is closer to Aldi - but I would be surprised if it's actually cheaper. 
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I agree with all Badger has to say.  I also fully understand Bacman's point , which is not snobbery, about the fact that the shopping "experience" is more than just prices.
Aldi and Lidl , IMHO, will always retain the stigma of "el cheapo".  Asda are a "real" supermarket, just as much as Tesco and Sainsbury-----though they do not have the vast premises occupied by the latter two. I have never seen empty shelves----indeed just the opposite , with clothes , home goods, books, clothes etc. And their online delivery service is also pretty good. Aldi and Lidl will never be available online ( they are just not supermarkets as we know them, Jim ).
Oh, if only all supermarkets were as brilliant as Ocado------I can't wait for the link-up with M&S which is now scheduled to be phased in  by September 2020. What a combo !

DUKE

I don't buy much from Asda, but I do look regularly.  Actually I was thinking it's on it's way out as I've been to a number of branches recently & they don't look too good at all.  
However, I shop everywhere for offers, but Lidl's my favourite as I personally find them unbeatable all round.