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

PLRFD

Brie said:

harz99 said:

I rarely use Lidl, but Aldi I use at least twice a week, and in my view their fresh fruit n veg quality has gone down a long way in the last couple of years.

One of the things that really annoys me is how, because of the opaque packaging, it is almost impossible to properly visually check items like potatoes and carrots, apples and pears for freshness.

I have been known to open packages to check.  Likewise I was in Aldi today and looking at the meat which have huge labels so you can actually see if a steak is nice and lean or riddled with gristle.  So I gently lift the label at one side to get a better look.  Strange the way much of it is arranged so the worst bit is hidden.  

Same as packs of pork chops they always look good but if you saw the 3 under the lable you wouldn’t touch them.

YoungBlueEyes

I've never opened a pack to check anything, but I do shuggle stuff about as much as I can so it slides about and I can see what's under the label. I'm putting more and more back on the shelf cos it's getting worse. 

Are you reading this Lidl and Aldi? And probably every other supermarket as well, tbf.

Rosa_Damascena

YoungBlueEyes said:

I've never opened a pack to check anything, but I do shuggle stuff about as much as I can so it slides about and I can see what's under the label. I'm putting more and more back on the shelf cos it's getting worse. 

Are you reading this Lidl and Aldi? And probably every other supermarket as well, tbf.

All retailers listen to the sales figures - the amount of resource they put into it is phenomenal. Stop buying it and there will be a product review.

maman

Rosa_Damascena said:

YoungBlueEyes said:

I've never opened a pack to check anything, but I do shuggle stuff about as much as I can so it slides about and I can see what's under the label. I'm putting more and more back on the shelf cos it's getting worse. 

Are you reading this Lidl and Aldi? And probably every other supermarket as well, tbf.

All retailers listen to the sales figures - the amount of resource they put into it is phenomenal. Stop buying it and there will be a product review.

Both Good points.👍🏼

It doesn't seem as prevalent as it was but many posters, especially on the OS boards, used to call their supermarkets silly names like Sainsbobs and MrT . Apparently this was to prevent the retailers picking up on comments. Personally, I want them to read the comments. If they're positive then well done and if not then please take note.

YoungBlueEyes

maman said:

Both Good points.👍🏼

It doesn't seem as prevalent as it was but many posters, especially on the OS boards, used to call their supermarkets silly names like Sainsbobs and MrT . Apparently this was to prevent the retailers picking up on comments. Personally, I want them to read the comments. If they're positive then well done and if not then please take note.

^^^ This. I've never said Ald* or MrT or whatever because I want them to see what I'm writing and know that it's about them. It may or may not be complimentary but it's the truth and I'd always stand by what I say.

I did once question why people say sainsbobs etc cos it can hardly be fooling anybody. I was told that's it's the etiquette to follow whatever the OP does for that thread, so if they say MrT you're considered wrong to say Tesco.

Edit - just as an aside - I used to live in deepest darkest Lincolnshire and in those parts they call Sainsbury's Sainbury's. I quite liked that once I'd got used to it  

thriftytracey

The veg in Lidl is pretty poor quality.  Yes, the onions are small.  I've been buying two packets of the smaller ones now, I should look at the larger ones, but often they are too large for a recipe, but I can save some of it in the fridge.  I have found with the smaller onions, you often find a bad bit in one of them and you can't tell from the outside - they all have dark marks on the skin regardless.  Potatoes too, are terrible, I've stopped buying the Maris piper and buy the bags of baking potatoes instead, they seem, at the moment, to be better quality.  I don't buy carrots as they go off quickly, I end up throwing them away.  They don't seem to have much choice of green veg now either.  Cauliflowers are tiny.  Salad veg still decent quality.

I have noticed in France when on holiday there and we shop in Lidl, the veg is much better quality.  I think the UK get the poorer quality stuff (when it is imported), and likewise when it isn't imported.  I reckon producers send the best to Waitrose and then sliding scale downwards!

thriftytracey

Oh yes, Lidl are selling very nice looking individual lemons - I bought one, it looked OK but went rotten in the fruit bowl after just a few days.

harz99

@thriftytracey sorry for your problems, but I'm glad it's not just me...I wish I lived in a fruit n veg growing area then I'd go direct.

Doc_N

harz99 said:

@thriftytracey sorry for your problems, but I'm glad it's not just me...I wish I lived in a fruit n veg growing area then I'd go direct.

You’d be amazed at the difference in size and quality. We ditched supermarkets altogether for fruit and veg a few months back because of the indifferent quality. We pay roughly the same price now, possibly very slightly more, but the quality is very considerably better. Much larger too. No more tiny lemons, garlic, onions etc.

harz99

Doc_N said:

harz99 said:

@thriftytracey sorry for your problems, but I'm glad it's not just me...I wish I lived in a fruit n veg growing area then I'd go direct.

You’d be amazed at the difference in size and quality. We ditched supermarkets altogether for fruit and veg a few months back because of the indifferent quality. We pay roughly the same price now, possibly very slightly more, but the quality is very considerably better. Much larger too. No more tiny lemons, garlic, onions etc.

I really wouldn't, we used to live  in Peterborough on the edge of the Fens, fruit n veg everywhere fresh from the local growers, or a car trip to the various farm shacks and shops, an abundance of fresh produce.