Aldi / Lidl

[Hopkirk]

Should I be shopping there?

Are they really cheaper, or do you just get what you pay for?

[dannyk13]

They are definitely cheaper.

[237SJ]

I don`t know about Lidl but yes, Aldi is cheaper. I usually shop at Sainsburys because there are 2 branches here but for my essentials such as milk, flour, seasonings, bin bags etc I go to Aldi. I think I save about 1/3. I wouldn`t get everything there (such as animal produce) but I have switched for a lot of things.

[ummmm]

They do good packaged meat (parma ham...etc) the rest of the fresh stuff is ***, imo.

[BlueScorpion]

I think it generally depends what you tend to buy normally - do you tend to go for branded goods or the cheaper own labels.

Having said that Aldi currently sell 4pints milk for 95p - a little cheaper than Tesco/Sainsbury.

And I would recommend their dishwasher tablets - £2.69 for 50 in my local Aldi & easily as good as Finish or Fairy

[ummmm]

**** = Crap

[mazie]

You should Hopkirk. Great prices, excellent quality. Aldi supermarket of the year 2013 and 2014, you don't win that with poor quality products .. I much prefer Lidl's fresh meat, all British and really good

[Zacs-Master]

Aldi profits have risen 65% in the last year.

[mazie]

Have you tried their Torchon ham ummmm ?

[mccfluff]

i didn't like aldi but the lidl we have is good for ham & smoked salmon, they have very good offers on meat, the veg isnt bad either but not a vast selection. the only thing that puts me off is they don't open until 8 & not on sundays, i do most of my shopping on the way to work 7.30ish or on a sunday.....

[237SJ]

I find that it`s hard to find a space in their car park now because they have become so popular. And it makes me laugh when I see "posh" people going in there. The types that wouldn`t have been seen dead there a few years ago. They walk around looking lost and peering at the small print on the back of the packages. Always amuses me.

[ummmm]

No...I need a chaperone :-)

[Hopkirk]

Don't Aldi have some stupid rule about not packing your bags at the till?
...and no credit cards?

[BlueScorpion]

They don't take credit cards, only debit cards or cash, but I've never had a problem with packing bags

[mccfluff]

im pretty sure they take cards now - well i pay by debit card in lidl & they do the packing thing, you have to be super fast or just throw it all back in the trolley and go and pack it at the side

[Mass_Hysteria]

Aldi and to a lesser extent Lidl, have got the major 4 multiples pretty worried. They are planning an additional 60+ stores from next year and their market share is rising year on year.

[grasscarp]

You can pay only with cash or debit card. You can pack your shopping at the till but they will charge for any carrier bags (3p if I remember right for the cheapest). Anyone who likes fruit and fibre breakfast cereal try the ALDI version. It is cheaper than kelloggs and more tasty.

[237SJ]

I don`t know about credit cards but they do take debit cards. They have the touch technology that has evaded Sainsburys so far. You are supposed to put the shopping directly in the trolley as it`s scanned and then pack it all on a ledge near the tills. They scan the items so fast that it`s impossible to bag it up as they do it and there is deliberately no shelf space by the till to facilitate this.

[welshtanner]

I go to Lidl and Aldi as they are next to each other for basics. Aldi do good wine so my husband says and I agree about their dishwasher tablets. I don't buy meat there but their continental cold meats are good and reasonable. The Lidl always looks cleaner than the Aldi. I still go to Tesco for the rest.

[sherrardk]

I used to shop at Aldi a lot but it's not actually cheaper for me based on the stuff I buy. I shop online at Asda and can see exactly how much I am spending and modify my week's needs if it goes over the figure I had in mind.

[jackthehat]

Hoprkirk - No credit cards at Aldi and you can pack your stuff at the till (if you are quick enough) or use the counter beyond the till.

I regularly use Aldi and find their stuff as good as, and better in a lot of cases than, SainsCoWaySsons.