# Which is the Best Value Store - Aldi, Lidl or Tesco...??



## Joanne (20 Dec 2005)

Which is generally the best value for money store for basic day-to-day groceries?

a) Aldi
b) Lidl
c) Tesco
d) some other store


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## DrMoriarty (20 Dec 2005)

I thought Dunnes Stores' better value beat them all...


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## Berlin (20 Dec 2005)

As far as I can see, Aldi and Lidl are virtually the same on price. They would beat Tesco, Dunnes and the others by my reckoning. The only problem you might have is if you are particularly attached to certain brand names. Otherwise they are as good as any.


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## DrMoriarty (20 Dec 2005)

This recent thread might be more helpful than my last comment.


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## oulu (21 Dec 2005)

Just remember be open minded when trying new brands dont be it has to be batchelors beans or nothing,


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## CCOVICH (21 Dec 2005)

Remember that price is not necessarily the same as value.


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## car (21 Dec 2005)

> dont be it has to be batchelors beans or nothing,



Well, it actually does.  My missus wont have have tesco,aldi or lidl beans in the house.  And its not to do with the price or the taste neither, they produce an aroma that batchelors or heinz dont.  Not to drag this thread down but does anyone else find same?    I will be personally requesting posts be removed if anyone starts with the old air jokes. 

On the main topic, I find lidl and aldi the same on price.  I prefer lidl for one or 2 products.  Dunnes do some items cheaper.  Supervalu do nice food.  I find lidl and aldis bread not the best.   So if you were talking value, which we do on this forum a lot, I could buy cheap bread in lidl, but its not as nice as the La Brea bread I can get in supervalu so is that value if its not as nice?


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## Carpenter (21 Dec 2005)

We do a 50/50 shop each week between Lidl and Tesco.  Fresh meat we tend to purchase at an independent butcher and we sometimes buy frozen meat products from a wholesale outlet.  Last week we bought a frozen goose in Lidl for under €14 which is excellent value for money- don't know what it's like yet!  This week Tesco had fresh turkeys marked down by 40% which was excellent value for money also, we had one of those lasyt year and couldn't fault it for value or quality.  They also had hams reduced in Tesco this week.  So in conclusion, while Lidl and Aldi will generally be cheaper on most groceries some of the other big players will occasionally have special offers that are hard to beat.  I genuinely believe that many of these special offers would not be available if it weren't for the competition posed by Aldi and Lidl.


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## Bamhan (21 Dec 2005)

I use Lidl and Aldi for nappies and olive oil and rubbish sacks and frozen tuna steaks.
Everything else I buy in what ever shop I happen to use that week as all are local to me.
I look out for special offers on items we use all the time.
I like Tesco own brand non-biological washing liquid. That is about the only own brand item I use.
We use super-valu beans the only own-brand beans I like and I think I have tried them all.
For me certain items have to be from certain brands.
It has to be chef tomato ketchup and Helmanns mayonaise and Kellogs cereals but I am willing to try most other things if the price is right.
Only consider an item good value if it is of good quality....price is only a small part of whether an item is good value or not.


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## car (21 Dec 2005)

get your rubbish sacks (black bags) in B&Q.  they do a 50 pk and a 100pk in the gardening dept.  Cant remember the exact price, but its something like 5e which is pretty much unbeatable in any of the supermarkets.


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## Danmo (21 Dec 2005)

I *HAVE* to have Chef Ketchup and Lyons teabags. Everything else we get at Aldi/Lidl at a fraction of the cost we used to spend in that dump Tesco.
We buy our meat at the butcher and freeze. I find their stuff really good quality. I used to buy yoghurts in Tesco that would be out of date in a few days - the same with their fruit and veg. Aldi/Lidl stuff has a much longer life. Their dairy is sometimes dates three weeks away.


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## Bamhan (21 Dec 2005)

car said:
			
		

> get your rubbish sacks (black bags) in B&Q.  they do a 50 pk and a 100pk in the gardening dept.  Cant remember the exact price, but its something like 5e which is pretty much unbeatable in any of the supermarkets.


Thanks for that I am always on the look out for a bargain!


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## slave1 (21 Dec 2005)

tesco for the brands and Lidl/Aldi for the fruit and veg, the Aldi naan is particularly nice as are their sauces - curry/korma etc


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## Joanne (21 Dec 2005)

So if you're not too worried about brand names, does it appear to be that Aldi is generally the best on price?

i.e. if you're simply regarding one tin of beans (or whatever!) as being as good as any other brand


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## Bamhan (21 Dec 2005)

Well Tesco do a basic range of stuff value brands which are as cheap as a lot of the stuff in Aldi and Lidl but not sure of the quality.
If price is your bottom line then I'd say Aldi and Lidl are cheaper on a lot of things.


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## ClubMan (21 Dec 2005)

Joanne said:
			
		

> i.e. if you're simply regarding one tin of beans (or whatever!) as being as good as any other brand


Check out the _"what [not] to buy in Aldi/Lidl" _thread to see how animated some people get over _Lidl's _baked beans!  For what it's worth we do most of our general grocery shopping in _Lidl_ (and _Aldi _to a lesser extent these days) with veg bought from _Moore Street _or other greengrocers and meat mainly from the local butcher.


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## Guest127 (22 Dec 2005)

I confess to a little pang of guilt about buying aldi biscuits.Not about the biscuits themselves as I know most are McVities but about not supporting  Irish Biscuit makers whose adds on the telly are pretty funny. especially the fig roll ones. Pity Aldi wouldn't source some of their biscuits in Ireland. Also noticed lidl are about to open a new store in Castleblayney. The store appears to have come off the back of a truck lock stock and barrel and the 'assemblers' were all Polish. So we have our discounts but there are obviously at someone's expense.


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## Marion (22 Dec 2005)

> The store appears to have come off the back of a truck lock stock and barrel and the 'assemblers' were all Polish



I don't mind as long as they received at least the minimum wage.

Marion


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## ClubMan (22 Dec 2005)

cuchulainn said:
			
		

> So we have our discounts but there are obviously at someone's expense.


 Yeah - like the cheap clothing and kitchenware etc. made in _China _and the like that I and others buy from guaranteed _Irish _stores such as _Dunnes _etc.?


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## Marion (22 Dec 2005)

> Yeah - like the cheap clothing and kitchenware etc. made in _China _and the like that I and others buy from guaranteed _Irish _stores such as _Dunnes _etc.?



But, despite the low wages paid to employees in China, maybe they are produced ethically? 

Marion


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## ClubMan (22 Dec 2005)

Sorry - I was referring to situations in which such goods were not produced "ethically" (e.g. by child or forced/prison labour). Not that I am necessarily accusing _Dunnes Stores _of reselling such goods.


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## Bamhan (22 Dec 2005)

Lidl use all German workers to build their stores.


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## Guest127 (22 Dec 2005)

I have no doubt that the minimum wage and more was paid. My point was that although I shop in Aldi for biscuits among other items I do know that deep down Irish workers are losing out on ie the workers making the likes of kimberly etc. Everything has a price and the cheapest sometimes has a higher price in the long term. Thats all I was trying to say.


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## Bamhan (23 Dec 2005)

Was in Lidl on Thursday and the guy serving me was obviously new to the job. The way his supervisor spoke to him was unreal.
She said he was and I quote 'a real stupid man' when he had to ask her about a pricing question.
Generally the staff in there are treated like crap and that would put me off shopping there again as I could not stand to hear anyone treated in that manner.....


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## ClubMan (23 Dec 2005)

Did you make a complaint about the behaviour of the supervisor? As a customer I'm sure that they'd be interested in what you had to say. I have never seen this sort of behaviour in the many times that I've shopped in _Lidl _or _Aldi_. In fact I generally find the checkout and other staff quite friendly even if they are admittedly kept very busy.


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## Bamhan (23 Dec 2005)

No I did not complain and I know I should have......
In this particular Lidl the staff turnover is massive. There never seems to be the same person there from wek to week.
I know they have a huge problem keeping staff and even getting people to work there in the first place and I am not surprised.
In fact I noted the supervisor's name and will write a letter and see what happens.


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