Comparing prices for grocery shopping

Re: Aldi

delama,

I don't know the name of the road in Coolock but if you're on the Malahide road, turn left towards Northside (think thats at the UCI junction). Cadburys should be on your right. Then turn right at a set of traffic lights and Aldi is on the right.
There are other shops there too, a bathroom one, a furniture one thats just opened and isn't very nice and a couple of others.

Went to Aldi again last week and I'm even more impressed. Tried the Pasta sauce, cheese, balsamic vinegar etc. etc. and they're all good. And they label appropriate things as "suitable for vegetarians" which saves a lot of time instead of having to look through ingredient lists!
 
Groceries

All this talk of Dunnes/Tesco/Superquinn ripping us off.

It appears that Lidl is is playing games with us.

I was over in Wales at the Weekend and I came across a Lidl store.

Check out these prices versus Dublin branch

Beans 9p v 24c
Lemonade 15p v 36c
Curry Sauce 69p v €1.25

and believe me there was very noticeable differences on many more products in the store.

I probably won't get the same level of satisfaction the next time I go to Lidl in Blanchardstown.

Before anyone asks, they're anoraks were the same price.
 
Re: Groceries

I thought that if wages, rates, refuse charges, energy costs, insurance costs etc etc etc were higher here than it Wales (which, I understand, they are) it would be stupid of Lidl or anyone else not to charge higher prices here to recover these additional overheads?
 
Re: Groceries

Hi Chester,
I think Lidl Wales v's Ireland (although relevant!) is not the main focal point for this discussion.

Go to Lidl in any country & they are probably cheaper than Ireland.

The point is that the 'biggies' ie. Dunnes, SV etc are the ones who are playing games here.

Why does it take the likes of Lidl or Aldi to provoke a conversation like this. They are the ones who are ripping us off & have been for a very long time. If we did not have Lidl or Aldi, the biggie prices would 'probably' be higher.

And for what it's worth - we do our weekly shopping in Lidl now & have been for over 6 months - they don't have everythink but we are definitely saving a fair bit at this stage when You roll it up.

ninsaga
 
cheapskate

i shopped in Aldi Dundalk once and i felt like a cheapskate for doing so. I am a teacher and can afford to shop elsewhere ( dont mean to sound pompous ) but I really felt embarrassed and didnt tell anyone that I saved about 40 euro on a weekly shop.
 
image

No one should feel embarrassed, or as though their image is tarnished ('cheapskate'), by shopping in one grocery outlet rather than another.

But, assuming a poor image ('poor man's store') is currently a reality for Aldi/Lidl among your circle, the only way to change that reputation is by people who are not so badly off - like you - making it known that they shop there too. I'd say if you let your colleagues know of the colossal saving they wouldn't be long joining you, and next thing you know it's become known among your circle as a place where 'people like us' shop. For goodness sake - €40/wk is around 2 grand a year - you'd have to earn more than 3 grand a year before tax to have that! Who wouldn't want to join in if they could do the equivalent of adding €3,000 a year to their salary simply by shopping in a different store?
 
re: feeling like a cheapskate!

I agree with Colbalt that its rubbish to feel you are a cheapskate for buying your shopping in a particular store. I work in IT and earn a "good wage" but have no problem shopping wherever there are bargains to be had (and not only grocerys) i would much prefer the 40-50 euro a week it saves me to go towards a holiday or weekends away or a dinner out with a few friends than going on one brand of tuna over another! There is nothing to be ashamed of in getting a bargain! If its peoples' own insecurities that stop them from getting a bargain then the rip-off shops will have won! Its a different matter if you prefer the brand item for its quality and taste rather than its price! (Superquinn bread for example Imho)
 
Value

Yea I agree with shopping around for value for more than groceries.

I recently bought two pairs of Jeans in Guineys for 17 quid each.

Same style, different name would cost about 70+ in a more trendy shop.

I think I look This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language cool for 17 quid.
 
Red peppers

Bought one in Tesco for 1 euro last week.This week I bought eight (yes eight!) for 2 euros in Moore street, quality the same.
 
Re: re: feeling like a cheapskate!

It's a strange attitude we have in Ireland to saving money. We complain about high prices but feel bad about shopping in places such that we save money. Wasn't there a time (before the boom) when we bought more Levi jeans per capita than any other country (in Europe?)? We are an odd bunch...

It doesn't matter how much you or your peers earn - you shouldn't be ashmed of saving (i.e. not wasting) your hard earned money.
 
Grocery Shopping

Its all very well saving money, but sometimes you have to sacrifice quality to get it. Personally, I like shopping in Superquinn, like their range of products, their store layouts, their good customer service and dont mind paying that bit extra for quality. Their deli stuff and breads are lovely and love their organic stuff. Went to Aldi or Lidl or what ever it was in Blanchardstown. Ok for stuff like olive oils, tinned tomatoes, etc, but I wouldn't go back. My friend with three kids swears by Aldi/Lidl as the kids go mad for sweets/fizzy drinks/crisps etc. what ever the brand. She reckons Lidl's mini mars bars are every bit as good as the originals. Her weekly shopping bills are huge though, and perhaps I might feel different if I had to shell out for 5 instead of 2.

Superquinns Euroshopper range is quite good if you want a cheaper product. Been in Superquinn Lucan yesterday and they seem to be extending this range.
 
The tins are fresher in my store.

Fergal Quinn says that you might spend a few cents more in his store but that it is worth it for the quality and freshness of his produce. Just a couple of points.
Is he saying that Dunnes Stores and Tesco's goods are not as fresh as his and secondly why does he charge a few extra cents for his tinned goods. Are the tins fresher?
 
Dunnes Tesco V Superquinn

In relation to the fresh produce , ie in store vegetables, meats or breads I dont think that the quality of Dunnes and Tescos are as good or as fresh as the Superquinn ones, and the selection is also better, so I would agree with Fergal Quinn on that one.

I dont know about the few extra cent on tinned products, must check that one out, but the stores are always nicer and its always a pleasure to shop in any of their stores so if that involves paying a few extra cent on tin of peas or beansthen I dont mind.
 
Re: Dunnes Tesco V Superquinn

The few "extra cents" on the groceries is the salvation of many retailers. There is a subtle advertising slant that paying more implies "quality" and of course, who wouldn't want their family to have "quality" food....only an unfit, very irresponsible parent would fees their kids anything other than "quality" food....especially since it's only "a few cents more". The fact is that the "few cent" adds up to (as one poster above estimated) 40 euro each week. So that's over a thousand euro a year.

I agree that sometimes when you pay more, you get a better product. But sometimes you don't.
 
Re: Dunnes Tesco V Superquinn

As a commited regular shopper at Lidl - from which we get the majority of our grocery & household needs I must state that.......

- We are saving money every week
- On no account are we eating sub standard food - I've stated this before that we are not going to compromise our health to save a few shillings.

I do find though that the Lidl Fruit & veg can be hit or miss - so one needs to watch carefully.

ninsaga
 
Re: Dunnes Tesco V Superquinn

Some (by no means all) of the Lidl fruit & veg seems to have a shorter post-purchase shelf life than what you would normally get from such produce (maybe that's just a hot summer phenomenon). That said the quality and value they have consistently given this summer on things like grapes and vine tomatoes seems impossible to beat.

I'm amused by Fergal Quinns "extra few cents" speil, particularly as if you look closely at Superquinn and Lidl products, you will find that at least some of them come from the same brands and producers (e.g. Kuhne ketchups in Lidl, Kuhne salad dressings in Superquinn)!
 
?

Why not buy meat from a butcher, fruit & veg from a green grocer, and the rest from lidl? (apparently pronounced lie-dal)

With this strategy, you get superior quality and good value for money. Take a bit longer to do the shopping though.
 
Re: ?

Irrespective - it is great to have Lidl/Aldi as an extra choice.

I would not regard Dunnes, Testco Supervalue etc as extra choices - they are playing in the same league as far as I'm concerned.
The more Lidl & Aldi's that spring up the better!

At the end of the day it's all about having the choice anyway - choose to pay more or pay less!

ninsaga

BTW I have no vested interest in Aldi or Lidl - apart from the great savings.
 
Re: ?

Decided to try the new Lidl in Coolock yesterday. Got there at about 12.20 thinking it opened at 12, but it didn't. There was a queue of people (at least 30 or 40) waiting to get in. Decided to go to one of the Lidls in Blanchardstown instead.
It too was packed.
The main difference I found between Lidl and Aldi was that Aldi states whether or not a product is suitable for vegetarians whereas Lidl does not. So I spent more time in Lidl reading through ingredient lists.

I buy all my vegetables in a vegetable shop but I noticed that the Lidl veg seemed fresher than Aldi.
 
Re: ?

Why not buy meat from a butcher, fruit & veg from a green grocer, and the rest from lidl?
Click to expand...
I know some greengrocers who charge ridiculous prices for fruit & veg and who have been known to sell...

(1) punnets of oranges, kiwis, peaches, nectarines etc with fresh ones at the top and rotten ones at the bottom.

(2) bags of crappy potatoes misleadingly labelled as premium varieties, eg Golden Wonders.

I am no longer willing to purchase chicken from butcher shops unless it is clearly labelled as Irish, and I can be satisfied as to its provenance. This is after I purchased 2 fresh chicken breasts last year and found them to be frozen in the middle. I assume these beauties arrived fully frozen from some exotic country before being (partially) thawed for retail sale. If I hadn't done my shopping at 10am that day, we could have been food poisoned.

I know of greengrocers and butchers who sell only fresh quality produce and at reasonable prices. Unfortunately there are rogues out there and we cannot fool ourselves that they don't exist.
 
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