Survey suggests Irish grocery consumers prioritise convenience over prices

ClubMan

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See [broken link removed] about the recent AC Nielsen survey/report on the Irish grocery market and consumer trends. Might be worth bearing mind next time somebody cries "rip-off" over the cost of groceries!
 
Sunday Indo, which I never buy (except today, because I wanted the Dubliners CD) also mentions it.


Murt
 
Just to clarify ... as it happens, I saw the Tribune and Indo coverage too but just posted the SBPost link because it was handy.
 
Aldi/Lidl survey

[broken link removed]in the business post yesterday showed theyre not holding on to customers for regular shopping. Must admit, I do agree with the empty shelves bit, I have 1 or 2 favorite products and its pot luck whether they have them or not when Im in there. I do find aldi to be better then lidl in this regard though.

--edit. sorry for dupe of orig!!!
 
My local supervalu has been very bad at restocking their shelves recently and I find Tesco to be the best for having the variety and ability to get all my shopping in the one stop. We have no local Lidl/Aldo but one is due to open soon and then I will split my shopping between Lidl and TEsco. Hate going to a shop and only beig able to get 50-60% of my shopping there. With young kids I have the luxury of doing one major shop per week and maybe a monthly stock up on certain items but don't have the time to go to several shops to do my shopping.
 
Where problems with stocking of items have arisen have the customers affected complained to the retailer in question?
 
Did so on Friday - 2PM and no low fat milk in Lidl Walkinstown.

Store mgr admitted he under ordered - I told him the shop, was no good if it did not have the basics as I would have to go somewhere else now.
 
I was very surprised at the results of the survey actually. I had thought a lot of people had moved over to Aldi or Lidl based on amount saved on a week's shopping. I moved months back and can't believe the savings, hence my surprise that the survey indicates people are not impressed. It explains, though, why neither store (Aldi or Lidl) is packed whenever I go there. I find them absolutely great and wouldn't go back to any of the other mainstreamers.
 
I find I can get some items in Lidl (nappies,olive oil,mature chedder,orange juice) but still have never managed to do a complete shop there. Find their fruit and veg doesn't last as it used to and ditto re fruit like pineapples though great value seem to go off the following day!
When Lidl open in my area it will be easier to get the few items I like there without having to travel and therefore won't matter that I can't get my entire shopping there.
 
People who want, for whatever reason, to do a single full grocery shopping trip in a single store will most likely pay for the convenience. Too often some people overlook this point and just claim "rip-off" anyway. The prices are there to see and the consumer can make an informed choice about whether to make a purchase or not. If they choose to pay high prices - especially on non essentials - then they should look elsewhere for lower prices/better value.
 
I agree with Clubman.
I have a choice of travelling to Aldi/Lidl for the items which are very good value and having to go to somewhere else for fresh fish / meat / veg etc
or I can do one big shop a week in Tesco / superquinn.
Sometimes I have time and sometimes I just put the money down.
I dont have the right to call rip-off.
I am surprised by the amount of stuff that people buy in my local small
convencience store as it was a wild price. Great for emergencies but
you pay for the privilege
 
I am not surprised that the discounters Aldi and Lidl have just 6% of the market.

Irish people are generally brand conscious and quite brand-loyal. Many will be sceptical of the unknown or private label brands in the German discount stores.

Next, the Irish are not as price sensitive as other Europeans, so will be slower to move to discount stores.

Also, I'd say there is still a bit of "snobbery" associated, i.e. sort of "only poor people and "refugees" go there"

In particular, I'd say people will be slow to buy certain products from there, e.g. fresh meat
 
If this is the case then Irish consumers' brand loyalty, scepticism in relation to own brands and discount stores, lack of price sensitivity and snobbery is most likely hitting them in the pocket even though at least some of them still feel justified in blaming this on "rip-off Ireland" rather than on the choices that they themselves make.

I tend not to buy meat/fish from supermarkets most of the time preferring the local butcher/fishmonger for their more competitive prices, better range and lack of unnecessary packaging.