Usually shop in Tesco, tried Aldi this month - didn't save as much as I hoped

[MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel]

The cost of my shop savings over 4 weeks was £92. But, there were items I usually get in Tesco that I couldn't get in Aldi. So ended up buying these separately from amazon.

Taking into account this calculation my savings equate to £6.73 over 4 weeks with the annoyance of needing to actually shop every month rather than have it delivered to my door.

In Tesco I mainly buy store brands, and many items the Tesco stuff is preferred. For example my daughter only like the Stockwell salad cream, cereal in Tesco is better value.

Some nice stuff in aldi, crackers are nicer (I eat these often as a dodgy stomach means dry crackers and eggs are a staple) but ham worked out cheaper for smaller packets in Tesco than aldi (we dont get through larger packs).

Cat biscuit we found in the middle aisle much cheaper than Tesco, but they only had it for 2 weeks and then was gone which was annoying.

But, frankly, a lot of prices were the same or similar and sometimes aldi was more expensive in so far as items were smaller packets.

I really hoped we would save more. Maybe if you buy more branded items in Tesco, then Aldi is a saving but I didn't find that. Plus, their laundry tablets caused my daughter a nasty skin rash and roll on deodorants were useless.

Wondered if anyone else found this?

Why is it a peculiar statement? It clearly states it on the label. Chicken mostly.

For me a combination of Tesco and Aldi works best, it does take a little bit of extra time but no extra petrol cost as I drive past one to get to the other

I spend a good £20 less per weekly shop when I go to Aldi rather than Tesco. Also our Tesco home delivery is crap and everything only has a couple of days shelf life.

What a great idea. I usually shop at Asda online so I’m going to copy this idea. Thanks!

Clearly VAT isn't your specialist subject 😁

The rules apply the same to everyone, not supermarket specific, what do you mean?

I’d agree with you I still shop in Tesco ( for the delivery ) but so much is price matched with Aldi and those are the ranges I tend to buy so it’s not a big difference for me. I think it really depends on how you shop. Bananas, apples, rice, pasta, chicken thighs , diced beef, bars of cheap chocolate ( miss molly) , tinned sweetcorn, frozen peas, cheddar, cream cheese, peanut butter, cereal all price matched to Aldi and that is primarily my basic shop plus veg. Some stuff is cheaper in Aldis tinned cherry tomatoes, oats, oatcakes, wine is better value imo.

I prefer Aldi ketchup to Tesco ketchup but vice versa with brown sauce. Tesco often has better deals on some frozen stuff with multibuys especially frozen fish.

I agree...I have an Aldi and a Lidl near me. Most of the stuff is equal/more expensive to my other local shop, and a lot of it is noticeably lower quality.

I buy a few things - salmon/sea bass, organic milk and eggs, crackers/oatcakes/rice cakes, lentil chips, juice, organic oats, organic broccoli and cucumber, coconuts, grapefruit. These things are cheaper at base price.

Sainsbury's is also near me though and their basics range is price matched and better quality (I've found) plus their offers system usually gives me better discounts (though obviously have to wait for the offer to come on).

It does save me a bit and I'm thankful I have them all near me, but if I didn't, I definitely wouldn't choose to use Lidl/Aldi as it wouldn't be worth it to me.

I find Tesco is he same price overall as Lidl. I can’t do a full weekly shop in Lidl so have to go elsewhere as well if I don’t go to Tesco. I won’t buy chicken, ham, potatoes etc from Lidl as they are not nice.

Look at a Lidls receipt. The items are marked A or B and at the bottom by the total it tells you.
A recent receipt; total cost £79.84, One week shop, didn't use Lidl Plus, forgot my phone🙄
VAT rate on A items 0% sales were £26.72 - £0 VAT
VAT rate on B items 20% sales were £53.12 - £8.85 VAT
It's a no brainer, because of this I've used Lidl since year dot and saved £100's as a result. I'm very fussy about food, but some of the brand names I wouldn't take them if they were free because I prefer my choices taste wise.

No it isn't but I know what I see on my receipt from Lidl as said up thread.
So no need to try to be smart ywhen you clearly aren't.
Go to Lidl buy a couple of things and look at your receipt. If that is beneath you then that's your problem not mine.

Youre being daft 😁

The Lidl receipt showing which items have vat doesn't mean the other supermarkets are breaking law by changing vat wrongly it literally means that Lidl are showing you that info on the receipt

But those will be products that are non-VAT able. It will be exactly the same in Waitrose or Fortnums.

And have you alerted HMRC to the supposed widescale flouting of the law by all the other supermarkets?

No need to be chippy because you've made a silly statement

No one said that supermarkets are breaking the law over VAT or applying it incorrectly. You obviously don't shop there so how would you know ? Which is fair enough, I realise you don't get what I saying.
It doesn't matter anyway, I have to go and save some money on my shopping now 😉

I shop at Ocado and thought I’d try Aldi. It was about £8 cheaper I was so disappointed. I buy a lot of the Ocado own brands and M&S basic brands. The saving just wasn’t worth me getting in my car and driving the ten miles to Aldi and using my precious time at the weekend.

I find Aldi and Lidl both a significantly cheaper shop than Asda or Tesco and think you get better quality for it too. Buuuuttt, the Asda and Tesco near us are megastores (have a Subway/McDonald's/Coffee shop etc inside) so there's far more range and distraction. If I went to a 'normal' Asda/Tesco, I admit I might find I spend less, too. There is always stuff I can't get in Aldi/Lidl, too. Can't use their laundry powder either. Agree that ham ends up being more expensive/wasting more - weirdly that's one of the stand outs for us, too.

With fruit and veg, I've found it depends on the branch. My DS swears by Morrison's for it, but it's always gone off really quickly when we've bought from our branch.

I know some people end up impulse buying from the centre aisle in Aldi/Lidl, too, which is a factor to consider if you do.

I like your style! I’m going to try this! Thanks!

@FrogsWormsandButterflies

Your household gets through 12 pints of milk a week??! How and why?!

I think Aldi and Lidl have a reputation for being cheaper, but many people who keep shopping there don’t realise they’re not actually saving as much anymore.

I literally have no idea what you're on about, you said that Lidl was cheaper because they didn't charge vat which clearly implies that the other supermarkets are charging it on items that it would be illegal to do so

No one is disputing that they choose to show the vat spilt on their receipts, what is plain ridiculous is to assume that means they are cheaper prices

How weird to assume that I don't shop there

Always sensible though to save money where you can and if your shop works out cheapest at Lidl that's good but it's nothing to do with vat

I get mine delivered as it works out cheaper as I don’t impulse buy or forget aNd have to nip in… I do have a very local Lidl and pop in for a few bits occasionally and do tend to get oil, nuts etc as they do seem a lot cheaper.

'Most' of their meat does not come from Thailand or China and they both ascribe as far as I know to the red tractor standards of animal welfare.

If someone makes a comment it needs to be accurate

12 pints of milk here too, cups of tea and coffee, cereals for breakfast, milk shakes, cooking etc

Yesterday's I used over 1/2 a pint making a cheese sauce alone

I don't think that's an outrageous amount

We stopped going to Aldi because I was so annoyed with how much fruit & veg we had to throw away. The final straw was when we opened a loaf of bread (purchased that day) & it was mouldy so went straight in the bin. We’ve gone back to Ocado which is obviously more expensive but there’s no waste & it’s so much more convenient being delivered. I appreciate that we’re fortunate to be able to afford it. Any savings we made at Aldi just weren’t worth it for the time & frustration it caused.

I have tried Aldi so many times but we end up throwing so much away, it’s just not worth it. The dairylea dunker dupes? My children hate them and they taste so different! Same with their Dino chocolate that are supposed to be like Freddos. Daughter said they tasted like vomit. They don’t like their frubes knock off, their crisps or cereal. Cereal lures me in as it’s so cheap but all ends in the bin as it’s cardboard tasting. Things I’ve found that are good; vitamins and their sweet almond and macaron candle. Milk, bread, cheese are ok but I wouldn’t make a trip just for those as it isn’t cheaper by enough to warrant it!