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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be scared of real supermarkets

53 replies

idiuntno57 · 17/05/2013 20:09

A couple of years ago I switched grocery shopping from mainstream (Ocado/ Sainsburys/ Tesco etc.) to Lidl. Entirely financially driven as we are the archetypal corset wearing squeezed middle). Problem is that I now cannot cope in real supermarkets: too much choice, too expensive, too scary....

Means I can't buy a tin of tomatoes unless it is shoved on a palet and selling for 32p.

AIBU to think that when the great squeeze lets of I won't be able to function in the real world?

OP posts:

Original poster

idiuntno57 · 17/05/2013 20:10

lets off

OP posts:

SacreBlue · 17/05/2013 20:17

Missed the typo in OP and thought 2nd post was a cheap tin of beans related incident

I'm one of 'those' people who shop according to what I fancy but I do get irritated if it's a shop I don't know the layout of.

When the great squeeze lets off you will be in an excellent position to continue to save money rather than go back to spending it on more expensive items just because they are 'there'

Good on you I say :)

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 17/05/2013 21:19

OP, I'm exactly like you. I swapped to Aldi about two and a half years ago for financial reasons and now I really dislike mainstream supermarkets, especially those HUGE ones. I find them intimidating and overwhelming. I mean, who really needs to choose from 9 different brands of cornflakes and 15 varieties of tinned tomatoes? That's if you can find them in the first place, after they've moved them to a different aisle every other week.

Primadonnagirl · 17/05/2013 21:25

I feel this is the place to share my embarrassing supermarket story..one day I went to my local Tesco...I was soon fuming cos they had moved everything round..I know shops do this but this was ridiculous NOTHiNG was in the right place..I went around muttering to myself only managing to O locate half the stuff..then realised why..I was in Sainsburys...

fantashtic · 17/05/2013 21:30

Oh I am completely the same. Had to go to tesco recently with a friend and I had a strop and abandoned trolley due to price of cereal.
Too much choice, too bright, too expensive. I love Aldi/Lidl/£1 shop.

ParadiseChick · 17/05/2013 23:21

Yanbu I cannot cope with big supermarkets.

The day I spent 5 minute trying to work out the best deal on soap powder done it for me.

AgentZigzag · 17/05/2013 23:35

If you think that you're being completely manipulated before you even walk through the doors, the psychology of shopping must be worth shed loads, no wonder some people get right worked up about being trapped in the loop.

I don't mind it too much because the time I go it's relatively quiet, I'm ashamed, but unable to resist, getting suckered in by the offers (especially of crisps on offer for a quid, I don't even eat crisps ) even though I know I'm being tweaked.

flanbase · 17/05/2013 23:38

I'm not one for big supermarkets as it's all too much choice (the luxury of choice), too much artificial light and takes too much time

EatenByZombies · 17/05/2013 23:40

I shop almost entirely at Lidl, too, and only go into mainstream shops to buy stuff that's not available in Lidl (hah!). I don't think it's bad. It means once the squeeze eases off, you'll be better off than some because they'll be back buying from Savacenter and you'll still be buying cheep stuff at Lidl

Startail · 17/05/2013 23:43

I give you our ASDA. It was big, they extended it. But now the aisles are staggered and there are funny little off shoots. You can't just zig zag up and down it. It takes forever.

It gives me the rage.

craftycottontail · 17/05/2013 23:45

YANBU - since switching to online shopping I can't cope with any supermarkets! Give me my laptop and list of favourites/previous orders any day.

The only time I want to venture into a supermarket is when I need some different meal ideas.

mamaduckbone · 17/05/2013 23:50

I tried to do our weekly stop at asda last night - it was hell. Give me aldi any day...I can get everything we need for a week in half an hour.
The thing that pissed me off most was the checkout -no I don't want help packing just GET A BLOODY MOVE ON!

mixedpeel · 18/05/2013 00:07

God I love Lidl too. They were naughty with their bakery pretzels though - got us hooked the other month with a 2 for 50p offer while they were 39p, and now they're 45p for one.

Easier, quicker shopping, and loads of it is nicer stuff too, tbh, especially the fruit and veg.

And back to pretzels, but the crunchy snack version this time - Crusti Croc pretzels rule ok.

Oh, and their cropped leggings this week are really good, too btw.

olibeansmummy · 18/05/2013 00:25

I'm the same since we switched to Aldi. I also strop at the prices in normal supermarkets now!

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 18/05/2013 00:29

Gawd yes, I only shop in Tesco / Sainsbury's when I'm feeling flush.

I really object to paying £2.30 for mediocre bacon when I know I can get fab bacon in Lidl for the same price. Ditto ham, orange juice, cheese. etc.

samithesausage · 18/05/2013 01:00

Lidl fan here too. Since they discontinued huggies nappies, I switched to lidl's own brand. In the local metro shops I tend to get cross at the price of porridge and squash! Also biscuits, 23p for rich teas!
Ds2 will only eat the lidls cold tinned potatoes instead of oven chips though.

EatenByZombies · 19/05/2013 01:55

Oh lawd, Crusti Croc salted twister snacks from Lidl...

greenfolder · 19/05/2013 09:15

am a aldi convert. can get a box of 12 tins for toms for less than £4- local tesco express sells them for a quid each.

popped into mahosive sainsburys to get something for tea- chicken tonight jar £1.99- i just laughed and kept walking

Thumbtack · 19/05/2013 09:36

Sacreblue first post regarding had me stitches!

Thumbtack · 19/05/2013 09:39

*regarding 'lets off'

Hilarious

CecilyP · 19/05/2013 09:50

If you can get all the groceries you want in Lidl, you are definitely resourceful. I absolutely hate the larger supermarkets; you have to walk miles just to get a few groceries, but luckily we have a small Tesco (regarded as big when it opened) and a Co-op which are both managable and rarely change their layouts, so I can cope with that.

BenjaminButton172 · 19/05/2013 09:52

I dont see the problem. I shop around so i can go from asda to lidl to poundland.

Sometimes i will just stick to asda. I can do a monthly shop in asda, in and out in half an hour.

ParadiseChick · 19/05/2013 09:56

I would struggle to get a full shop in lidl but manage in Aldi no problem!

BreeVanDerTramp · 19/05/2013 10:10

I am the same, I think Lidl is fab and when 'the squeeze' is over when the DC leave home I will continue to shop there and spend the extra on holidays and good wine!

I hate the feeling I get coming out of a big supermarket having given them 90% of our budget

SacreBlue · 20/05/2013 09:14

thumb I have a teenage boy, what can I say?

I like the danger of Lidl - never knowing what might be in the middle aisle treasure trove of random stuff that could tempt you to spend more

I have to go to warehouse place for cat food/litter though as one of ours will only eat one type and I need to get it in bulk

crafty I really want to swap to online as my DM swears by it too but I think I have a bit of control freak in that I hate not 'browsing' as it were. I always worry they will leave out sthg important or send a hideous replacement

Food shopping is the only shopping I actually like clothes shopping makes me anxious/feel like wearing sackcloth and be done with it

V early morning is great (the calmness of 6am shopping) but then you miss out in the reduced stickers

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