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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for an explanation of supermarket snobbery?

260 replies

elfsmamma · 21/12/2013 19:26

I am British but I have lived abroad for the last 5 years, when I lived in the UK I had a pretty demanding job so I did my shopping in the nearest supermarket.

I am staying with my parents over Christmas, me and dp wanted to go shopping for tge ingredients for a couple of meals and also some pyjamas as I had forgotten to pack mine.

There is an ASDA and a Sainsburys both about a 5 minute drive from my parent's house I suggested we went to ASDA as it is bigger and more likely to have pyjamas.

My mum said "oh god, don't go to ASDA, it's terribly depressing" she went on to justify this by saying the food was crap and the other shoppers were rude, people often had trolleies full of junk and whinging kids. I am not sure how the other shoppers are anything to do with my dm. Dm finished off by saying she prefers to spend an extra 20 pounds a week on her shopping at Sainsburys.

We went to ASDA despite the warnings. It was great, we got a huge fresh salmon for 4 pounds a kg, fresh dill, organic new potatoes, pasta and the ingredients to make bolognese, some good wine and lots of fresh fruit.

Cab someone explain supermarket snobbery to me?

OP posts:
Twattyzombiebollocks · 21/12/2013 22:27

Supermarket snobbery is something I just don't get. Yes the nightlife in asda can be entertaining, but the food is decent enough, well priced, the shop is clean and well stocked, staff are lovely. Lets face it, I don't want to marry the other shoppers or be friends with them, I just do my weekly shop there. It's not like you can catch Jeremy vile just from standing next to someone in the dairy aisle.
Ive also tried tesco (crap food) and sainsburys (overpriced) and I have seen some sights in there too!

buddyfingy · 21/12/2013 22:34

I'm a big fan of my local co-op! They have all the essentials and a nice enough fresh fruit and veg section. I hate our local asda but that is mainly as I have seen three car accidents in th car park on the same day!

ZingChoirsOfAngels · 21/12/2013 22:34

Asda must be the best - where else could T-rexing occur?Grin

Fannydabbydozey · 21/12/2013 22:39

Thg town I live in has a big waitrose, a big sainsburys, a smallish Asda, a tesco metro, a small morrisons and a m&s food. And an Iceland. and a food market three times a week. Tesco wanted to open a superstore on a contested piece of land saying the town was "badly served for food shopping." Yeah. Right.

Yet I've recently been driving to the next town to shop at lidl as I'm saving about £30 - £40 a week. It's amazing. There's an Aldi in another close town and while that is easily more depressing, I went to stock up on Christmas things recently. DH has no idea where I shop and is busy quaffing an aldi wine which he - unprompted - says is "bloody marvelous"

I hate going to our Asda as it is dingy and the staff are... Difficult. Plus it takes hours to get through the checkouts.

My mum dragged me round waitrose a few days before christmas last year. There were middle class riots over the stock levels of sprouts and potatoes. I like going in there at 4 on a weekday when they reduce their fancy meats.

drspouse · 21/12/2013 23:01

Several times I've had people say to me "oh get X (unusual, hard to find food) in ASDA". Our ASDA has nothing like that. So I'm guessing it depends on your ASDA.

I go to the supermarket that has what I want to buy, and that's convenient. I like some of Waitrose's foods but we don't have one near, so I have a lovely time browsing for unusual things I don't normally see when I am near one. I do go to ASDA because it's near the swimming pool, but often come away disappointed.

I will try and find the rocket shaped crumpets though.

goldopals · 21/12/2013 23:07

I think that you are very lucky to have so much choice when it comes to super markets. In Australia (at least where I live) you have a choice of three supermarkets- Coles, Woolworths (Woolies) and Foodland.

beanandspud · 21/12/2013 23:08

I love Sainsbury's. It keeps the riff-raff out of Waitrose GrinGrinGrin

gotthemoononastick · 21/12/2013 23:14

I have no interest in shopping for food anywhere but Waitrose.

However I will go into Asda for baby and toddler clothing as they have the best ' cute factor' and astonishing prices for very good soft cotton fabrics.Avoid some of the ghastly synthetic sequinned numbers,though!

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 21/12/2013 23:18

I love Sainsbury's. It keeps the riff-raff out of Waitrose

I love Waitrose, it keeps the posh twats out of Sainsburys.

beanandspud · 21/12/2013 23:19

Grin Pobble

lurkerspeaks · 21/12/2013 23:23

I hate asda - will go there to do my Gran's shopping and then elsewhere for my own.

Don't support Tesco on principle and can never find what I want in there anyway.

Generally shop between waitrose/ M&S and sainsbury's for my own stuff. Haven't had much success in aldi/ lidl and there isn't one anywhere near my current property.

Crowler · 21/12/2013 23:24

I'm bemused at the prospect of people dressing up to go to Waitrose. I have never observed such a thing. It's overrun with housewives in gym gear every single time I'm there.

Waitrose has a better range of products (I also love Duchy), and the Ocado interface is the best one going. I don't see how willingness to pay maybe 10/12 pounds more per week for your groceries vs Asda could cause/result from/reveal snobbery.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 21/12/2013 23:25

I don't like Sainsburys really!

Pilgit · 21/12/2013 23:27

I use our ASDA - it is a bit depressing because the building is an old warehouse and you can hear the rain battering the roof.... but as the shop is substantially cheaper than the others and is closest we use it - you can't argue with the value. The clothes are actually okay - the children's clothes are great value and good enough quality.

Tikkamasala · 21/12/2013 23:38

I have a small Tesco metro less than 5 minutes walk from me and there is another big Tesco on my way home from work so that is where I usually go. The small one is rubbish and so limited but in general I find Tesco fine for basic stuff. There are also a big Sainsburys and a waitrose in my area, next door to each other. I go in the Sainsburys a lot more than the waitrose for some reason. I do prefer both of them to Tesco when I can be bothered to go down there, the ranges are a bit better IMO. I used to work near a lovely waitrose (feel a bit sad calling a supermarket lovely but...) on finchley road that even had nice toiletries e.g neals yard stand! However I don't really feel the need to get snobby about supermarkets.

ZingChoirsOfAngels · 21/12/2013 23:44

I could never buy through Ocado - a Hungarian word (okado), pronounced the same way means "being violently sick", so a terrible association for me!Grin

kelper · 21/12/2013 23:47

I love Asda for it's american stuff, but have never been impressed by its fresh fruit and veg.
I love waitrose for it's random stuff.
However my Christmas shopping has been done in tesco this year, as it has the self scanner things so I don't have to queue :) if our sainsbugs had those I'd have gone there because I prefer them, but hey ho!
I have cards for sainsburys, tesco and waitrose, so divide my spending accordingly.

Caitlin17 · 22/12/2013 01:05

I'm an unashamed supermarket snob, everything is M&S or Waitrose. The food is just nicer and the basics are no more expensive than Sainsbury.

amandine07 · 22/12/2013 07:23

I love Waitrose despite having a Tesco and Sainsburys within closer range...find that Waitrose does some really good, proper discounts & I tend to stock up with things for the freezer.

The Waitrose Essential range is good value IMO.
Tesco frustrates me as they are very inconsistent with their special offers- you get to the check out (usually I go self-service) & find that your discount hasn't been applied. This then necessitates finding somebody who gives a toss to help you rectify the issue.

Another plus with Waitrose is that the customer service is, in general, amazing.

MrsPnut · 22/12/2013 07:41

I shop at waitrose and having switched to there from sainsbury's found that my weekly bill went down by about £20.

Our Asda is always overcrowded and it's full of over processed shite, why do you need shelves full of artificially flavoured cheese slices and yet not sell much in the way of continental cheese?

Morrisons here has obstacles in the aisles and is full of toothless wonders whilst Tesco is just depressing.

The customer service at Waitrose is fantastic and I use the scanning service as I shop. All the full time staff at waitrose (and john lewis) are partners in the business and it shows. No shareholders to make profits for and instead they get the benefit of their hard work.

Original poster
elfsmamma · 22/12/2013 08:22

The area my parents live in has a pretty strong divide in terms of class, there is no waitrose but often the ethically produced meat gets sold out at Sainsburys, and ASDA doesn't have a wide selection.

I was shocked by the amount of ready meals in both supermarkets, in the local Sainsburys they have an entire isle with just ready meals, they even have ready meals for kids Shock but just because a shop sells lots of ready meals or babygrows with daddy's little princess written on them it doesn't mean you have to buy those things!

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 22/12/2013 08:26

I struggle to find things to make nice meals in our local Asda. It is near impossible to find any higher-welfare meat in there. Aisles and aisles of junk food and booze though. Very handy for school shirts etc though.

justwondering72 · 22/12/2013 08:28

I find the uk supermarket snobbery fascinating, and have tried to explain it to friend here in France, they just don't get it. it's such a uniquely British thing. here there are a few chains which have very little to choose between them - they look the same, sell the same ranges etc, the only difference is how old an individual shop is - older ones tend to be grubbier.

back in the UK, I'd shop Sainsbury by choice,asda for cost. actually, what we used to do was do the first shop of the month in Sainsbury (just after pay day) then Tesco the following weeks. then asda for the last so before payday!

wonkylegs · 22/12/2013 08:32

I don't take any supermarkets brand as a Mark of quality or choice as I think they are all very store dependent.
Near our old house, there was an amazing Tesco where I got most food things, the local Asda was best for cheese & kids clothes, the local Sainsburys best for bread.
Often I find Sainsburys overrated and a bit expensive but where we've moved to it's the best all round supermarket. ASDA here isn't very good at all, the local Morrisons is good but often products are very sort dated, however their bread is excellent, local tescos is a bit tiny & rubbish

Saurus72 · 22/12/2013 08:35

I like Waitrose because I like their business model and the fact they treat their employees better than other chains. I also think a lot if their own brand products are very good quality. Lastly, I don't think the cost of a supermarket is primarily driven by where you shop, as opposed to what you buy.