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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:
Tanith · 22/12/2013 17:01

octopusinasantasack: Because I know them :)
It's a small town.

Viviennemary · 22/12/2013 17:05

I hate Tesco's most of all. But it's our nearest one. I quite like Sainsbury's but don't like Liddel or Aldi. I don't mind Morrisons as the fruit and veg are good quality. Asda's isn't bad but it does seem to be a stressful shop there at busy times. Waitrose is best but expensive for day to day.

cjel · 22/12/2013 17:13

CiderXmas Grin from a waitrose shopper who finds local co op much dearer!!!

spanky2 · 22/12/2013 17:18

There is a sign in our Asda requires customers to wear tops as it is a family store. Classy .

cjel · 22/12/2013 17:28

must be posh SPANKY we don't have those signs at waitrose!!!

ZingChoirsOfAngels · 22/12/2013 17:29

spanky
Grin

AGypsiesWife · 22/12/2013 17:40

You've only been away five years. Surely it can't be that much of a mystery.

cantheyseeme · 22/12/2013 17:58

Our subway has a sign sayibg they wont serve anyone without a top onConfused

cantheyseeme · 22/12/2013 18:03

Glad you know your place grumpyoldbat Grin

MrsMook · 22/12/2013 18:04

I hate ASDA. If I have to venture into the depths of the food zone, I always emerge with a headache and in a foul mood.

The meat is poor and tends to be chewy. We once got some kerbab type things for a BBQ. One survived being cooked without glooping into the fire.

The layout changes frequently and isn't very logical.

There's more aisles dedicated to calorific crud than food, and takes eons to get through the place.

Most people have huge full trolleys blocking the place up. There's never enough tills open, so it always takes forever to pay.

The car park layout is congested and on a steep hill. I've overturned a trolley trying to get it off the kerb of the walkway before.

It's over lit (probably triggering the headache). The shelves are claustrophicly high. It's cluttered with luridly coloured banners.

I could go on...

I don't often go to large Tescos, but the interiors don't seem to be much better.

I favour Morrisons (has character, lovely staff, nice cafe, good car park) or Lidl (cheap, good for basics and fresh food, easy to get round).

persimmon · 22/12/2013 18:07

When we lived in Abingdon the local megastore Tesco was pretty nice. We now live somewhere else and I can't stand the Tesco here. I think the big stores vary quite considerably.

frumpet · 22/12/2013 19:56

I shop at Morrisons , Sainsburys , Lidl , The Co-op and Booths regularly , but then i am a supermarket whore Grin We do not have a Tesco's within 12 miles of us , so do not shop there , plus it is a right hand store and i struggle to feel comfortable in them , that and it has the rudest customers in all existence .

frumpet · 22/12/2013 20:04

Actually ignore the right hand bit as i have just realised that all the other shops are right handed too !

frumpet · 22/12/2013 20:08

The Morrsions i go to is further away than my nearest but is so much nicer , i tend to buy the basics there . The Lidl is fantastic for fruit/veg and cheese and cooked meats , pull ups and cat food . I shop at the Co-op for essentials i need all the time like toilet rolls , milk etc . And Booths is wonderful for everything , always have fantastic offers on and usually have a great 'reduced' section Wink

EBearhug · 22/12/2013 20:09

I have been making stuff for Christmas day, and the ingredients have included:

  • Breadcrumbs (from stale M&S bread)
  • Onions (Morrisons)
  • Sausagemeat (Tesco)
  • Chestnuts (Lidl)
  • Eggs (Sainsburys)
I have no supermarket loyalty whatsoever.
unlucky83 · 22/12/2013 20:14

To the PP poster who asked where the filthy rich shop - obviously Lidl and Aldi! That's why they are rich! And they don't need to go to a 'posh' supermarket to feel superior -because they KNOW they are Xmas Grin

frumpet · 22/12/2013 20:15

Also at our local Lidl , the population of shoppers is as diverse as the population of our local environment , so you will have a top of the range , Range rover parked next to a decrepit old filthy renault ( mine) . Perhaps living in Yorkshire means that snobbery goes out of the window when you can save a bit of hard earned or inherited cash ?

unlucky83 · 22/12/2013 20:17

BTW Fortnums is ok for most things but I have to do a top up shop at a lesser food emporium - can you believe it - Fortnums don't do Pot Noodles Xmas SadXmas Grin

Snowdown · 22/12/2013 20:28

Fortnums doesn't appeal much - too old fashioned to be interesting....I like Selfridges or Borough Market...but you still need to be selective.

Snowdown · 22/12/2013 20:31

When growing up our neighbours were filthy rich - they had beans on toast while we had steak...I don't think the different would have bought their car and holidays but we all have our priorities. Food has always been too of our list.

SugarHut · 22/12/2013 20:34

I love Waitrose. And M&S. The taste and quality of the food in these two are just not comparable to other supermarkets. M&S is more local, but if I have the time I'll drive the extra to Waitrose as it is significantly worth it. Although...on occasion Waitrose fresh veg has been slightly on the turn and I've only noticed when I've got it home.

Tesco I will brave if I'm massively in a rush as it is much closer than the M&S, but it stresses me beyond belief. Stack em high, sell em cheap mentality. Waitrose, yes, a few "entitled" customers, but 99% are noticeably nicer mannered, more polite, and generally more respectful. This is the minority in Tesco. Certainly mine. People will knock past your trolley then glare at you for daring to be there in the first place. Ignorant and almost deliberately not giving a rats arse about any other customers than themselves is probably the best way to describe it.

I did try an Aldi for the first time the other day after all the Which ads. I can not see how people can do their weekly shop in there? There's just no choice or variety. And I don't have the inclination to waste time going to different supermarkets for one weekly shop. Lots of cheap biccies in there though...the ones I got were lovely.

Heartbrokenmum73 · 22/12/2013 20:42

Tesco: People will knock past your trolley then glare at you for daring to be there in the first place. Ignorant and almost deliberately not giving a rats arse about any other customers than themselves is probably the best way to describe it.

And there's the snooty attitude again, dahlings.

Don't talk rubbish. I've shopped in lots of different supermarkets and you get ill-mannered arses everywhere you go in life. Choice of supermarket has nothing to do with it.

If anything, the worst manners seem to belong to the shoppers in the likes of M&S (where I worked for awhile) who would treat the place like a tip, dropping stuff on the floor (and me - kneeling down sorting bottom shelves) and leaving it for me to pick up. God forbid they do it themselves! That's what 'the help' is for.

FCEK · 22/12/2013 20:48

Asda, M&S and morisons here. I prefer M&S for the meat and veg but Asda has everything lol.

SugarHut · 22/12/2013 21:00

Alas, the ability to read and assess someone's factual experience, and self declare it to then be snooty because you don't like it, is just silly. Dahlings. Grin

Snooty would be "It's full of chavs. Tracksuit wearing, Argos jewellery adorned, Paco Rabanne scented chavs."

Where as something like "People whack into my trolley. No one says excuse me. People see you looking on a shelf and will come and stand right in front of you, very much aware that they are now in your way and not giving a rats arse about it." Now that's a direct account of my experience.

People in M&S treat the place like a tip? Ahhh, that's ok. However people in Tesco certainly mine who treat other customers with incredible ignorance...no, that's not allowed. Hmm

Heartbrokenmum73 · 22/12/2013 21:06

Erm, no.

Actually, I know you're snooty, from previous threads. I wasn't even remotely surprised to see you belittling Tesco customers that way or saying how much you love Waitrose and M&S because you think you're a cut above the general majority of people.

Having come across your attitude before, I think I can firmly say that yes, you're a touch up yourself.

And your definition of 'chav' is disgustingly offensive.