to not understand why people go to Aldi & Lidl...

[TheBeautifulVisit]

… it's such a horrible shopping experience.

It reminded me of being in a co-op in my very small hometown circa 1977. And then when you've got a trolley full of their stuff and queue up to pay there's that humiliating bit at the end where they don't give you sufficient time to pack your groceries. They just expect you to very quickly remove your groceries and go and pack them elsewhere, with no bags.

I feel assaulted.

Can you please tell me

1. how far away is your Aldi or Lidl & why do you go?

2. what do you miss about your old supermarket? (which one was it)

3. how much do you spend there each time you go

It was cheaper than my normal shopping but actually I didn't buy my normal shopping: no fresh chives, no fresh ginger, no butternut squash, no purple sprouting broccoli, no green peppercorns, no little tubs of anchovies & olives from the Waitrose deli. I travelled much further to get there.

And there's no delivery.

Why why why?

Aldi is loads cheaper than our other supermarket (Morrisons). Hence why I go there. I don't mind putting my stuff back in the trolley and packing it on the shelves behind the till. Plus they do great pork products!

As for the check out othee supermarkets annoy me now much too slow.

I only shop at aldi have done for 7 years

My nearest Aldi is several miles away and in a town I will not visit (think come friendly Bombs). However we are getting Lidl in a month or so and I will definitely give it a go

My Mum shops in Aldi in her home town and I have to say the chocolate is lovely!

Oh don't be silly Viking, of course we could all afford Waitrose - if we don't send our children to private school, or run a Boeing 737 that is

It's such an odd little thread

YABU OP to remind me about ALDI because I am currently obsessed with their exquisite collection pinot noir . I went this morning and although I picked it up and carried it about, I was very good and put it back on the shelf. I can't stop drinking the stuff and now I want more!

I went to lidls this weekend actually, no been in ages- was reminded why I used to go. So cheap! Gotta love a bargain.

I agree btw with the poster earlier who said their fondant fancies are the best! They also have a very excellent brioche with chocolate.
Their jam is very very nice too. As good as bonne maman.
And those lovely little camemberts - yum.
Haven't tried the pinot noir though, (yet)!

Waitrose is no more expensive than Sainsburys. I compared trolleys. Lots. Just stick to the essentials range and they proce match on brands with Tesco.

Can you tell I luffs Waitrose (and quite a few other shops too , like Lidl)

I went once. Walked in, walked all the way through, walked straight out again. Didn't see anything that looked even vaguely appealing to buy or eat. Maybe I need to give them a second chance, and not go in there with my 'Sainsburys dash' mindset - take some time and figure it out a bit more ...

My Aldi is 0.2 miles from my house, and I cook fresh, healthy varied meals from their range exclusively for less than £200 a month for DH, I and DS(2). That's why.

I am 10-15 min drive from most of the major supermarkets.

You are not seeing beyond your snobbery OP. I shop most weeks online at Waitrose and have it delivered (for free, on prime saturday slots). However if I go in the store I will end up spending far more on stuff I really don't need.

My favourite other place to go is Lidl. Always a bargain, fresh herbs particularly good actually. Every time I think to myself I should be using it weekly but I am lazy and can fortunately afford my Waitrose order.

The other driver for using Waitrose is the quality of the ready meals.

Next time in Lidl try the extra mature cheddar, muesli, mini magnums, dishwasher tabs, spaghetti, soft fruit, rocket etc etc.

I am also really excited as last time I was in my local Lidl they were just setting up a new bakery

I shop at Aldi.

I can afford Waitrose, but don't see the point in paying more (50% more based on the mysupermarket.com comparison tool), due to some mad, misguided snobbery.

My Aldi bought asparagus, ginger, prosecco etc. is delicious.

I wish there was an aldi/lidl walking distance - or even a bloody asda. Instead there is a waitrose just around the corner, and a bit further away there are a crappy mini Co-op and a mini Sainsbury. I end up going to the Waitrose for everything, and paying over the odds for stuff like fruit and veg.

Mine s 18 mins away
Waitrose is next door which is handy as I use the same trolley.
Mine now has a luxury line b which is rather good.
Think its more of a shop for v people who can cook or put a meal together. W is better for posh on a plate.

You have to neatly position your trolley at the end of the checkout and just scoop with both arms...the whole lot back into the trolley whilst shouting up yours to the checkout operator in some sort of victory manner way :)

Will admit to not having read all the thread ....

I went to Lidl today - don't normally. I'd forgotten to pick up milk. I asked the lad on the checkout "would you mind if I just ran and grabbed milk, I promise I will be really really quick".

You would have thought I said "would you mind if I slap you round the face really hard" for the reaction I got. Begrudging and rude. That's why I don't shop there often and yes, I did run and get the milk

We go to aldi because its cheap, and really good quality.

The money we save allows us to buy far more fruit and veg then if we shopped at Sainsbury's (our nearest supermarket). I don't miss Sainsbury's in the slightest, its very overpriced. We only go their to top up our shop if required, with items like you mentioned (though aldi does sell butternut squash, olives and fresh ginger).

We feed 3 adults and a child on 60-80 per week including loads of fresh fruit and veg.

I like the seasonal produce - having bought expensive peaches in December (for a recipe) that were NEVER going to ripen. I buy loads of fruit and veg - my logic is if we only eat half of it, it's still cheap. I made a tomato sauce at the weekend with the last of the courgette, aubergine, fresh tomatoes and celery. It is now frozen in bags in the freezer ready for pizzas, bolognaise etc.

I love the nappies from Lidl/Aldi - I think they are the same and they NEVER leak. Annabel Karmel baby snacks.

I don't generally buy the chocolates or confectionery as the packs are too big and I'm a greedy gut.

Aldi have a range of vacume packed steaks - they are divine and keep for 3 weeks in the fridge. We think they are as good as the butchers, I generally do not buy supermarket meat.

I'm quite happy with the checkouts. Staff are friendly and efficient. I become incensed at customers who pack in complete slow motion, get the checkout girl to run some errand (e.g. 'I didn't realise it was a 2 for 1 offer'), only take out their wallet to pay when every last item is put away with the assistance of the checkout girl --- yada yada yada.

I miss nothing about Tesco -
not the express 'basket only' aisle, where I was lectured with my trolley (with toddler) and

I shall try that next time I'm in wait ys. MISSPIXIE... That will raise a beige brow or two. I do find the business of getting me to have a multitude of bags and green tokens tiresome in the extreme.
Up yours as I scoop...Bloody hilarious

Perhaps Rousette you should have asked the people waiting behind you, as it was them you were inconveniencing. Then again you weren't really 'asking' at all.
'Do you mind'
'Well yes actually'
'Too bad'

YesIcan I got 0.05p off my second to last Tesco shop.Then last month they gave me 0.04p. I'm so excited. Come Christmas, with savings like this I'd be able to afford a whole orange! .

I have no comment for the idiotic OP. However thanks for the tip of throwing the stuff in the trolley and packing at the car. For some reason that had never occurred to me. Every day's a school day.

We dont have a waitrose near us.
In fact, I have never SEEN a waitrose

A columnist perhaps? Blogger? It reads as if OP is conducting a survey/research.

Disclaimer: I have not rift.