To think that Aldi/Lidl are just not that cheap?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

I'm always hearing people rave about how cheap these supermarkets are.

I've given them a try over the last couple of weeks, and yes some things are cheaper, and some things were just really nice but a bit more expensive.

I did an online shop and then when directly to Aldi/Lidl to price compare and there was nothing that was a lot cheaper, some of their stuff was a complete rip off. I only buy a lot of things such as cheese and beans when they're on offer anyway.

Are people just kidding themselves? I'd go again as I say some of their items were just really good quality but I wouldn't go out of my way as the few pence I save would be swallowed in petrol.

Just compared my Aldi shopping with Asda's prices, and Aldi = £28.90, Asda = £39.17.

The only things which were the same price were bananas, economy spaghetti ( both dried and tinned), bread and smoked salmon. I find it impossible to do a full shop of just the bargains, so would rather go to Aldi/Lidl and know it's going to be around 25% cheaper.

Can people who are saying it's more than 10% cheaper please provide the exact products that are cheaper, Eggs, Milk, Butter, Flour etc. i.e. genuine staples are not that great, so what is it you're buying that's much better?

If you're just using moneysupermarket, then the substitutions are not necessarily reasonable ones and the difference in overall price is because the quantities are also different or the equivalent product in another supermarket is not the cheapest available.

I have swopped from Sainsburies to Aldi. I am saving £10 to £15 a week. Which is ok, £650 a year is not to be sniffed at but it was not quite the shopping revolution I was hoping for.

We get the little foil catfood trays for 20 pence each from Aldi, so 2.40 per 12. Similar posh catfoods in other shops is 4-5 per 12 pack.

Large free range eggs - 1.90 a dozen in Aldi, 2.25 a dozen in Asda

500 g shreddies 2.49 in Asda, Aldi equivalent not sure, about 1.69 I think

Bavarian ham - 2 a pack or 2 for 3 in Asda, 99 pence a pack in Aldi

Pringles are never less than a pound in Asda, and often much more. Aldi equivalent 89p

Cheese is cheaper, as is laundry liquid, dishwasher tablets and canned tomatoes when looking at equivalent quality. Can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

If you chase the offers or use a lot of value brands, the big supermarkets can be cheaper, but if you just want to go in and get your shopping quickly without having to choose between 50 different types of tinned tomatoes, or hope what you want is on offer or walk half a mile to the back of the store to find the milk, Aldi or Lidl are great for that.

If you want to buy organic or need a lot of gluten free products, I can see that they are lacking, but otherwise they are great for lots of reasons. Hate having to find my way around a massive Asda now.

thanks Ilkey but comparing shreddies to aldi equivalent, why aren't you comparing Asda malted wheaties which are 97p for 750g? What's really being shown up is a deficiency in mySupermarket I'd say, people are comparing the basket in there which doesn't actually do great on equivalences.

I didn't know Aldi even sold pringles? The Aldi equivalent, "stackers" yes they're 89p, but they're only 165g, or 25g smaller than Pringles which are 190g, by amount of actual crisps you get, the Aldi ones are more expensive than a 100p Pringles - of course buying smaller packets may be good for other reasons, but it's a very unfair way of comparing prices.

(Ham of course is just crap in all the supermarkets bar the german ones who do tend to put a lot less water in)

I'm not sure that it's fair to compare full price branded products with Aldis own.

Reading this thread I really think that it does come down to how you shop. I can see how if you were just paying full price Aldi would be cheaper.

I don't mind buying in bulk when things are on offer like beans and canned tomatoes and then keeping them stocked in. I'd never for example pay full price for cereal or beans so I'm not really paying anymore.

I'll be very happy for you not to believe us, tbh.
My Aldi is getting FAR too busy and FAR too crowded with people converting over.
I'd really like it if you could convince people to stick with the other supermarkets, then my shop would be quicker and it would be easier to park.

Actually, you're right BackforGood. Both Aldi and Lidl are full of cheap rubbish for people with no tastebuds .

BackForGood I do lots of shopping in Aldi and Lidl, but I also know the prices, everyone is claiming huge reductions, but if you look it's because they're comparing unfairly (branded vs non-branded), or comparing things in differing quantities.

It suggests that the real difference is in the shopping practices, people want the small shop, lack of choice and are happy with that. That's great.

What I really want is people to realise that table at the back, it's so your shopping goes straight back into a trolley/basket at the tills and you pack it there - you don't pack slowly as you go...

I disagree fred.

Here is a selection of what I bought at lidl:

Bag of pears 89p
Big bag onions 59p
Cauliflower 85p
Tomatoes (6) £65p
Easy peel clementines 1.19
Kiwi fruit (6) 72p
Raspberries 150g £1.59
Punnet plums 69p
Large Hawaiian pizza 79p
6 pints ss milk £1.30
Spaghetti 20p
Multigrain crackers 72p
Ginger nuts 25p
Large hand wash 55p
Lamb mince £1.17

So I wouldn't buy branded on any of that it all seems a good price though? Not sure what the prices are in other shops

you dont pack on the shelf at the back, you organise your shopping on the line (heavy first, delicate last), then fill trolley with opened bags and pack straight into the bags. voila

Or like me, san, you struggle to pack it and a handsome bearded angel comes from nowhere and offers to help.

I tried out Aldi for a while but I haven't found it to be much cheaper than Sainsburys apart from the odd product here and there. When people say Sainsburys are more expensive are you comparing branded stuff you would buy there to the non branded stuff in Aldi? Because that makes no sense.

Last week I got the bulk of my shopping from Sainsburys and then got a few items which I knew were cheaper in Aldi. But the fruit and veg were cheaper in Sainsburys (and much much more fresh). Lots of other things were too. Plus Aldi don't do a dairy free range (which I have to get for DS) like the big supermarkets and there is a serious lack of choice. So whenever I shop at Aldi I always have to do two shops and by the time you add up the cost of the two it's no cheaper.

Apologies for not putting down exact prices of everything. I compared Aldi prices with Asda own label where available, and branded where not (only a couple of things: Oreo biscuits, Activia style yoghurt - but this was on special offer). Asda's smoked salmon surprised me as generally supermarkets are far more expensive than Aldi.

TBH I found the Asda website was very good at making me think "oh that's cheap", it was only when I compared it to the Aldi price I'd find it was still more expensive.

Anyway I reckon as I'm old with four teenagers to feed, I know what's good value and what isn't. I do think you need to stick with the Aldi/Lidl experience to really get the hang of it, and then you rarely need to top up elsewhere, though I do profess a weakness for Waitrose where I go to buy bread flour as Aldi appear to no longer stock it.

I do accept my assertion of not needing to top up elsewhere is not true for those with special dietary requirements. Aldi/Lidl are cheap because of the comparatively small inventory they carry.

I think that the people who really save at Aldi and Lidl are the ones who have managed to divorce themselves from branded products and instead just buy what they need and like best. I nipped in to the local supermarket to pick up some washing powder (branded) and was horrified at the price because I've brought all our laundry stuff at Aldi for years. They both get the clothes clean, and one's a lot cheaper than the other, so who cares about the brand?
I think people compare the price of branded goods with the price of Aldi and Lidl goods because they do the same job. And in some cases better (or the food is nicer).

Anyway, I say again, Aldi is full of cheap tat, goodness knows why anyone would shop there. Just go back to Sainsburys and co (and leave the car park clearer for me!).

I agree you can't compare branded vs non branded but you can compare own brands. I usually find big 4 own brands awful, but don't have a problem with aldi's own brand.

Yanbu. Aldi and lidl have not impressed me, I went back to Sainsbury too. They have the odd good product, but a lot of poor quality food too (eg the,grapes were always crap ime, vs lovely ones in Sainsbury only £1.50 a box at the moment).

I realised it wasn't worth my time to use two supermarkets when one trip to sainsbury bought me everything I needed and wanted.

I buy a bbq pulled pork joint from sainsburys £6 (or often £5/4 on offer) does the 5 of us then normally enough leftovers to put in a pasta bake the next day.
Aldis bbq pork is £3 but it's smaller and a lot more fatty, barely enough for one meal let alone 2.
So on the face of it it is cheaper but doesn't feed as many so probably works out the same price overall.

sanfairyanne Oh yes, if you can pack as you go then you should do that, so many people can't. Unfortunately the etiquette of people in the line is so wrong in that they don't disapprove verbally enough of hanging around while you wait for someone to carry on packing goods rather than paying.

I don't find it to be cheaper, but that's because I have a special diet that isn't really accommodated there and because although it's technically closer, it's not on a bus route and as I live 2 miles up a huge hill I can't walk home from there.

I shop between morrisons and our local health food shop as morrisons is in the town centre (close to the bus home) and has the best range of vegetables, and anything else I need (gluten/dairy free products and vegan stuff like cheese, pates etc) I have to buy from the health shop anyway, which is a 5 min walk from morrisons. As I work in the town centre, it's just more convenient to go there.

I do like aldi though, and their veg is good but it doesn't work out cheaper for me due to the amount I'd have to spend on a taxi to get home.

Have never shopped in Aldi but have to say I love Lidl. I used to do all my shopping in Asda but when a new Lidl store opened nearby I switched and now do the bulk of my shopping there. I still go to Asda for some things I can't get/don't like from Lidl. I'd say we're saving at least £20 a week.

All i can go on is our weekly shop which is consistently cheaper ar lidl, we like out food so we are not going without the things we like, we are able buy gluten free. Dont much care why at the end of the day. The lidl processco is just as good as the stuff we were buying from tecso. Perhaps we would feel differently if we were champagne people!bbif i could afford waitrosemfor the whole shopping experience i would, but be cant so i am happy to dump tescos in favour of lidl.

I hate the till design in lidl, I don't want to repack items on a table. I agree the big bags do help. why can't they have a normal check out, it can't that much difference and most people do pack there stuff in bags at the till regardless of the table.

the wine is way better than same price asda/sainsbos wine too