Waitrose is overpriced

[DyslexicScientist]

Don't get me wrong its lovley and some good stuff. But the vast majority is no better quality than most (probably from the same suppliers) but costs more. Has gone downhill with the massive expansion. I remember 20 years ago my home economics teacher saying waitrose was a shadow of its former self! I think it caters to aspirational middle class and boomers that have more money than they can spend.

Theyvhave just sent me a 10% off card to use for December and January an unlimited amount of times. That must mean its overpriced right? Big profit margins as the other supermarkets are only making a few percent profit on sales.

They are very overpriced but they specifically aspire to people who like to show off how much money they have and how much money they can waste on products which would cost half the price in the other supermarkets. The only good things in Waitrose are the free coffee and the occasional offer you can get with the 20% off thing. Otherwise it is unaffordable unless you are a boomer or work in the City.

they are not unaffordable,

All the supermarkets vary on affordability depending on how much you buy pre prepared and how big your family is. Asda is cheap for giant ready meals, and other junk food, sainsburys is a lot cheaper when shopping for 1.

Echo what some others say. If you want suppliers screwed, employees on zero hours contracts, animals treated poorly, etc then go for lowest denominator.

Their food is good and not that much more expensive. They train their staff well.

I get sick of people with their "right on views" about cheap labour/ farmers/ green belt/ land etc - but no-one ever wants to pay for it.

I've had a few home delivers from waitrose recently and haven't found them to be more expensive than tesco or sainsbury, but the service is much, much better

This. I don't buy all the gorgeous top of the range stuff, but their service and quality of food (especially meat) is great.

I find they are much of a muchness with Tesco. But I can't stand Tesco. I get most of my shopping at Waitrose but watch Asda for toilet paper and cleaning products which are normally good offers.

That's absolute rubbish evil
It costs me more for crappy stuff to shop in Tesco!
Its a myth that Waitrose is for snobby middleclasswannabes .
I have just explained how I shop-if you don't mind which brand of sausages you have, they are always on offer so I buy which ever ones are on offer and get some to freeze. Ditto everything else.
Its good quality at an excellent price.

I don't find Waitress significantly more expensive for my shopping needs. I once did plugged my basket into a comparison website and Waitress came our just a couple pounds more. However, the rival supermarkets also did not carry some of the things I regularly shop for, which would necessitate a second trip out.

I find the whole shopping experience much more pleasant at Waitrose - nothing to do with middleclasssnobbery and everything to do with doing a shop without getting irritated due to unhelpful staff, layouts which are more like obstacle courses, and a shop which carries all the condiments I use frequently. Also, the staff are always very helpful and friendly because they are adequately trained and are paid well (this is also true at Costco - something which made them a case study at Harvard Business School).

It is also helpful that I can arrange click and collect of John Lewis goods there which saves another headache for me.

Like others, we use the essentials and own brand stuff except for meat when we buy the duchy organic meat. DH used to be a butcher and he insists on organic meat, I'm not going to argue with him.

Hark at the reverse snobbery in this thread!

So it's ok to say Waitrose is targeted at those who look down their noses and pay a premium to not have to shop with the "riff raff" but it's not ok to say Asda is chavvy as hell??

I don't find Waitress significantly more expensive for my shopping needs. I once did plugged my basket into a comparison website and Waitress came our just a couple pounds more. However, the rival supermarkets also did not carry some of the things I regularly shop for, which would necessitate a second trip out

this is a good point actually. it's all very well saying another shop is cheaper. however this is one of the reasons we switched our shop. because the time spent having to go out fir a second or third time and the expense incurred from having to grab a substitute from sainsbury or a corner shop to tide us over til I could go back out again meant any saving from the likes of aldi or lidl was pretty much null and void.

ditto with stuff that was poorer quality ensuring no one ate it or a ton of extra stuff or cooking time was required in order fir to get it to taste ok.

I think sometimes. people forget to factor in with cheaper stuff, that you may throw more away or use double what you normally would or you can't buy as much cos it doesn't last and you have to go out twice a week instead of once etc.

it's only a saving to somebody if what they are buying is competitive in taste quality or effectiveness. no point buying cheaper stuff if you don't like it.

I try not to enter a shop ever actually so it's more that I use Tesco to deliver here because they are fine and I've used them for at least 15 years since they were almost one of the first to start on line shopping although the original plan that the goods arrive when the cleaner is here who puts them away has fallen by the wayside due to her uncertain hours. The children put in the on line basket what they need too so I hardly need to be involve in the process at all except for providing the money.

Oh I'd never thought of having my shopping arrive when my cleaner is here!

I like Waitrose, though I can't really afford to shop there regularly. It's definitely the best quality of the supermarkets.

Sainsburies is my second favourite I think, slightly more expensive than tesco but so much better.

Supermarket shopping makes me miss Italy. Although I have recently discovered there is a fruit and veg market near me (which isn't an overpriced farmers market).

I can't believe people are saying Waitrose is not unaffordable or more expensive. I know one of the papers used to do a weekly comparison of supermarket places and the basket from Waitrose was always significantly more expensive. I wonder if these people live down south where things are more expensive anyway and budget supermarkets like Morrison and Asda more rare so it seems less wildly expensive in comparison. I know when I lived in London Sainsbury's was considered a normal supermarket, but it's comparatively expensive up here.

I used to work opposite a Waitrose and if I was ever busy and popped in for a few bits the prices flabbergasted me. That said, I like having one locally, because if a recipe calls for something slightly unusual (eg Ras el Hanout) you know they will probably stock it. And one of the assistants ID'd me for booze when so was 35 which was probably one of the happiest moments of my life.

The only problem I have with it, is shoppers who seem to think that they are somehow morally superior for shopping there, when it's nothing to do with morals, it's to do with finances.

ledkr
Even if that means that suppliers are screwed over, and staff aren't paid or treated fairly?

Don't be so ridiculous!
So everyone who shops at places other than waitrose are exploitative?

Come on, have a word with yourself!

I think you need to pick and choose - I can't imagine being loyal to one supermarket anyway.

If I'm shopping at Asda I'll normally stick to staples/drygoods/bread/chicken, and normal fruit and veg (maybe it's ours, but the fruit and veg in Asda is generally terrible).

If I'm in Waitrose then there are a couple of bits - tinned tomatoes and cream cheese in the essentials range - that are the best out of any supermarket, and not significantly more expensive, and I know the fruit and veg will be good.

I won't by loo roll though, or washing powder etc. That can wait for an Asda or Tescos visit.

BookayaWe have Asda, Sainsburys ,Tesco, Waitrose and Aldi, Lidl is 40 minutes away so too far.
Morrisons and Asda is everywhere daaan South.
I also have several farm shops and a brilliant market.
Waitrose is no more expensive than Tesco and Sainsburys if you know how to shop.
Their basics range is nicer than Tesco Finestcrap
As I said up thread ,I buy all the 1/3 off stuff they always do and so its cheaper than Tesco ,Sainsburys et al for me.

I saved about £10p/w going from Sainsbury's to Waitrose, and the so-called "shopping experience" at the latter is much better - the store is well-stocked, the right number of checkouts are staffed when busy, layout is logical and fruit/veg is of good quality. Tried the same shop at Tesco and found it was £30 more expensive.

Frankly even if it was slightly more expensive than the alternative (and I could afford it) I'd still use Waitrose.

I now use a monthly Ocado shop, plus Aldi/Lidl when needed. Feels like the best of both worlds.

Heh heh at being a boomer or working in the city

I do my weekly shop at Waitrose , £100 give or take for four of us each week which is about right for our family size and budget.

I was a partner there for a couple of years. They don't pay well , the contracts are 5 hour per week ones for the first 12 months and they expect an awful lot

That is retail across the board though

It makes me laugh to read that Waitrose are "fair" to farmers: they really aren't - they do not pay anywhere near the cost of a pint of milk, even though they do pay fractionally more than most other supermarket chains - and they stitch up their vegetable suppliers every bit as much as Morrisons.

It's nice that people believe the Waitrose hype on this, but it doesn't make it true.

I have no supermarket loyalty at all, as I pass Tesco, M&S Food & Lidl between work and home, so don't have to go out of my way. I also have big Morrison's, Asda and Sainsbury within easy reach. A big Waitrose recently opened and is now my closest supermarket,. It's going to do for my corner shop, as it's literally only 2 minutes further to walk - longer opening hours, more range, better quality. I don't think it will be a major issue for the other supermarkets though; it may take some trade, like if I'm out of bread or milk, I will now do Waitrose than walk a bit further to Sainsbury, but I don't think I'll be doing all my shopping in any single retailer.

I only go to waitrose if we are unwell cos I park for the drs, can get my prescription afterwards and have a free coffee!!
What a bastard I am

And I don't buy a cake 👅 👅

Waitrose is no more expensive than Tesco and Sainsburys if you know how to shop.

Ah, that's where I'm going wrong, I'm not shopping correctly. The fact that something that costs 45p elsewhere is £1.40 in Waitrose is not the reason for the higher bill when I get to the checkout, it's the fact I'm not shopping correctly!