to not get why people like Aldi/Lidl so much?

[lucydogz]

yes, I know it's really cheap, but, appart from some things, the food just is poor quality. When I last went there, my DH was enthused about how cheap it was, but the eggs, porridge oats, jam, mayonnaise, digestive biscuits, and plums I bought were not good at all. I see why people would shop there if they hadn't got any money, but, if you can afford to, why not go somewhere better?
If anybody can tell me about any things they do well I'm prepared to be convinced.

Recently bought the kids winter onesies from lidl. £5.99 or somesuch and I feel good knowing they will help keep the kids warm in the house over this coming winter.
There's no where else, not even Primark that sell onsies at that price.
I'm so grateful for these shops.

Even when a company is producing similar foods for a range of supermarkets it is not always the same product. Many have slightly different recipes and slightly different ingredients, including where they come from etc.
It's not as simply as saying xxx factory produces the same yyyy for 3 different supermarkets and just sell them at different amounts.

Placebo effect. The big name stores have been around for so much longer so obviously there better, right?

That's not what a placebo effect is tootin.

@starzig and @TootinBarbs it's a cultural norm thing but similar to a placebo I see what you're on about

Also you can get these in Lidl just now. £1.99 for 2. Bigger, stronger and more robust than anywhere else and you won't find any others for that price for 2!

They are hand warmers.

I wish people wouldn't call the Aisle-of-irregular-stuff the "Aisle of Shame /shite" etc. It isn't shite, that's the point. It may not be stuff you regularly need, but it all seems to sell out pretty fast.

Poundland has worse quality equivalents so Lidl not even close to shite. No shame required. People are weird to come up with these weird sayings!

I suspect OP has a big pile of tastebuds I didn't get given. 90% of Lidl food is naice for me.

I'm always shocked at how much processed food is in the bigger supermarkets. Row after row of shite!

Totally agree. We eat so much better when I shop in Lidl because I don't buy the shite.

Bought chicken twice from Aldi and had to throw it away upon opening because it was off. Has put me off trying a third time.

I like Lidl crisps and their bakery. But I prefer online shopping so I use Asda.

I agree about the eggs from Aldi!! They do not make poached/fried eggs they just run everywhere like pure water and the yolks are too weak.

Also the meat doesn’t last it’s date and the fruit isn’t very tasty and there’s often a lot of mouldy ones.

I’m grateful to them though because when I was out of work they kept us going but I started doing online Asda shopping and wow, the quality is million times better, even I was shocked!

My personal preference is I’d rather pay more (although I’m actually paying less cos I’m not getting sucked in by stuff) and enjoy my food more, but I appreciate everyone has different priorities! (I like food a lot)

I find Asda 3 for £10 meats to be the best value ever, so much meat on everything I get I can’t believe I haven’t been doing this longer!

i wish people wouldn't call the Aisle-of-irregular-stuff the "Aisle of Shame /shite" etc. It isn't shite

My preferred term for it is middle aisle of madness.

I'd never say shame because I feel no shame whatsoever. I sometimes say shite but I mean it in a tongue in cheek way.

About 80% of the kids Christmas presents are coming from it this year so I'd never disparage it.

Really don't get the eggs issue. I get the corn fed ones from Lidl and they're the most reliably golden yoked and delicious out there (even compared to M&S)

My free range large eggs have consistently been fresh and good all round.

I mainly shop at Asda as it's on the way, but there's a Lidl we drive past and go to regularly.

Their Maris Piper thick chips are honestly the best frozen chips ever. I get comments on them when I serve them to other people (generally when fast-carbs are needed to mop up wine). Their own brand gins are amazing; the spiced one is so close to Ophir in taste and costs so much less it's a no-brainer. The meat and Veg are better than adsa/tesco for taste and longevity. I love their bakery items.

I can find some of their own brand packets a little bland, but they sell branded too, and I've practically given up buying their wine as it was too hit and miss, even for the more expensive.

The middle at Lidl is fun. Got one of those Singer overlockers a while back. Craft stuff for kids is great. Best buy ever was neoprene beach shoes which made our holiday last year as all the beaches are pebbly on Sark. They're not going to last, but then the kids are going to grow out of them anyway.

Aldi coming to our town soon. Didn't they do really well in the 'shiny hair shampoo' category on one of those spending less programs a while back?

I tried Lidl once as everybody was raving about it, it had a very strange smell and everything tasted of the strange smell, wouldn’t try it again.

I love Aldi and Lidl and have shopped there for years- Lidl in the UK, Aldi in the USA.

We could shop at mainstream stores and spend the same amount but, because at Aldi we can buy things from the organic/premium ranges, we get better quality for the price of the standard off-brand ranges elsewhere.

I meant to mention the baby stuff. Really happy with the nappies and wipes. Also I occasionally buy a baby ready meal for days when I'm in a hurry. The ones they have at Aldi are half the price of the ones I used to get. They're also organic whereas the ones I was buying weren't. The baby eats them just as happily as the more expensive option. He also likes the baby biscotti and oat bars.

I've been in Aldi twice and didn't like it. I couldn't see the point as I still had to go to Sainsburys for the branded stuff and the butchers for my meat.

I've never tried Lidl but we're getting one in town at some point but I'm presuming it'll be the same.

On first visit, Aldi and Lidl are a bit weird.

After a while, though, one thing comes through strongly. Like for like it is @ 20% cheaper.

The problem is it's not like for like. I can't get Heinz ketchup, Kellogg's cereal etc. I might pay 20% less but not for the same products.

Completely agree, I would probably give it more of a chance if it wasn't so busy ALL OF THE TIME it's crazy!

I love Aldi! I've totted it up and I save a good £5 minimum a week versus Asda/tesco. Over a year that adds up!

Aldi I love the reeds, the baby wipes, the disinfectant wipes and the toilet rolls. Food varies from visit to visit. Lidl's bakery is fab as is their chocolate and dog chews.
I have absolutely no loyalty and will shop anywhere convenient. Unlike practically every other poster on every other forum I don't have a Waitrose close by.

I hate Lidl, but there are a few things that are still worth buying if you can't find the equivalent elsewhere which I usually can.

What I buy is the Formil washing powder, Greek style yogurt in big tubs which is now more expensive than some of the others from Morrisons and we also buy gin and muesli there. I sometimes buy fruit & veg but prefer organic and find that Lidl stuff doesn't last too welll.

Aldi, used to like it about 12 years ago but the tea bags are no longer nice and the fruit & veg rots quickly, poor choice of things even in the bigger ones and all the sliced bread was half inch slices, workmen sandwich type slices.

I have sadly made my final attempt at using Aldi after managing to not find anything I needed and found my cauliflower was full of little caterpillars.

I have spent many a year on and off with lidil/aldi. Yes its cheaper but some lowet quality. Sainsburys is my favourite particularly online. Haven't tried waitrose above my budget for a weeks shopping.