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.

Ah yes - the Faux Malone Pomegranate handwash is divine and just like the real thing.

Will check out the frangipane mince pies Insomniac - thanks!

Like others, we can afford to shop anywhere really, I was a regular Waitrose shopper for years, but the new Aldi sells items that are just as good if not better. Admittedly the choice is limited, and if I want eg. kafir lime leaves / palm sugar / good vanilla extract etc I have to go elsewhere, but I refuse to pay more nowadays when I know I can pay less.

Tesco and Asda feel very dated compared to the new sparkly Aldi store near us!

I really want to like it but I just can't! The things I've tried didn't taste of much and you could tell they were cheap ingredients. The chocolate is the only exception. I can't deal with the speed packing either! I'll be sticking with my M&S/Asda combo!

Thin you have to get used to shopping at aldi if you are brand loyal. I only shop there as it suits me and is near. Plus I’m in Ireland and Tesco is a total rip off here.
Anecdotally a friends dad is an egg farmer for aldi they are super strict for standards and will regularly do unannounced spot checks to ensure the birds are being treated in the correct way.

What is wrong with the porridge? Are the rolled oats too small or what? There are no additives, it weighs a kilo and it's wrapped in paper packaging. Job done, IMO.

The thing is, yes Waitrose (and Booths in the NW where I am) have really high quality stuff (except Waitrose bread, which is crap), but they are really expensive. I find Aldi as good or better quality than Tesco or Asda, but way cheaper than both.

Not fooled, no. It would be spectacularly naïve to believe that Tesco mince and Aldi mince, one priced more than the other, are the same.

It would be spectacularly naive to thing that price always equates to quality and that companies won't charge as much as they can convince ypu to pay. I've bought mince from Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury's etc . No difference except price imo. Waitrose mince is better, but much more expensive and butcher's mince is way better than all the rest and not as expensive as Waitrose!

I have shopped at Aldi for years, starting as a student and then I have found that I hate other supermarkets (including Waitrose). I like to be in and out, I can buy most things I need there (increasingly and if not I go to the Asian supermarket, no need for another big shop) The staff in the one I use regularly are so pleasant, helpful and professional.
However the thing about Aldi is they vary massivley regionally in what they stock. I remember reading they keep costs low using regional supplier for seasonal veg. My local ones have amazing fresh veg and a full range of other products. In my city they have also refurbished most of the older stores and sell gluten free, world food etc. The car park is full of high end cars and certain special buys (such as ski wear) has people waiting before the store opens.

I’ve worked for a few grocers, so can I dispel a few myths....
They don’t all have food from same place
They don’t all apply same standards where they do, eg number of days post pick for life for sale, type of research into meat, payment levels to farmers - oh and the dupe products are often blatantly ripping off new small companies who are more expensive because they’re small and been perfecting their product for ages before aldi, you know ‘botrows’ It
It’s a great format and changed UK retail but it’s not as simple as same stuff new badge

I buy all my fruit and veg from Aldi, also meat. Some of their own brand stuff is fine but I'd never buy their mayonnaise again. That was horrible.

Salad stuff
Veg
Bananas
Cheese
Butter
Cleaning stuff
Chicken
Nuts
Smoked fish
Salmon fillets
All good

I've been once to Aldi and hated it so much I wouldn't go back. The quality was shocking.
So I never bothered with Lidl either.

I go to Iceland and M&S, plus local butcher, deli, baker and greengrocer.

YABU. The quality of (most) things are better than even high end supermarkets. Aldis roast chickens are delicious compared to Waitrose, their deli/hams and cheeses are really tasty. Fruit and Veg is sometimes hit and miss but I've worked out what I like and buy the rest from Asda

Lidl quality is miles better than Asda or Tesco.

YANBU, they're grim. On another thread a poster summed them up pretty well - like wandering into a supermarket in 1980s Eastern Bloc country

I agree with you OP. I have tried Aldi and Lidl. Quality is crap, prices per gram are not that much cheaper than Tesco or Morrison. Range is limited.

YABU. Lidl chocolate orange mince pies they have in just now are absolutely amazing, as is the speuloose cheesecake and pretty much all of the Christmas biscuity things!

Aldi I don’t much like. Lidl is excellent though. I cross between Lidl and Waitrose with a bit of Tesco and M & S thrown in. I was very snobby about Lidl but not anymore. At Christmas they are regularly awarded The Independent and Good Housekeeping awards and their fruit and vegetables regularly outstrip those of M & S.

They don't do home delivery though, who wants to trawl round the supermarket for general cupboard, freezer and fridge stuff when other supermarkets deliver often to your kitchen.

The cocoa mass on the chocs from Aldi and Lidl is very good, very reliable.

And I fucking hate chocolate.

I'm in Ireland and have local Tesco, dunnes, supervalue, Lidl and Aldi. We do our big shopping from lidl and Aldi because we love the quality. The other stores are mainly for cat food and a few other bits.

They all scan things too fast to pack, Tesco particularly, but because there's no where to sidle off to pack nicely often find yourself waiting for someone to pack their stuff up so their system is pretty self-defeating anyway.

I don't get the 'no frills' comments re Lidl and Aldi. I don't get warm and fuzzy feels from Tesco or dunnes. In fact, I feel pissed off when I see gaggles of staff standing around chatting and getting in the way of the shelves. Never seen that in Lidl or Aldi.

And grubby? Both my 2 local Lidl and Aldi are very clean.

If their stuff was poor quality I would shop elsewhere and pay more. But it's not. Quality is generally excellent and that it's also a lot cheaper than Tesco or dunnes is a big bonus.

Of course there are things we've tried but didn't like, but same is true everywhere. But that doesn't necessarily mean poor quality.

Don't get me started on dunnes and supervalue putting their pricing labels on the shelving only to be caught out at the tills finding the price didn't actually apply to the item they were immediately in front of.

Or Tesco scan price coming in more expensive than the price on the shelves.... I can do without having to have scrutinise every item to make sure I'm getting things for the price I expected to pay. That is the perfect recipe for disaffection.

@willstarttomorrow Aldi special buys you can order online but unfortunately Lidl you have to go into the store. I've ended up getting lots of useful bits and pieces from both including children's clothes.

Oh and try Lidl de luxe range. Bloody gorgeous.

M & S? Over priced. And prefer my shop assistants to not obviously chew gum. M & S has a couple of women on the tills that chew gum like cows.

Aldi is fatanstic quality, the prices and great and I come out with less stuff I don’t need that when I go to Asda .