I don’t understand Waitrose.

[JensonsAcolyte]

I just went to the big Waitrose because they stock gochujang paste. I thought I may as well get a few bits, chicken, cereal, crisps, pasta etc. All the sort of stuff that isn’t dinners but filler food.

£90!

For four bags of shopping.

And it didn’t feel special or posh or magical or anything.

Why do people shop there? Is it actually a snobbery thing? We have a Sainsburys, Tesco and Lidl within a mile or so radius as well.

The only thing it had going for it for me was the aforementioned chilli paste that I couldn’t get in Tesco. But other than the Ingredients range, the other ranges they offer aren’t very wide.

Will anyone admit that they shop there out of snobbery/classism?

Sliced chicken. Cost me £7 for two packs! Seven English pounds

You know you can see the prices before you get to the till, don’t you? 🤔🤣 just buy what you went in for and buy the rest elsewhere 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

If you’re paying less for chicken or meat then there’s a reason why

Usually because it’s injected with water or low welfare

Because it is the only supermarket with a dress code?

@Blueskytoday06

WTH is gojuchang paste ???

A delicious spicy paste from korea.

I regularly shop there for things you can’t buy elsewhere. However I find it’s quite dirty and the staff are always in the way stacking shelves (South Manchester)) Many of The staff are certainly different here with a rather rude attitude and won’t move when they are stacking. I don’t find it any dearer than Tesco.

@Happycat1212

I don’t get it either but we don’t have one anywhere near me so I’ve only ever been in once or twice and it seemed expensive and not that nice

So you’ve only been in once or twice, don’t have one anywhere near you, so have no frame of reference but you’re going to criticise it anyway because Mumsnet.

I’ve gone off Waitrose- their own label food is poor value for money especially the meat.

I like their range of branded foods but it isn’t enough to make me shop there regularly.

@topcat2014

Because it is the only supermarket with a dress code?

What’s the dress code?

@Zoorhik

I regularly shop there for things you can’t buy elsewhere. However I find it’s quite dirty and the staff are always in the way stacking shelves (South Manchester)) Many of The staff are certainly different here with a rather rude attitude and won’t move when they are stacking. I don’t find it any dearer than Tesco.

Wow, I'd complain if this was my local supermarket. Here it's the opposite. Asda is usually quite grimy and the staff have no idea where anything is. Waitrose is bright and clean and the staff are very polite and helpful - they don't even just tell you where something is, they take you to the correct place. And they are brilliant with anyone who needs extra help like mums with small children. I thought that was part of their brand.

We shop at waitrose because it's our closest supermarket and the same walking distance as our local (small) co-op.

I generally get a weekly Tesco delivery for the main/general shopping and then go to (or click and collect) a top up from waitrose.

It's less busy and easier to navigate with a pram than Tesco and I even had a staff member offer to carry my basket round for me when it was precariously balanced on the bassinet part of the pram when DD was tiny!

I can also click and collect John Lewis products there (and return them) which I've found handy during lockdown with a toddler as I can pick up/drop off when getting food there

But DH shops there out of snobbery he wouldn't entertain Aldi or Lidl (so my Aldi special buys are bought online)

Sainsburys is more expensive than Waitrose, depends what you buy. (I did big shops at both online in the lockdowns, got the exact same stuff and compared recipes). It's not snobbery, they do lush food. Calm yourself

I did a shop there recently when our usual (Tesco) didn’t have a slot. The essentials range is more expensive than Tesco’s but all the brands were the same price (so I guess it depends what you buy, we buy a mix of both and it was more but wasn’t too much more)

Nope. It was really terrible quality food. The meat/ fish was also bad.
I shop regularly at Waitrose and have also done a shop at Aldi so I am perfectly aware of the price difference. It was £15.
We also had throw away most of the salad stuff, fruit and veg. It was revolting.
The meat was edible at least but it still wasn’t worth any money saving.

I put my last weekly shop from Asda into the other main shops to compare prices and these were the results:

Asda £51.91
Aldi £50.39
Morrisons £56.83
Tesco £62.12
Waitrose £76.35

I did this because I was wondering if Aldi was as competitive as it used to be which, as I suspected, it isn't anymore. I then checked the others out of nosiness, lol.
I bought 48 items consisting of fruit, veg, cooked meats, bakery, frozen chicken, juice, etc, so it was a reasonable range.

I usually shop at Morrisons as I prefer their meat and fresh fruit and veg, but I've been unable to get there recently so have used Asda home delivery.
I find there are things I prefer from each shop though.
For eg, we prefer Asda's cooked chicken chunks (well, when I say 'we', I mean our dog).
Morrisons also do the best value crispy onions (£1.25/400g).
I like Aldi's bread and organic chicken.

That's a lot. I fill about six bags for less then that.

I couldn't get the exact things for some items, mainly in Waitrose, so picked the closest substitute.

You pay for the wider aisles, partly. I wouldn’t say the food is very superior quality to Tesco.

Over £22 per bag is VU. The fruit & veg stall at my city market is £22 for 4 bags!

A dirty Waitrose with indifferent and poorly trained staff? Outside my experience which is completely the opposite. Complain.

Like all supermarkets I'm afraid the staff and cleanliness vary from place to place, even if they shouldn't. Even the quality of fruit and veg can vary if it comes from local suppliers.
I shop mainly in Waitrose but also buy some stuff in Morrisons and occasionally Aldi or Lidl. We don't have a Sainsbury or Tesco.
I find Waitrose excellent in the main and their offers are fantastic but I find fruit and veg cheaper and often better from our branch of Morrisons. Our Waitrose is quite small but I enjoy shopping in there though prefer the two bigger branches further afield. Generally the staff are lovely and the customer service is excellent, clean trolleys, managed numbers in the shop and an air of calm compared to other supermarkets. I'd hate to live somewhere without one now but I'm sure I'd get used to it - or would I?

@Endofmytether2

I put my last weekly shop from Asda into the other main shops to compare prices and these were the results:

Asda £51.91
Aldi £50.39
Morrisons £56.83
Tesco £62.12
Waitrose £76.35

I did this because I was wondering if Aldi was as competitive as it used to be which, as I suspected, it isn't anymore. I then checked the others out of nosiness, lol.
I bought 48 items consisting of fruit, veg, cooked meats, bakery, frozen chicken, juice, etc, so it was a reasonable range.

But did you buy the essentials range from Waitrose? Same quality as normal range in other supermarkets

I feel the same OP. I occasionally shop there for a change/because I’m passing and am always shocked at how much more it comes to. I don’t even know how because the prices of individual items never seems that ‘out there’ but then I get to the check out and get a shock! Every time!

I shop in Waitrose now-and-again and I really like their food!

It is more expensive than Lidl and Aldi however I really do think the Essentials range is comparable in price to Tesco & Sainsbury’s. I actually find Sainsbury’s more expensive than Waitrose but the food isn’t as nice. M&S is definitely more expensive but you often have £5 off a shop which is nice. Their desserts range is far better than Tesco (in my opinion) and they stock more unusual items such as squid, calamansi and other things which I’ve never seen anywhere else. They do caramelized nuts at Christmas which I absolutely adore. It’s a nicer shopping experience, the staff are well presented and the stores are always nicely kept. I also like the way they stock some John Lewis items in Waitrose too.

I’m definitely not a snob. I shop anywhere and I really love Lidl (their bakery is the best out of any supermarket in the UK, including M&S).

I use Waitrose for convenience top ups and some things that only they seem to sell, but I’m always a bit taken aback at the price at the till. Obv I can see the prices as I go round but I find myself picking up lots of nice unnecessary items as i go round - my choice obviously.

One thing I am annoyed about is that they have pushed their ethical credentials so much, and I believed that until this year when they are one of the few grocers to have kept business rates relief on their waitrose stores despite strong boost in sales as a result of covid. I get it in respect to the John Lewis stores being closed, but Waitrose like most other food supermarkets has had a boom in sales. Yes, their costs have also risen but I think overall profit has gone up too. Personal view, I know everyone likes their ethos, as do I, I know they were legally entitled to it, but I do feel that it undermines their reputation as an ethical business when other businesses have paid back this money.