Supermarket war

[Lagomtransplant]

I just got my second vaccine and my DH had his ages ago (he's got a diagnosis which made him extremely vulnerable without the vaccine, but his blood results show he responded extremely well to the vaccine, so GP is happy for us to go back to normal. We're still waiting for his consultant to chime in on this before proceeding, just in case).

Anyway, before covid, we were in constant negotiations about which supermarket to use. He prefers those like M&S, always lamenting the lack of Waitrose in our area. We did eventually settle on Sainsbury's when shopping together.

I grew up in Sweden and Lidl was our go-to supermarket for the weekly shop, and it still is for me. Most people there do it, regardless of income (my DF works for port authority, DM is a teacher, we were OK financially, but prudence was always considered a virtue). DH has this weird attitude where shopping in Lidl is something a bit embarrassing, even though he was happy to shop there when we visited. The visits there even got him from an absolute refusal to step a foot in there to an occasional visitor.

Now we're going back to normal, I want to cancel our Sainsbury's deliveries and go back to Lidl. His argument is that COVID showed we should enjoy what we have. Financially, it's not really a huge problem, but I must admit I would be happier to see the money difference in the savings account. If anything, for me COVID emphasised the importance of the rainy day pot.

So, mumsnet, please advise!

@bigbluebus

I always do my main shopping in Lidl and my DH is a CEO. I quite often see the wives of local GPs in there and other people who I know have plenty of money. We don't have a Waitrose in town but do have Sainsburys. I pop in there to get anything I can't get in Lidl but see little point in paying more for the same products I can get in Lidl.

Do only men have Big Jobs in your area?

Said it before....doesn't matter where you shop,they all sell the same stuff,it's your .money,& you only borrow food

If you eat meat and fish and can afford to buy it it M and S then its a no brainer for me. I dislike Lidl meat. I would also buy M and S fruit and salad. Lidl for vegetables and staples. Why can’t you mix and match? Neither is a store where I’d want to do all my shopping. Everything from M and S would be very expensive. But I really wouldn’t want to be limited only to Lidl.

I shop at Lidl, despite Tesco/M&S being right next to it. I notice no difference in food quality but it is obviously cheaper. I hate food shopping, but can do a full shop, in and out in 20 minutes in my local Lidl!

We mix and match - I prefer Aldi, DH like Lidl and we both like Sainsbury’s and M&S. The Brits are quite funny about supermarkets, there’s a definite snobbery attached to them.

This is very simple. Whoever is doing the shopping that day decides where to shop.

I used to live next door to a Lidl but got bored of it very quickly so used to drive a couple of miles to Aldi or Tesco. Sometimes Sainsbury's but I find them almost as lacking as Lidl. At least this one, it was a small one. Sainsbury's overcharge on so many things by quite a large amount compared to other supermarkets which annoyed me rather a lot. Lidl is basic and cheap but I could never get a full shop there so would have to go somewhere else anyway

Get the best bits from both supermarkets?

Another option is to split the shop into what actually is different. We find meat and produce quality to vary dramatically, but other products are obviously identical.

I agree with your DH. I can't bear Lidl. Sainsbury's is surely a good compromise for you both?

Although clearly you don't want a compromise, you want to do what you want.

I hate Lidl so I can see where he’s coming from. I shop at Aldi for around 3/4 of our food, the rest comes from M&S or Waitrose. Savings are important but food is the last thing I’d cut to create them.

If you eat meat and fish and can afford to buy it it M and S then its a no brainer for me. I dislike Lidl meat. I would also buy M and S fruit and salad

Lidl meat is excellent quality and M&S are notorious for short dates on everything.

I honestly don’t get why someone would pay, say £20 for a leg of UK lamb in M&S that you can get for £12 in Lidl. Same country of origin, same welfare standards.

Lidl in store bakery is also one of the best, closely followed by Morrisons. Our nearest Lidl is bang next door to a Waitrose, cracking planning - snobs to the left, savvy to the right 😂

@Blossomtoes that's his argument too.

For branded things, Lidl isn't generally good value.

Why do you have to shop together? You can go to Lidl and he can go to Waitrose if he wants.

We used to use Lidl when we had very little money but changed to Sainsbury's. I don't want to go for food shopping so we have deliveries. We save money by using deliveries because no impulse buying.

Yabu to be so bloody precious.
You want to shop piddle (Lidl) he doesn’t.

[quote Lagomtransplant]@EvenRosesHaveThorns

"The poster was making the point that snobbery is stupid, not his IQ!"

"He is being stupid AND a snob"

I am sorry, but I disagree![/quote]
Well that's how you presented him. It's hardly surprising if people pick up on that.

We shop mostly in Sainsburys. I’m not massively keen on Lidl because I can’t get everything I want. They do a couple of bits I like but I definitely wouldn’t buy a basketful from there. We get meat from the butcher, most fruit & veg from a local green grocer and anything else comes from either M&S or Asda, depending on what it is. I find M&S a bit hit and miss (it’s either the most delicious thing ever, or pretty ropey) and I’m not massively impressed with Waitrose either. Asda is fine for the basics, but I don’t find it all that much cheaper than Sainsbury’s.

I think it depends on who’s doing the shopping. If you’re doing it, then Lidl’s. If he wants Sainsbury’s, let him make his list and crack on.

Why can't you alternate?

@BlackForestCake

We live together, shop together, cook together and eat together. We have our different opinions, but I won't split everything apart simply because we have different opinions on supermarkets.

As I said before, this is mostly about trying to understand the mindset.

Why not do a weekly or fortnightly shop at his preferred place, and top up shops (for milk, bread, etc) at Lidl? You'd save some money and you both get what you want.

He is a blatant snob though!

[quote Lagomtransplant]@BlackForestCake

We live together, shop together, cook together and eat together. We have our different opinions, but I won't split everything apart simply because we have different opinions on supermarkets.

As I said before, this is mostly about trying to understand the mindset.[/quote]
Oh for gods sake “understand the mindset”. He prefers Sainsbury’s, you prefer Lidl. You don’t need to analyse mindsets. I think you just want to be told that you are right and of course everyone should shop only at Lidl.

The mindset? He prefers one supermarket, you prefer another. It’s really not that complicated

He prefers those like M&S, always lamenting the lack of Waitrose in our area. We did eventually settle on Sainsbury's when shopping together.

DH has this weird attitude where shopping in Lidl is something a bit embarrassing, even though he was happy to shop there when we visited.

Clearly his ‘mindset’ is that Lidl is for poor little common people and he’s way above that. Plenty of people have given sensible reasons for preferring other supermarkets e.g. more choice, they want delivery, they didn’t like some of the food. As others have suggested your husband is simply a raging snob - make of that what you will.