Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Lidl! Waste of money!

214 replies

dalel · 10/09/2022 19:38

So am I being unreasonable?

Tried Lidl for the first time Wednesday, it's now Saturday and I have already had to throw 2 lots of fruit and salad stuff out!
What a waste of money.

Is this what Lidl is like? Seriously thought it would last longer than 2 days!

OP posts:
CallMeLinda · 10/09/2022 19:40

I've never found lidl or Aldi particularly good for shopping. But most fruit/salad stuff doesn't last long wherever I buy it from so I don't think it's just Lidl.

bruffin · 10/09/2022 19:40

Yes, this is what Lidls is like, i have tried several all over the south of england and they are all the same. The bakery is crap as well, nasty greasy pastries. It cheap because they dont have much choice so you cant buy too much.

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 10/09/2022 19:41

Fresh produce from either of them never lasts .
One of various reasons I've stopped shopping with them.

RudsyFarmer · 10/09/2022 19:43

Now they are no longer cheap that’s unacceptable.

DmitriMendeleev · 10/09/2022 19:43

I am usually alone in my dislike of lidl and aldi. I think the produce is of a poor quality in general. Fresh stuff doesn't last long, yogurts are sour and things like the crisps have less flavour to them.

SpinningFloppa · 10/09/2022 19:44

I never got the hype over Lidl and Aldi they are nothing special imo

INeverSawAPurpleCow · 10/09/2022 19:46

they do good cheese and cold meat

Whatwouldscullydo · 10/09/2022 19:46

That's about the size of it. A few hidden gems but alot is such a false economy. Quality is awful.

SpinningFloppa · 10/09/2022 19:46

Don’t get the love for their nappies/wipes either, they are nothing special and don’t deliver so 2 buses from me I wouldn’t be saving much when I could just get a delivery of nappies/wipes from tescos which are just as good.

lobsterkiller · 10/09/2022 19:46

I go in for the chocolate, isle of shite. The fresh food doesn't last at all.

melissasummerfield · 10/09/2022 19:47

I completely agree, and there is barely any price difference with the normal supermarkets so I really don’t know why people rave about both Aldi and Lidl.

lanbro · 10/09/2022 19:48

I tend to use tesco now, they price match to loads of aldi products, but plenty more choice and can do my whole shop there, and good deals for clubcard.

I do use Aldi for my shop, but we use everything very quickly so it doesn't matter too much that it doesn't keep long. I just can't get on-board with Lidl, our local one is often completely out of things like minced beef, and their range is even more limited than Aldi.

drpet49 · 10/09/2022 19:49

DmitriMendeleev · 10/09/2022 19:43

I am usually alone in my dislike of lidl and aldi. I think the produce is of a poor quality in general. Fresh stuff doesn't last long, yogurts are sour and things like the crisps have less flavour to them.

This.

Floydthebarber · 10/09/2022 19:53

Yeah, I go in a couple of times a month and if I do pick up fresh fruit or veg it is because I know it will be used in a couple of days, otherwise it is wasted. Apart from a punnet of strawberries I bought last week that were really tasty and lasted a week. Spooky.

AYearOfCushions · 10/09/2022 19:54

I shop in Aldi but I get all my salad stuff from M&S! It really is so much better and lasts for ages.
Even an opened bag of iceberg lettuce (lazy I know) was still good after 5 days recently.

Arenanewbie · 10/09/2022 19:54

yes, it’s true, I buy fruits and vegs from them but for today and tomorrow, never much in advance. Apples and pears are usually fine, potatoes as well but carrot and tomatoes go bad very quickly . I can’t do my whole shop in Lidl or Aldi, it’s just bits and pieces.

amylou8 · 10/09/2022 19:54

On the odd occasion I use them I don't find them any cheaper. I use asdas mainly simply because it's easier to park.

megletthesecond · 10/09/2022 19:56

Yes. Their fresh isn't good.
I go for toilet roll, pasta, some biscuits and crisps (the dc's won't eat most of them) and dishwasher tabs.

AgnestaVipers · 10/09/2022 19:56

Don't find this at all. We get all of our fruit and veg from there and it is mostly absolutely fine. In fact, I think Tesco has worse quality fresh stuff.

blackcatsareawesome · 10/09/2022 19:57

Lidl is good for some things but the fruit and veg does not last long. I like 30 seconds from a Lidl but I still get fresh food elsewhere.

maskersanonymous · 10/09/2022 19:59

Their organic carrots are just shocking, slimy and bendy within a day sometimes and test odd too. I find it rather hit and miss with all the other fruit and veg, sometimes it lasts... but mostly it doesn't!

Antarcticant · 10/09/2022 20:02

I bought some broccoli there last Easter, and it was rank. Also never had apples from there that weren't full of brown bits. It's great for meat and deli products but not fruit and veg IMO. Frozen from Iceland is a good budget option for veg especially if you can take advantage of their senior citizen offer (not me, but DH can).

jays · 10/09/2022 20:03

Now you mention it the veg I’ve bought from lidl has gone off very quickly. I also, and I never do this, threw 2 punnets of baby plum tomatoes out the other week, not because they were off, they were watery and horrible. I’ve only thrown tomatoes out in the past if they've been mouldy or burst and squishy. I had living lettuce and that went brown and gungy within a day and it had a good date. I don’t know… but I have my eye on it now.

TomorrowIsAnotherDay2022 · 10/09/2022 20:04

Lidl and Aldi are very good for some things but not others. On the whole it depends what your family eats. Shopping around is how I navigate the cost of living.

Things I specifically go there for (and see savings on):
Alcohol
Nuts and seeds
Tinned food
Dried pasta and pasta sauces
Meat and fish
Yoghurts and cheeses
Bakery

Things I avoid buying from them:
Fresh fruit and veg
Toilet rolls

MikeWozniaksMoustache · 10/09/2022 20:05

But most fruit/salad stuff doesn't last long wherever I buy it from so I don't think it's just Lidl.
100% agree. Most of the big supermarket's fruit is shocking. I make a trip to a small market now that's near my house on a Thursday. Much better quality.

I did a £50 shop at Lidl on Saturday and it's lasted the whole week bar milk / bread top up's. I can't afford to be picky tbh.