To say Lidl and Aldi are not cheaper or better quality than other supermarkets?

[WeetabixTowels]

A Lidl has opened near me and so many people have said how good it is and how much cheaper it is to shop there. So I thought I’d give it a go.

I meal plan over 2 weeks and we generally eat the same things. So I went with my usual list - and spent £20 more than I do in Asda!

This was yesterday, and we ate chicken last night which was very gristly and then today I made the kids bacon sandwiches for breakfast - I had to bin the bacon as it was so fatty and shrivelled and grey it was revolting.

Comparing my receipt, I saw that

• The only things that were cheaper than Asda were bakery items and biscuits/treats - but I don’t tend to buy a lot of either so made no massive difference
• Fruit and veg were more expensive in Lidl
• Meats were a little more expensive in Lidl
• Frozen stuff was a lot more expensive and smaller quantities too so it won’t all last as long. We always have a movie and pizza night on Saturdays and I spent £3 per pizza whereas in Asda I can easily find them for £1.50 or cheaper
• Cupboard things like olives are more expensive in Lidl
• Toilet roll is cheaper in Lidl but honestly I wouldn’t buy it again, it’s like wiping my arse with a cheese grater

Now I will say that I bought 2 things I can’t get in Asda that were to die for and I would 100% make a trip to Lidl again for these - pickled garlic cloves and the Towergate digestives 🤤 amazing!

But have I done something wrong? I have officially failed at Lidl and I have no idea why 😂 was chatting to my cousin about this last night and she said the same happened in Aldi to her!

When you say M&S and Waitrose are on a par, do you actually mean budget wise, as they cost a fortune compared to anywhere else?

Yanbu

I ventured to Aldi last weekend in a bid to reduce my food spend. Spent about 20 quid more than I would at asds, and still had to go to asda for stuff I couldn't get. Also agree poorer quality. Which when they were charging pennies, was passable. But not now.
The only thing I will go for is nappies as they are the best non branded. But that's it, and tbh I'd rather spend the extra 3 quid on pampers and not have to deal with the chaos that is Aldi 🤣

M&S and Waitrose own brand stuff is incredibly competitive price wise. They just stock more "upmarket" things than some other supermarkets.
Tins and dried goods are so cheap in both!

Went to lidyl the other day and felt the same , the prices weren’t much different and as other posters have said the fruit never lasts,the toilet roll is cheap but is thin and is a false economy. I get asda delivery’s as they usually do next day slots but their fruit doesn’t last long either. If I actually go out to the shops I prefer Sainsbury’s their food is nicer and they do have decent offers. I also like to look in the clothes section as they’re clothes aren’t bad and often have good sales on.

My main shop is Sainsbury's, I've had a delivery pass for years and it is also the most convenient for popping into on my way home from work.

I am, however, a 'supermarket whore'. I prefer Aldi over Lidl and there are a few things we specifically get from Aldi. I will use Farmfoods, Iceland, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons , Home Bargains and even Ocado. The latter does incredibly good deals and if you aren't buying Quail eggs and suchlike it can be a perfectly reasonable shop.

The vast majority of my shop is branded, which is why I shop all over. I'm not particularly time rich but I can go to the majority of shops on my way home from work (albeit going slightly out of my way to do so)

I sometimes do a dummy shop and put my weekly shop into Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco online and it’s always cheaper in Aldi.

I used to buy a lot of branded stuff but have switched to the Aldi version of nearly everything now, washing up liquid, hand soap, shampoo, cleaning spray, beans, pickle, tuna, toilet roll, soup. The only thing I have to buy branded is Heinz ketchup and Almond Breeze Almond milk. I really wish I liked the Aldi almond milk.

I think the fruit and veg is fine. I usually only buy enough fresh stuff for a few days and then go back for a top up midweek.

I’ll admit it’s not as well presented as somewhere like M&S but Aldi is the cheapest for us. Maybe the quality isn’t quite as good but it’s not that different that I’d be willing to pay 20p-£2 more per item. A blueberry is a blueberry at the end of the day and they both taste the same on my porridge in the morning.

Genuinely curious to see how people are saying M&S could be cheaper 👀

I was a lifelong Waitrose shopper until I recently started trying Tescos, and have now been shopping in Lidl for three weeks.

I'm seriously impressed - their cereals, dishwasher tabs, cold meats and hummus are better than Waitrose IMO, and their fruit and veg, bread and cheese are almost as good.

Things not so good or just not available are pesto, anchovies, chorizo, breadsticks and coffee pods.

But the cost savings!! I used to spend about £130 in Waitrose and about £110 in Tesco's. In Lidl it's never more than about £75. It's a no brainier to me.

When you say M&S and Waitrose are on a par, do you actually mean budget wise, as they cost a fortune compared to anywhere else?

Have you seen the M&S value range - I think they might call it Remarksable? Chicken, eggs, bananas, broccoli, sardines in olive oil - basic stuff like that but good quality, at very good prices. It's worth checking out.