To think Waitrose is a rip off?

[RoxyMoosic]

I do often pop into my local Waitrose, namely because it is the closest supermarket to my house, and on my route home from work. However I don’t really see what it’s selling point is.

I tend to buy branded things, and these are almost always more expensive than the usual supermarkets, unless on offer which admittedly does make it worth a visit.

My local Waitrose is a former Somerfield, so it’s a convenience store layout trying to be a full blown supermarket. The aisles are too narrow, and it’s full of mums with big buggies and elderly people dawdling with trollies.

Theres almost always a queue at the checkout, again because there’s not enough room for a proper sized self checkout area.

The fresh produce and own brand items don’t seem to be noticeably nicer than say Sainsburys, whereas M&S is most certainly a cut above the regular supermarket.

If I want nice or ‘posh’ my go-to is M&S. I just don’t see why it seems to be so revered as the epitome of middle-classness. Seems to be a rip-off to me.

Try the Waitrose own brand stuff. It is really good quality and a big saving on brands.

It is much more relaxing in my local Waitrose compared with our local Lidl (always horrendous queues), Tesco or Morrisons.

We don't have a Morrisons, but there's one a few miles away in a town where I sometimes have work appointments, so I occasionally pop in there if I just need milk or something.

It's utter mayhem. I can never find the stuff I want, and there never seems to be any staff to ask, it has horrible narrow aisles and they're always cluttered with stuff waiting to be shelved, the fish counter really stinks, as though the fish is almost off and it's generally just an awful experience.

I've started going a longer way home, which takes me past a Sainsburys and a Lidl. How busy Lidl is varies tremendously, but I have a bit of an addiction to their pecan pastries, which are worth queueing up for.

I think you answered the question in your first para!

I love Waitrose. It's too expensive for me to do a full weeks shopping but I sometimes go for treats and I know when they start yellow stickering items.

Sainsburys stock ortiz tuna.

I'd like a Waitrose but live in Ireland.
Some years back there was talk of John Lewis coming but it never happened. ☹️

'Fun sponge' 😂

"Miserable cow on the checkout", what a cheek you have describing anyone that way!! Disgusting.

Old people don't dawdle, how derogatory.

I'm old and I dawdle and I'm not easily offended by opinions on MN.

I like Waitrose and find it a good shopping experience, I buy treats, some fruit, veg and meat, but rarely have a full trolley as I buy my main shop online from Tesco. I also use M&S similarly to Waitrose. Shopping in store in places like Tesco and Asda isn't a good experience, hence the online shop.

I love Waitrose.

I get all of my fruit, veg, fish and meat in there. The quality of the above IMO, is far superior to anywhere else.

stupid to buy branded items Waitrose because they are usually more expensive than the other supermarkets.

I buy a lot of their essentials range, which is excellent - highly recommend their essentials Brie! Their essentials washing powder is also good.

i also like the ambience of my local Waitrose. It is a far calmer shopping experience with helpful staff. It is the only supermarket that does not stress me out! Aldi , Lidl. I find too chaotic and hate the way they throw items so fast at you at the checkout.

if you don't like Waitrose op, then shop elsewhere it isn't mandatory to shop there!

What? Since when! I’ll have to check this out now as Waitrose pricing is a little OTT considering local Spanish prices for it although Ocado is worse and Whole Foods extortionate!

Waitrose own brand products are such good quality and really excellent prices. Fruit, veg and meat are absolutely a cut above and prices on a par with Tesco etc. it’s Sainsbury’s I find bafflingly spendy. The one near me is massive and I lose the will to live half way round.

Free coffee is a lovely treat at the end too. The next day John Lewis pick up at Waitrose had been a lifesaver on a few occasions. Big fan of the one near me.

If you use a supermarket price comparison site like trolley regularly you'll quickly realise that all the supermarkets spot price and are constantly putting things on offer, taking them off or choosing certain items to be 10p cheaper than all the other supermarkets that day/week.

So waitrose might tend to be more expensive if you do a big shop there for everything, but if you mix and match between different supermarkets, it makes v little difference.

And actually if you keep an eye on these things, Sainsbury's is the one that tends to be more expensive, most of the time, and Morrisons is often up there too.

Im quite lucky as i live close to a morrisons, tesco and waitrose so I effectively play them off against each other.

The selling point of Waitrose is that you can tell people you shop there, bonus points for doing it both online and in person.

I am a big fan of a proper sized Waitrose but the Little Waitroses tend to be pretty underwhelming. They don't get the stock quite right and what they do have is on the expensive side.

I'll pay out for Christmas food. I do a Christmas theatre break to London and buy bits from Fortnum and mason etc. I've bought stuff from Waitrose and been disappointed. Their stuff doesn't come out near the top in taste tasts either (so it isn't just me). M&S, independent shops/bakers/butchers and Aldi are my Christmas go to. Although Aldi hasn't had the range of chocolate it had a few years ago. Their seeded bake at home mini rolls etc for Christmas light bites/buffets are the best out there.

I love Waitrose - I’ve shopped there for years . I tend to mix and match shops between that and Aldi . I never buy branded stuff from Waitrose , their own brand is great and staff are always friendly and helpful and I don’t get my shopping thrown at me like in Aldi

I'm from an area which doesn't have many Waitrose stores-sob!
I used to live near one when I was a poor 22 year old and bought a few things from there. The essentials range- and the quality- is very good. I like it.
These days the prices are similar to or even less than Co-op and Sainsburys.

If you are in the north try Booths for a treat, it's bloody lovely :)
Or just go to Lidl!

Is it?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation about shopping in Waitrose with anyone IRL.

It’s just MN that seems obsessed with it.

A bit like saying people are embarrassing, then.

Nope!

Yes they can be pricier for some things, but I once compared online prices with Tesco by putting identical things in each cart and there wasn't much difference. It's more expensive for meat, for sure, but I'm more reassured that the welfare standards will be higher, too. Also, many of Waitrose's own brand ice creams have almost no unnatural additives.

My only gripe with Waitrose is their shocking abuse of the yellow sticker. 15p off a loaf of bread doesn’t not warrant a fanfare.