Lidl - does anyone actually shop there?

[lisalisa]

In the interest of saving money I decided to do my weekly shop at Lidl last week instead of Tesco. Now at Tesco I do amix of own brands and named brands so was expecting a nice big fat surprise at Lidl when it came to the checkout.

first off I found their fruit ( apart from the nectarines) terrible - limited choice and old looking fruit - what lettuce there was looked limp and filthy - covered in soil. Passed on veg.

came to staples like washing up liquid and toilet rolls. Was schocked to see no cheaper than tesco - in fact dearer . Tesco value brand is £1.11 for 12 toilet rolls - in Lidl I couldn't see any 12 packs fo rless than £3. Very limited range of cleaning products and all weird makes and all more expensive than Tesco. Ditto the shampoo etc range.

In fact the only cheap thing I found there was welly boots for £3.99 for dds.

Does anyone actualy shop reguaraly at Lidl?

Sounds like your local branch is a dodgy one. I go to Lidl every couple of weeks and find I usually save £20 to £30 on my Tesco shop and the quality is always very good.

I tried Lidl, also in an attempt to save some money. I never went back as I found it the same as you have. Branded goods weren't much cheaper than Tesco, produce selection was very poor and limited to absolute basics (no leeks or red onions or sweet potato for example) and I didn't recognise any of the brands for household stuff and it all looked crap. I don't think my bill was any less than if I'd have shopped in Tesco.

I put it down to it being just a crappy store because I've seen loads of MNers raving about how good it is in there.

Thats because they don't stock branded goods.

Ours is great - they have sweet potatoes and aubergines and growing herbs and all sorts. And very cheap brandy.

But all our cleaning products come from the local healthfood place - they refill Ecover bottles for us - and are very cheap.

They had some branded goods when I went, not much though. I know I got cartons of Ribena and I think Fox's biscuits or something.

I would say that the produce I bought was good quality. Huge quantities for the price too, but there wasn't a good enough selection to do a weekly shop there. If I were more organised I would do a mid-week shop there for basics.

i shop half at lidl and half at tescos as do my parents. that's how you really save money... it takes a few weeks to get it perfect but when you do there's a huge saving.

surprised the veg was bad... aldi's is usually terrible but lidl over here are very good and do a far better selection of less usual things than tesco ever do.

Lidl's veg is great in my store, quality and range wise. There are a few UK brands in there but not many, a lot of Lidl's own brand are very very good actually, things like yogurts, cereal, ham etc and remember they might not have brands you know, but in Germany where they are from, they probably are!

Only thing I haven't bought there is meat, and that's just by chance, not deliberate.

I go to Lidl for selected things - nappies are very cheap and they're good quality. You get some good bargains if you keep your eyes open. But I also shop at Tesco or Sainsbury's, depending on what I need.

I do most of my shopping at Lidls and the fruit and veg there is fantastic quality (though it's often a bit hit and miss as to what's there). Meat is also v. high quality and cheap; tinned goods and cereals are great value too. Flour, eggs, milk, cheese etc are generally around the same price (though mozzarella cheese is very good value).

Some necessities they don't have (annoyingly) - so I can buy my bread flour but they don't sell yeast. So I make a special trip to the co-op for that!

I do think it varies from store to store. We don't buy any branded products though so that helps.

I don't put a foot in Tescos if I can help it - I think they are moneygrabbing, unethical and community-destroying. FWIW.

Our local Lidl is great, bought some nice onions and potatoes today and I absolutely love their tortellini - have always got a pack or two in the fridge for quick meal. The meat is nice too and I like the interesting brands.

Oh yes, the tortellini. And the salamis.

Lisa had exactly the same experience and hot-footed it back to Tesco with my tail between my legs. Dont know if it is a new credit crunch type thing but inmy experience you cannot beat Tesco for cheapness - but they also have the other stuff eg organic etc which Lidl dont if you want that.

I was doing a catered event so was doing a mixture of cheap as possible for that plus doing my own noraml, branded shopping at the same time. Lidl was definitely slightly more expensive on the cheap or value type ranges. And, as you say, crap selection of weird toiletries etc.

Was not impressed. My first and lst visit I think.

REWIND REWIND REWIND! sorry have just realised I went to Aldi, which was crap, not Lidl - sorry ,sorry, will reserve judgement on Lidal til have actually been ....

Hmmmmm - most experiences seem to be similar then - Lidl is not ideal for weekly shop as a bit hit and miss and not all products there but generally high in quality. Maybe my local Lidl was on an off day.......

Also however found the tinned stuff v disappointing. Tesco value tinned toms are about 13pish but in Lidl couldn't find cheaper than 19p - silly to count pennies I know but also tuna and sardines didn't seem cheaper.

On the whole I be there isn't all that much difference to doing a tesco value shop and for basics and tinned stuff i bet tesco is better!

matback... was about to protest that actually lidl does do some organic stuff and fairtrade stuff

yes, and it's great
I don't buy brands, though, and never have (I am not really a label queen )
the only stuff I have found to be crapola is some of the cereal esp goodyrice
I tend to buy veg in the market tbh

Ours can be a bit variable TBH. But generally I have no problem with the quality but there is some lack of variety but that makes shopping quicker! Meat not great but I get that elsewhere.

Queues can be a pita.

I use Aldi as a corner shop.

my 2 love the goodyrice

tried their bran flakes and fruit and fibre though and they tasted like cardboard, horrible. and the pestos not nice (aldi one is lovely though)

ooh their muesli is fab though!!

and their oat cereal, the mr. crumble stuff.

they didn't have it for months and i went into withdrawel... they got it back a couple of weeks ago in shiny new packaging though

Our Lidl is fab, great veg, including organic and fairtrade and fab prices. Their tomatoes taste and smell real. Avacados for 24p, herbs that stay alive way longer then Sainsbos. Kindney beans for 15p a tin. How could you not save money??? I do buy my meat in Waitrose though.

PS next week, starting Monday Lidl special offer. Simple facial wipes for 1.99