Any real difference between supermarkets?

[chem1st]

Asda and Tescos, both cheapish, but poor quality produce. Basic range, really basic.

Morrisons, bit more expensive, prices are ok, really good quality. Basic range ok.

Sainsbury's, good quality, but very expensive for most things. Basic range ok.

NETTO - RIP, was the best.

Lidl, quality ok, prices ok.

Aldi, quality ok, but fruit and veg doesn't last long at all. Prices ok.

COOP - quality ok, prices ridiculous

Waitrose - I don't know, no stores nearby.

Jack Fultons - Cheap and cheerful, quality ok

Iceland - Cheap and cheerful, quality ok.

[Bonzo77]

They're all as bad as each other. Anywhere that's involved in the international food trade should be avoided at all costs. Problem is, they've got to the point where they're unbeatable on price.

 

Local produce should be our main staple.

[GLASGOWOODS]

Aldi white chocolate (100g) 97p

Tesco Milky Bar (100g) just under £2. Aldi chocolate tastes just as good.

 

Aldi 2Kilo chicken £4.75

Tesco 2 Kilo chicken between £6-£8. Aldi chicken tastier and not pumped to oblivion with salt water.

[ECCOnoob]

Exactly, the big supermarkets have had their way in being a cartel for too long, what with squeezing the farmers and ripping off the public. Now that Liddys and Aldi's are here, we can see just how much we have been ripped off over the years. L & A do it better and without compromising quality. Trust the Germans to show the way for quality, just like their cars!

 

All well and good but there are some other factors to think about. The big stores spend millions on their buildings and environment, they provide toilets, cafes, cash machines, pharmacies, deli counters, in store bakery, cake shops, butcher and fishmonger counters.

 

They provide staff on the shop floor more than 4 at a time. Waitrose and M&S up until recently used to offer bag packing at the till. They offer home delivery services, clothing and household ranges (in stock for more than a few days).

 

They open 24 hours which, as far as I know Aldi doesnt.

 

That all costs money. Us customers want it. Us customers have demanded it. Where do we think it gets paid from?

 

Also, lets not forget that both Aldi and Lidl have done very nicely out of blatently ripping off establish brands. Just take a look at some of there products next time you wander around. Look familiar?

 

They have clearly copied the branding, colour, idents/logos and even characters on their boxes and packets. That's branding that the big boys have spent years of time and millions of pounds to develop, that's a huge saving.

 

Maybe if the discount retailers did their own budget version of marketing they would not have the success they do. "ALDI WHITE CHOCOLATE" written on a plain white packet might not look so attractive.

Edited November 1, 2014 by ECCOnoob

[tinfoilhat]

I like aldi but let's be honest they aren't a tiny operation. They have 9000 stores over 18 countries with revenue of €53 billion. They do very cheap ketchup.

 

I've noticed morrisons trying to go the aldi way in so much as they are reducing choice a bit. For example rather than have say 10 flavours of something it's now, in some lines down to 5.

[GLASGOWOODS]

All well and good but there are some other factors to think about. The big stores spend millions on their buildings and environment, they provide toilets, cafes, cash machines, pharmacies, deli counters, in store bakery, cake shops, butcher and fishmonger counters.

 

They provide staff on the shop floor more than 4 at a time. Waitrose and M&S up until recently used to offer bag packing at the till. They offer home delivery services, clothing and household ranges (in stock for more than a few days).

 

They open 24 hours which, as far as I know Aldi doesnt.

 

That all costs money. Us customers want it. Us customers have demanded it. Where do we think it gets paid from?

 

Also, lets not forget that both Aldi and Lidl have done very nicely out of blatently ripping off establish brands. Just take a look at some of there products next time you wander around. Look familiar?

 

They have clearly copied the branding, colour, idents/logos and even characters on their boxes and packets. That's branding that the big boys have spent years of time and millions of pounds to develop, that's a huge saving.

 

Maybe if the discount retailers did their own budget version of marketing they would not have the success they do. "ALDI WHITE CHOCOLATE" written on a plain white packet might not look so attractive.

 

Haha!

 

So what if Aldi and Lidl have similar packaging to the big boys. It's quality and price that counts, and they deliver it without trying to deceive their customers like Tesco, Sainsbury etc: do week in week out.

[ECCOnoob]

Haha!

 

So what if Aldi and Lidl have similar packaging to the big boys. It's quality and price that counts, and they deliver it without trying to deceive their customers like Tesco, Sainsbury etc: do week in week out.

 

I really think you are missing the point.

 

I dont consider that the big 4 are deceiving their customers at all. They offer far far more than the discount retailers and that costs money.

 

Not everything in Aldi and Lidl is excellent value. Not everything in Aldi and Lidl is the cheapest around. I also know lots of people who love Aldi and Lidl but still find themselves going to the big 4 to get "...a few bits...." because the product range is simply not big enough.

 

You dismiss the packaging thing as if its not relevant but I ask again. Would their products be as desirable if say Aldi did everything in plain white unmarked packets - after all the quality and price would be the same right? Surely if that's the case, why on earth do they go to such lengths to look the same (in fact almost identical) as the branded stuff?

 

Just like Poundland, 99p Stores, Job Lot and the many many others = they have a good business model and good marketing. They know their targets and know how to make "good value" look just like that.

 

Its a good thing that we have some competition out there. But I do not consider them like for like. Neither offer the same service as any of the big 4 and until they do, they cannot really be considered a proper supermarket.

Edited November 1, 2014 by ECCOnoob

[poppet2]

All well and good but there are some other factors to think about. The big stores spend millions on their buildings and environment, they provide toilets, cafes, cash machines, pharmacies, deli counters, in store bakery, cake shops, butcher and fishmonger counters.

 

They provide staff on the shop floor more than 4 at a time. Waitrose and M&S up until recently used to offer bag packing at the till. They offer home delivery services, clothing and household ranges (in stock for more than a few days).

 

They open 24 hours which, as far as I know Aldi doesnt.

 

That all costs money. Us customers want it. Us customers have demanded it. Where do we think it gets paid from?

.

 

Er, these services ultimately put more of our money in The big supermarkets own purse. That's why they provide these services. They hardly do it out of the the kindness of their heart. It's all about once in, how to keep us in, and that means doing all our shopping under their roof whether it be electrical goods, clothes or pharmacies.

Note you never see a clock in a supermarket!

[Vaati]

There is a clock in the morrisons at hillsborough.

[sandra3dee]

All I would say is >> Go shop at Aldi & Lidl. The difference you will see is how much ££££ better you will be for the same thing!