Any real difference between supermarkets?

[Anna B]

Aldi and Lidl often come out top in blind taste tests. This is often reported in comparison tests in newspapers and magazines etc.

I also hate to burst anyone's bubble, but a lot of products, (washing powder for instance,) all come from the same factory. It's simply put into different packaging for different companies, but is exactly the same.

[sandra3dee]

Aldi and Lidl often come out top in blind taste tests. This is often reported in comparison tests in newspapers and magazines etc.

I also hate to burst anyone's bubble, but a lot of products, (washing powder for instance,) all come from the same factory. It's simply put into different packaging for different companies, but is exactly the same.

 

100% CORRECT. It’s a pity some just don’t understand it. Having said that… That’s the Ignorance I use and abuse! The world is full of gullible people that’s a fact! They make me £££££££££ I love stupid people!

[ll49]

Do you find that you cannot buy something nice to have at the weekend from Aldi?

 

 

 

Based on your experience (no problems with Aldi food quality and bill halved) what do you think is really going on in the grocery market?

 

I have since noticed how morrisons freeze fruit and veg and them bring it out as 'fresh'....I even pointed out a pack of fluffy tomatoes to one of the guys filing the shelf and he'd only just put it there.... That is not fresh veg !!!

Edited November 2, 2014 by ll49

[Mecky]

Aldi Bratwursts are great, probably the same ones you can buy from street vendors in Berlin. Never seen an Aldi sell sauerkraut though, at least not in the UK

[CPC464]

I agree that there are sometimes things you need to go to other shops for, just because Aldi don't stock them - but this is getting better gradually.

 

I don't accept that it's not fair to compare them because they don't have customer toilets or a crap cafe or you have to queue a few minutes longer. If you think that makes it worth wasting 1/3rd more on your shopping go ahead, but it doesn't stop them being a 'real supermarket'. Tesco are now finding out that all those extras are not helping them.

[top4718]

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.

 

Where your argument falls down is that the big supermarket chains offered all the services you mention for years and that was before they got incredibly greedy and increased their prices to ridiculous levels, Aldi emerged at the right time and gave them (Tesco especially) a bloody nose, it's good to see their greed may be their undoing.

[cgksheff]

Aldi Bratwursts are great, probably the same ones you can buy from street vendors in Berlin. Never seen an Aldi sell sauerkraut though, at least not in the UK

 

Probably the very same bratwursts sold on fargate 'continental' markets at £5 a pop.

 

I've bought tinned sauerkraut in Aldi. It's not always there, but it definitely has been.

[SavannahP]

Aldi white chocolate (100g) 97p

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

 

Tesco Everyday Value White Chocolate Bar 100G

 

£0.30

 

And tastes just as good as Milky Bar.

[GLASGOWOODS]

Tesco Everyday Value White Chocolate Bar 100G

 

£0.30

 

And tastes just as good as Milky Bar.

 

Hmm!

 

I shall have to go and buy a bar and put it to the test.

[ubermaus]

Aldi and Lidl often come out top in blind taste tests. This is often reported in comparison tests in newspapers and magazines etc.

I also hate to burst anyone's bubble, but a lot of products, (washing powder for instance,) all come from the same factory. It's simply put into different packaging for different companies, but is exactly the same.

 

Toothpaste is a good one. Mcleans whitening at £2.99 from tescos has exactly the same active ingredients as the unknown german brand one from lidl at 59p.

 

Judging by the falling share prices I think people are slowly realising Tesco's are ripping us off and giving farmers / manufacturers / customers a raw deal.

 

The sooner they go out of Business the better.

 

---------- Post added 02-11-2014 at 09:57 ----------

 

Where your argument falls down is that the big supermarket chains offered all the services you mention for years and that was before they got incredibly greedy and increased their prices to ridiculous levels, Aldi emerged at the right time and gave them (Tesco especially) a bloody nose, it's good to see their greed may be their undoing.

 

Yep, it's great to see competition. My only gripe is the supermarkets are so dull and robotic these days. Systematically people are being fired and robots / automation is taking over. In 50 years time I don't think we will have supermarkets like we know it now, it will all be automated.