ALDI & LIDL Food and Drink Worth Trying?
Discussion
hyphen said:
How has it changed?
.
Loads, it used to offers stuff you wouldn't get in the other supermarkets,meats,cheese , goods, nothing fancy just cheap quality foods. When i went to Germany, the Lidl there, that is how it used to be, had some amazing sparkling wine, cheap as chips. Now it is full of middle class delights, that you get elsewhere and not much cheaper..
It just feels like what made it successful, after the last recession,has been lost and becoming like the other supermarkets.
desolate said:
bingybongy said:
Six Figs said:
I preferred the old Aldi/lidl it is getting way too middle class, they had a niche it worked well.
Had the full Canada Goose on, looking very smug with his 26 quid trolley full.
The only problem with Aldi is you need a quid for the trolleys. I normally dump all my change in the pot so 9 times out of ten I end up with two baskets and arms like a gibbon.
dazco said:
desolate said:
bingybongy said:
Six Figs said:
I preferred the old Aldi/lidl it is getting way too middle class, they had a niche it worked well.
Had the full Canada Goose on, looking very smug with his 26 quid trolley full.
The only problem with Aldi is you need a quid for the trolleys. I normally dump all my change in the pot so 9 times out of ten I end up with two baskets and arms like a gibbon.
Tomahawk steaks? Nope.
Treacle Bacon? About 3 packets. Bought them, cooked them, ate them, went back for more. Zippo.
Arms like a Gibbon? No trace at all - looked for them in the chilled meats section, frozen and the Aisle of Dreams. Square root of sod all.
Gutted.
eharding said:
Treacle Bacon? About 3 packets. Bought them, cooked them, ate them, went back for more. Zippo.
Arms like a Gibbon? No trace at all - looked for them in the chilled meats section, frozen and the Aisle of Dreams. Square root of sod all.
Gutted.
Same as my last ski holiday in Verb.Arms like a Gibbon? No trace at all - looked for them in the chilled meats section, frozen and the Aisle of Dreams. Square root of sod all.
Gutted.
Booked it, packed it, skied it.
desolate said:
dazco said:
You sound very bitter
I am bitter about a few things, but Aldi is not one of them.I love the place. Apart from their 1 quid trolley system.
>smug<
tedmus said:
V8mate said:
We have a trolley token in the centre console of each car, so we never never need a quid when we turn up at Aldi/Lidl/wherever.
>smug<
The cool kids have a key ring trolley token >smug<
>efficient<
eharding said:
Arms like a Gibbon? No trace at all - looked for them in the chilled meats section, frozen and the Aisle of Dreams. Square root of sod all.
Gutted.
Lol.Gutted.
Reminds me when I first spotted Lion steaks in Tesco... I was most impressed.
Turns out my dyslexia was just acting up again
Six Figs said:
I preferred the old Aldi/lidl it is getting way too middle class, they had a niche it worked well.
I’ve never heard anyone else say that. Ours in Oxford (Botley Road) is just brilliant, the range is fantastic and it’s probably about 25% cheaper than Waitrose over the road.I think it’s become a truly classless supermarket, there is a complete cross section of customers in there. We dipped our toe in the water a couple of years ago and I would say that now we do 75% of our shopping at Aldi.
Gunk said:
Six Figs said:
I preferred the old Aldi/lidl it is getting way too middle class, they had a niche it worked well.
I’ve never heard anyone else say that. Ours in Oxford (Botley Road) is just brilliant, the range is fantastic and it’s probably about 25% cheaper than Waitrose over the road.I think it’s become a truly classless supermarket, there is a complete cross section of customers in there. We dipped our toe in the water a couple of years ago and I would say that now we do 75% of our shopping at Aldi.
But I'm truly in awe of what the UK management team at Aldi has done with the brand - and clearly with the approval of HQ - and that is to grab the British shopping zeitgeist, which is abandoning the monthly and, even, weekly, shop, in favour of regular top-up shopping, and to present a range of basic and high quality food stuffs.
I have a Waitrose in walking distance of where I live, but I get in the car and drive to Aldi, which is about twice as far. In terms of chilled food, I buy pretty much exclusively from their 'Specially Selected' range - which still doesn't exist in German Aldis which have remained true to the original format - and enjoy huge savings on fruit and veg.
Lidl's 'Deluxe' range has tried to mimic 'Specially Selected', and there are a few gems within it, but it's not as comprehensive as the Aldi premium range. What Lidl has done superbly, is the instore bakeries. Given that they bake off frozen product, I don't know they've done it but, as an example, their croissants/pain au chocolat/pain au raisin range is better than you'll find in most scratch-baked bakeries in France!
So, whilst I'm certainly less frequently delighted to find Teutonic treats amongst their ranges, I think Aldi (especially) and Lidl have developed a segment in the British supermarket industry which perfectly suits modern shopping.
I must say, the 30-day sirloin steaks in Aldi have been exceptional, the last couple of weeks. So tender!
And their chilled SS Diane Sauce in a sachet is *very* nice too (the peppercorn variant, more easily homemade and not very nice at all!).
Once I've taken the steaks out of the griddle pan, leaving the mushrooms behind, I pour the Diane sauce over them and leave them to warm through on the ring's lowest setting, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't boil.
This wine, from their central promo section isn't too bad at all either!
And their chilled SS Diane Sauce in a sachet is *very* nice too (the peppercorn variant, more easily homemade and not very nice at all!).
Once I've taken the steaks out of the griddle pan, leaving the mushrooms behind, I pour the Diane sauce over them and leave them to warm through on the ring's lowest setting, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't boil.
This wine, from their central promo section isn't too bad at all either!
V8mate said:
I must say, the 30-day sirloin steaks in Aldi have been exceptional, the last couple of weeks. So tender!
And their chilled SS Diane Sauce in a sachet is *very* nice too (the peppercorn variant, more easily homemade and not very nice at all!).
Once I've taken the steaks out of the griddle pan, leaving the mushrooms behind, I pour the Diane sauce over them and leave them to warm through on the ring's lowest setting, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't boil.
This wine, from their central promo section isn't too bad at all either!
I’ve had a bottle of Toro Loco Organico this evening, it was very good for £5.And their chilled SS Diane Sauce in a sachet is *very* nice too (the peppercorn variant, more easily homemade and not very nice at all!).
Once I've taken the steaks out of the griddle pan, leaving the mushrooms behind, I pour the Diane sauce over them and leave them to warm through on the ring's lowest setting, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't boil.
This wine, from their central promo section isn't too bad at all either!
One thing that I've noticed in both Lidl and Aldi, is that it's rare to go in and not see someone, very often a middle aged, middle class couple, typical Waitrose / Sainsbury's fodder, clearly having their first shopping experience with the brand. Yesterday it was one pair that I heard three times in Lidl, commenting on first the bakery, then heard the guy later saying, "crikey they sell spanners too," then later saw them pouring over the prosciutto and other deli meats.
Clearly, to get the best benefits, you have to change your shopping habits to the "little and often - here and there" as opposed to the "big shop."
The other thing that puzzles me a bit is the stocking on some of the specials from the "aisle of dreams". For example the other week there was a waffle maker foot 9.99. Local store only had a few, sold out on the Thursday. Middle of next week went into the newer Worcester store, piled ceiling high, ok slight exaggeration. Waffles, council, guilty as charged.
Also noticed in Worcester that they were doing some work on the self scan tills, if, as observed by Gretchen they were taking them out, well that's a pity, they were some of the better ones out there and really fitted the shop little and often strategy. Shame.
Clearly, to get the best benefits, you have to change your shopping habits to the "little and often - here and there" as opposed to the "big shop."
The other thing that puzzles me a bit is the stocking on some of the specials from the "aisle of dreams". For example the other week there was a waffle maker foot 9.99. Local store only had a few, sold out on the Thursday. Middle of next week went into the newer Worcester store, piled ceiling high, ok slight exaggeration. Waffles, council, guilty as charged.
Also noticed in Worcester that they were doing some work on the self scan tills, if, as observed by Gretchen they were taking them out, well that's a pity, they were some of the better ones out there and really fitted the shop little and often strategy. Shame.
In the original Aldi/Lidl model (and to this day in the Fatherland) the aisle of dreams is much smaller and it's a true WIGIG approach (the same was true in the UK in the early years).
So Sunday's promo would sell out entirely to make way for Thursday's promo etc.
What we see now is larger stocks of items which will last 2-3 weeks in-store. Notwithstanding, they still use the 'big marketing push; tiny stock' approach occasionally, to whip up some brand excitement in the (social) media.
So Sunday's promo would sell out entirely to make way for Thursday's promo etc.
What we see now is larger stocks of items which will last 2-3 weeks in-store. Notwithstanding, they still use the 'big marketing push; tiny stock' approach occasionally, to whip up some brand excitement in the (social) media.
V8mate said:
In the original Aldi/Lidl model (and to this day in the Fatherland) the aisle of dreams is much smaller and it's a true WIGIG approach (the same was true in the UK in the early years).
So Sunday's promo would sell out entirely to make way for Thursday's promo etc.
What we see now is larger stocks of items which will last 2-3 weeks in-store. Notwithstanding, they still use the 'big marketing push; tiny stock' approach occasionally, to whip up some brand excitement in the (social) media.
WIGIG?So Sunday's promo would sell out entirely to make way for Thursday's promo etc.
What we see now is larger stocks of items which will last 2-3 weeks in-store. Notwithstanding, they still use the 'big marketing push; tiny stock' approach occasionally, to whip up some brand excitement in the (social) media.
With regards to my local Aldi stores, they seem to get stock in, and it moves 'further back' into later aisles as the next offer days roll on.
They don't get replenished as such though, stuff either sells straight away and is gone, or they get it wrong and fails to sell. Some gets stickered down but most disappears.
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