ALDI & LIDL Food and Drink Worth Trying?

[V8mate]

hyphen said:

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?

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.

When It's Gone It's Gone.

[Stan the Bat]

ReverendCounter said:

Not really an Aldi-specific product but I love those lovely big sweet potatoes they're selling - either just microwaved with the skin on, or cut into thick chips after partial mic'ing, then shallow fried 'til crispy. Herbs, salt, flour coating for extra crispyness optional.

I am gradually cutting down on normal spuds and getting the sweet ones.

If it's good enough for Jenson Button it's good enough for me.

[Stan the Bat]

FiF said:

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.

.

I wish all the 'newies' didn't carry on trying to pack their stuff at the tills, but use the packing shelves as instructed.

[BrabusMog]

Stan the Bat said:

FiF said:

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.

.

I wish all the 'newies' didn't carry on trying to pack their stuff at the tills, but use the packing shelves as instructed.

If I am weighing up which queue to use between two, I look at how things are loaded on the conveyor belt - heavy stuff at the front of the queue and lighter stuff toward the back is someone who is going to get their two big bags packed efficiently and, as such, those are the type of people I queue behind.

[Stan the Bat]

BrabusMog said:

Stan the Bat said:

FiF said:

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.

.

I wish all the 'newies' didn't carry on trying to pack their stuff at the tills, but use the packing shelves as instructed.

If I am weighing up which queue to use between two, I look at how things are loaded on the conveyor belt - heavy stuff at the front of the queue and lighter stuff toward the back is someone who is going to get their two big bags packed efficiently and, as such, those are the type of people I queue behind.

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

[BrabusMog]

Stan the Bat said:

BrabusMog said:

Stan the Bat said:

FiF said:

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.

.

I wish all the 'newies' didn't carry on trying to pack their stuff at the tills, but use the packing shelves as instructed.

If I am weighing up which queue to use between two, I look at how things are loaded on the conveyor belt - heavy stuff at the front of the queue and lighter stuff toward the back is someone who is going to get their two big bags packed efficiently and, as such, those are the type of people I queue behind.

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

Not sure what yours is like but we have a enough space to put two bags at the end of the till. They're being passed from the shop assistant to you, so if you put them in a packing order on the conveyor belt you can just whack them in bags as they're passed. The only quicker option than that would be throwing them over to that packing shelf at the back...

[Gretchen]

The packing shelf is great for a full trolley. Which is how these supermarkets initially intended you to shop. Assistants had to reach a target items scanned per minute. Some taught two handed scanning. Assistants multi task from till to pallets/warehouse, fewer assistants keeps costs low. Customers move through the tills faster so assistant can jump off and back to another task.

Except, a few years ago they introduced baskets. Unload on to conveyer and put basket at end. This invetibaly leads to having to pack at the till. Unlike V8Mate I don’t have a trolley token or carry cash - do you know how much you can fit in a basket!!

Not sure why they’re getting rid of the self scan tills. Perhaps lack of assistants to operate/override them? The larger, newer Lidl near me had them. But only ever tend to have one or two tills open so an assistant was forever jumping off and leaving customers to override/reset the self scans. Kind of defective I suppose.

[ReverendCounter]

Stan the Bat said:

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

There's no choice as some managers won't allow baskets to be taken to the packing area.

[hyphen]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

Poor parenting, my toddler knows 'treat foods' are for special occasions, and adores his healthy porridge.

Just saying

[hyphen]

Oh yes

[Gunk]

hyphen said:

Poor parenting, my toddler knows 'treat foods' are for special occasions, and adores his healthy porridge.

Just saying

Thanks for the advice.

[Stan the Bat]

ReverendCounter said:

Stan the Bat said:

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

There's no choice as some managers won't allow baskets to be taken to the packing area.

Never heard of that before .

[NWTony]

BrabusMog said:

Not sure what yours is like but we have a enough space to put two bags at the end of the till. They're being passed from the shop assistant to you, so if you put them in a packing order on the conveyor belt you can just whack them in bags as they're passed. The only quicker option than that would be throwing them over to that packing shelf at the back...

Nope, unless you are really just throwing them in the bags, but most people try to pack carefully, get things upright, squeeze boxes in to fill the space etc. That and a trolley is a large easy target to hit with plenty of space in it whilst a carrier bag is relatively small and enclosed and the sodding sides keep flopping down so you have to pull them open etc, etc.

Just pack your bags at the shelf, it isn't the quickest overall, but it is the quickest through the checkout which is what benefits others

[condor]

Stan the Bat said:

ReverendCounter said:

Stan the Bat said:

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

There's no choice as some managers won't allow baskets to be taken to the packing area.

Never heard of that before .

Our local Lidls doesn't allow you to take the basket past the till. I usually only have a few items so put them straight into a sturdy carrier bag at the till. AT Aldi I usually get a trolley and have the bags open in there to pack straight into. As someone else posted, you arrange the products on the conveyor belt in the way you want to pack them.

[J8 SVG]

I'm a boxer.. forget bags every time so find the sturdiest box as I'm walking round and use it as my basket and then pack it all up at the other end of the till

[Prolex-UK]

Tried the Lidl in Civray in France where I now live.

Most impressed some lovely wines excellent bread and the meat we bought was both cheap and excellent quality

[soxboy]

We did Aldi shop yesterday morning £55. Same shop at Morrison’s the week before (as a change as we were near one) was also £55. I have to say the Morrison’s one was better quality stuff, especially the fruit and veg.

Seems Aldi has crept up in price and Morrybobs has come down, to the point where they’re almost the same.

[SpeckledJim]

condor said:

Stan the Bat said:

ReverendCounter said:

Stan the Bat said:

They shouldn't be packing at the tills.

There's no choice as some managers won't allow baskets to be taken to the packing area.

Never heard of that before .

Our local Lidls doesn't allow you to take the basket past the till. I usually only have a few items so put them straight into a sturdy carrier bag at the till. AT Aldi I usually get a trolley and have the bags open in there to pack straight into. As someone else posted, you arrange the products on the conveyor belt in the way you want to pack them.

Same with our local ALDI.

One of the assistants has a Raymond Babbitt episode if you try to use 'his' basket after you've reached the end of the conveyor belt.

It's quite fun baiting him, but despite me having grey hair, wrinkles, coffee teeth, and a paunch, he shows no compunction in insisting on seeing my ID if I've set him off. If I don't have it on me - no perry.

He's sold me alcohol weekly for over 10 years, but once I've basketed him he's like an amnesiac jobsworth cyborg.

[BrabusMog]

NWTony said:

BrabusMog said:

Not sure what yours is like but we have a enough space to put two bags at the end of the till. They're being passed from the shop assistant to you, so if you put them in a packing order on the conveyor belt you can just whack them in bags as they're passed. The only quicker option than that would be throwing them over to that packing shelf at the back...

Nope, unless you are really just throwing them in the bags, but most people try to pack carefully, get things upright, squeeze boxes in to fill the space etc. That and a trolley is a large easy target to hit with plenty of space in it whilst a carrier bag is relatively small and enclosed and the sodding sides keep flopping down so you have to pull them open etc, etc.

Just pack your bags at the shelf, it isn't the quickest overall, but it is the quickest through the checkout which is what benefits others

I only ever buy two bags worth of stuff at a time, usually one. I don't hold anyone up, and am ready to pay (contactless) at the same time the cashier has selected card payment. Someone paying cash would actually cause more of a hold up than me

[hyphen]

As per others, I put heavier/less fragile stuff, like porridge , on conveyor first, have a bag or two in trolley and chuck straight in.

Sometimes use the packing shelf, but rarely. The German supermarkets haven't really educated UK customers on using them so no one really does, most do the same as in their normal supermarket and take their time at the till and checkout person stops scanning and pauses when no space.