Supermarket shopping, your experiences and cost
Discussion
I have 3 huge Tesco stores within a 2 mile radius which have been our default choice because of convenience for the last couple of years.
There is myself my wife and 3 year old son and our tesco bill is usually £160 - £200 per week. My parents shop at ALDI and recommended it and our bill dropped to about £120 per week, the stuff is very good, mostly.
We shopped in ASDA last week and it's even cheaper.
I noticed in the news that Sainsburys is struggling! From my experience bar M&S they are by far the dearest.
I reckon quality is negligible but cost from one place to another is huge.
There is myself my wife and 3 year old son and our tesco bill is usually £160 - £200 per week. My parents shop at ALDI and recommended it and our bill dropped to about £120 per week, the stuff is very good, mostly.
We shopped in ASDA last week and it's even cheaper.
I noticed in the news that Sainsburys is struggling! From my experience bar M&S they are by far the dearest.
I reckon quality is negligible but cost from one place to another is huge.
Edited by Urban Sports on Thursday 13th November 00:17
I've yet to work out how people can manage to do a full shop at the likes of Aldi and Lidl. I sometimes go in for odds and ends, but have to elsewhere for most other things.
ASDA is the cheapest. However I feel the quality of their food is the lowest.
I don't find M&S that much more expensive for food, so often get food from there.
Tesco is local to me so I find myself going there mostly. We've both noticed the the quality and choice available seems to have increased in the last few weeks.
ASDA is the cheapest. However I feel the quality of their food is the lowest.
I don't find M&S that much more expensive for food, so often get food from there.
Tesco is local to me so I find myself going there mostly. We've both noticed the the quality and choice available seems to have increased in the last few weeks.
We only use tesco because of convenience and ease of parking, but we only tend to get a few basics from there. We buy meat from the local butcher, who drops it off for us and veg from the local farm shop. It works out cheaper and the meat and veg is of a much better quality than the supermarket.
Edited to add: the drive to the farm shop is down some cracking roads so its a good chance to go for a blast on a Sunday morning too!
Edited to add: the drive to the farm shop is down some cracking roads so its a good chance to go for a blast on a Sunday morning too!
Edited by Tickle on Thursday 13th November 07:39
Lozw86 said:
Waitrose and M&S are my supermarkets of choice and seem to provide the best quality food. Given, they are not the cheapest but with most food items, you get what you pay for. I also prefer the environment and clientele in these stores.
Agreed. I tend to go to these for a treat and normally shop and Sainsbury's. Whilst asda and aldi are definitely cheapest they lack anything a bit nice.
I don't like Tesco at all, their stores are not welcoming and their pricing is often confusing.
Tesco fruit and veg is not a patch on Morrisons either.
Lidl is pretty good but stocking is sometimes erratic and unfamiliar brands need acclimatisation.
Sainsburys is still expensive but seem to realise their days are numbered if they don't move with the times and lower their prices.
M&S closed their local store years ago so I can't comment.
I can say though that a colleague used to work in a food packaging factory and assures me that as a rule the products are identical with different packaging and prices depending on supermarket.
Tesco fruit and veg is not a patch on Morrisons either.
Lidl is pretty good but stocking is sometimes erratic and unfamiliar brands need acclimatisation.
Sainsburys is still expensive but seem to realise their days are numbered if they don't move with the times and lower their prices.
M&S closed their local store years ago so I can't comment.
I can say though that a colleague used to work in a food packaging factory and assures me that as a rule the products are identical with different packaging and prices depending on supermarket.
Ah the old supermarket thread!
We used to use Waitrose, as it was closest, but every so often would go to a Tesco or Sainsburys due to passing etc. We now get an Ocado delivery every week or so. Shopping added to my other halfs iPhone as and when we run out of stuff, and no trapsing around a supermarket for an hour.
Tesco seems to be filled with parents shouting at their little s
ts or smelly people.
We used to use Waitrose, as it was closest, but every so often would go to a Tesco or Sainsburys due to passing etc. We now get an Ocado delivery every week or so. Shopping added to my other halfs iPhone as and when we run out of stuff, and no trapsing around a supermarket for an hour.
Tesco seems to be filled with parents shouting at their little s
ts or smelly people. Try to get all edibles in the local market though it does not always work, veg can be a bit of a hit and miss though the fruit is always good. Local shop has just started to sell bread they make which is superb, better than the offerings from the usual suspects.
But often wonder where £50 goes for two, but that equates to a tub of washing powder and a few cleaning sprays etc. The bogof offers are a pain.
But often wonder where £50 goes for two, but that equates to a tub of washing powder and a few cleaning sprays etc. The bogof offers are a pain.
£200 per week, jeez that seems a lot for two adults and a toddler.
You must buy a fair amount of booze and meat to get to that sum?
For two of us our weekly shop from Sainsbury is around £50 give or take a bit each week with a top up on a Friday from the local high street for veg, meat and bread of about £20.
Little'un due in January though so expecting it to go up with nappies and the like.
You must buy a fair amount of booze and meat to get to that sum?
For two of us our weekly shop from Sainsbury is around £50 give or take a bit each week with a top up on a Friday from the local high street for veg, meat and bread of about £20.
Little'un due in January though so expecting it to go up with nappies and the like.
We average 70-80 a week in Sainsburys, we tried Aldi a few weeks back and it was mostly ok and we did save some money but the meat has put us off ever going back, it was rancid and had to be binned. I imagine that it had been allowed to get to room temp and then chilled again allowing bacteria to form. I tried cooking it to see if I could get over the smell but it was just awful so it all went in the bin. Chicken breasts, pork belly, ham and sausages all tested and all smelt off despite being days in date. I could probably have taken it back and got a refund but would rather just vote with my feet and stick with Sainsburys, the selection is loads better there too.
Rutter said:
We average 70-80 a week in Sainsburys, we tried Aldi a few weeks back and it was mostly ok and we did save some money but the meat has put us off ever going back, it was rancid and had to be binned.
My missus even threw Aldi dishwasher tablets away as she said they were rubbish.I suppose I'm quite lucky, in that even though I live in a small village, I do have quite a big choice in where I shop, shop without going too far out my way. Here's my perceptions on who I use and why.
Tesco's. Closest of the big chains to my home. Gets used from time to time solely because of convenience and convenience only. Do not like spending my money there at all.
Morrisons. A source of last resort. Have a similar view of them to Tesco's, shops over crowded in the aisles etc etc , like Tesco's not cheap and generally naff.
Sainsbury's I use them mainly because a very large local branch has an Aldi , literally 50 yards away, so they get used to supply the odd things I cannot get in Aldi. Not a bad experience in store, but they are unnacceptably expensive.
Aldi: A fairly recent convert. Untill earlier this year the closest Aldi branch was 15 mile or so away, a house move has changed that. I now use them as default source for many things , especially fruit, and many of their own brand items (at least those I have tried) are as good or mostly better than Supermarket own brands in general, and in some cases as good as brand leaders. Prices very competetive in general. Markedly cheaper than the supers I've already mentioned
Waitrose. The only chain I actually like to shop in, a pleasant experience. Like to source those treats we all like from time to time, and rely on them for fish, the major reason I visit.Excellent Wine/spirits section If they were closer to Aldi they would get used instead of Sainsbury.
Lidl : They are enroute to Waitrose for me. So I tend to combine visits to the two. Prices seem very competetive and they have some interesting surprises. Just bought some Moose steaks from them,will be interesting! Have a generally positive view of them.
Local Butcher/ Farm Shop/ General village shop. I use all three, to varying degrees. Vseg from Farm shop, Butcher meats and cheeses, village shop for convenience , bits pieces. Use them or lose them basis. Just wish the shop had an alcohol license then I could stop using Tesco altogether.
Basically, I view things like this: If Tesco/Morrisons and Sainsbury did not exist tomorrow , I'd not be aggrieved. I'd be all too happy using the remainder only and giving them more business.
Having said that, perhaps I should make more effort and do that.
Tesco's. Closest of the big chains to my home. Gets used from time to time solely because of convenience and convenience only. Do not like spending my money there at all.
Morrisons. A source of last resort. Have a similar view of them to Tesco's, shops over crowded in the aisles etc etc , like Tesco's not cheap and generally naff.
Sainsbury's I use them mainly because a very large local branch has an Aldi , literally 50 yards away, so they get used to supply the odd things I cannot get in Aldi. Not a bad experience in store, but they are unnacceptably expensive.
Aldi: A fairly recent convert. Untill earlier this year the closest Aldi branch was 15 mile or so away, a house move has changed that. I now use them as default source for many things , especially fruit, and many of their own brand items (at least those I have tried) are as good or mostly better than Supermarket own brands in general, and in some cases as good as brand leaders. Prices very competetive in general. Markedly cheaper than the supers I've already mentioned
Waitrose. The only chain I actually like to shop in, a pleasant experience. Like to source those treats we all like from time to time, and rely on them for fish, the major reason I visit.Excellent Wine/spirits section If they were closer to Aldi they would get used instead of Sainsbury.
Lidl : They are enroute to Waitrose for me. So I tend to combine visits to the two. Prices seem very competetive and they have some interesting surprises. Just bought some Moose steaks from them,will be interesting! Have a generally positive view of them.
Local Butcher/ Farm Shop/ General village shop. I use all three, to varying degrees. Vseg from Farm shop, Butcher meats and cheeses, village shop for convenience , bits pieces. Use them or lose them basis. Just wish the shop had an alcohol license then I could stop using Tesco altogether.
Basically, I view things like this: If Tesco/Morrisons and Sainsbury did not exist tomorrow , I'd not be aggrieved. I'd be all too happy using the remainder only and giving them more business.
Having said that, perhaps I should make more effort and do that.
Sheepshanks said:
My missus even threw Aldi dishwasher tablets away as she said they were rubbish.
Strange that, Aldi and Lidl own brand dishwasher tablets came out in the top 3 of a which test earlier this year. Winner was a Fairy product, several times more expensive. The Aldi/Lidl tablets heavily beat a number of high profile premium brands.I've got some Aldi ones, but not used them as yet, although my daughter in law swears by them. We shall see.
Cheese Mechanic said:
Sheepshanks said:
My missus even threw Aldi dishwasher tablets away as she said they were rubbish.
Strange that, Aldi and Lidl own brand dishwasher tablets came out in the top 3 of a which test earlier this year. Winner was a Fairy product, several times more expensive. The Aldi/Lidl tablets heavily beat a number of high profile premium brands.Tickle said:
We only use tesco because of convenience and ease of parking, but we only tend to get a few basics from there. We buy meat from the local butcher, who drops it off for us and veg from the local farm shop. It works out cheaper and the meat and veg is of a much better quality than the supermarket.
Edited to add: the drive to the farm shop is down some cracking roads so its a good chance to go for a blast on a Sunday morning too!
Similar for me. I can't understand why people go to large stores, especially at the weekend. I'd rather drill my own teeth.Edited to add: the drive to the farm shop is down some cracking roads so its a good chance to go for a blast on a Sunday morning too!
Edited by Tickle on Thursday 13th November 07:39
Back to the point, cost; online you can check the cost before finalising, and decide to 'put things back' if you've spent too much.
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