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The Best Supermarket to shop at

(84 Posts)
cheelu Mon 21-Jan-13 13:06:48

I have found that Sainsbury's food is much fresher and defently tastier that any other Supermarket I have used. I think the worse in terms of freshness has to be Asda. Obviously Marks and Soencers food is amazing but I find that I can not do a proper full weekly shop in M&S

What have you found guys.

gillybob Mon 21-Jan-13 13:11:03

We don't have a Sainsbury's close to us Cheelu so can't offer a comparison. We do have Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and M&S though.

The fresh food in M&S is far superior to any of the others but can be much more expensive. I definitely couldn't afford to buy the basics there.

Bez Mon 21-Jan-13 13:16:54

I agree about Sainsbury's being better than most of the other supermarkets with regards to freshness etc. I do buy quite a bit of fresh stuff in Marks and often their deals make things a very good price. We do not have a Waitrose near enough to us for me to use it regularly for a comparison.

Barrow Mon 21-Jan-13 13:23:47

I use Sainsburys as I find the quality of their food is so much better. Some time ago I was on my way home after visiting a friend and decided to drop into Tesco as it was on my way - the produce on sale was awful, looked old and definitely past its best - so I left without buying anything and drove to the nearest Sainsburys where everything looked fresh and appealing.

Learnergran Mon 21-Jan-13 13:24:59

I think it just depends where you live. I went off Sainsbury's years ago, buy treats in M&S and do the bulk of the shopping in Asda. I switched to Tesco last year because where we were then living we had a brand new one, beautifully fresh and clean and well-stocked. The one here though is run-down and shabby with nothing in it so I'm back to Asda - again, nice and clean, lots of choice and nice fresh fruit and veg.
I'm also a recent convert to Lidl and Aldi for dry goods and so on.

Soupy Mon 21-Jan-13 13:38:13

Well, I've been a Waitrose shopper all my married life, with occasional forays into other places for bits and pieces.

Now that DH is retired he tends to shop in our local Co-op or drive to Sainsbury's for a bigger shop. I don't mind Sainsburys (don't like Tesco)and will go with him but still prefer Waitrose as the quality of their own products is so good.

We also use the local butcher, baker etc.

Grannyeggs Mon 21-Jan-13 13:53:05

Same as me *Soupy, Waitrose and local butcher and fish shop. These last two are few and far between in London, so they need to be supported.Have a couple of Saturday markets I use too, but their prices are high, so they are treats.

Grannyknot Mon 21-Jan-13 13:55:20

Don't like Tesco. Don't like Sainsbury's, the one in my town is grotty. Like Morrisons. Don't mind Co-op (we've got a nice, new one nearby). BUT we have Waitrose across the road from where we live (told husband am never moving). So I get all the specials, and all the marked down deals if I stop in there on the way home from work (I literally have to walk through the car park to get home). Like Lidl for fresh fruit and veg, if I get there every now and again. That's me and supermarkets.

Ariadne Mon 21-Jan-13 13:58:03

I do like Sainsbury's best but was spoilt a bit by having one, and an M &S close by. Here, Asda is the nearest, followed by a surprisingly good (compared to last place) Morrison's. So I do Sainsbury's online once a month or so, Morrison's for general stuff, Asda when I have to. And there is an excellent green grocer in town - with a counter from behind which he serves. Brilliant. So I don't particularly miss M&S fruit and veg., just the rest of the stuff that I might happen to buy while there!

Grannylin Mon 21-Jan-13 14:04:26

Morrisons because it's the nearest and I don't like being bamboozled with too much choice. Riverford for fresh veg, meat and fish and I can walk there smile

gillybob Mon 21-Jan-13 14:07:52

That's the problem Ariadne. I am hopeless at writing myself a shopping list and sticking to it. I am calling into the supermarket on my way to pick children up from school this afternoon. I have a list but I absolutely know I will come out with more than I went in for !

glammanana Mon 21-Jan-13 14:12:55

Sainsburys for the main shop and Lidl or Aldi for all the fresh veg and fruit never had such fresh f&v.
I have been known to get some basic's from Home & Bargain as their sauces & dried goods etc are excellent value for money.

annodomini Mon 21-Jan-13 14:39:37

Like Grannyknot and for the same reasons, I mainly shop at Waitrose nowadays - five minutes down the road, close to the surgery, the library and the chemist etc. I have several loaves in the freezer bought at under half price when they reached the 'display by' date. Keeping an eagle eye open for such bargains, I can justify shopping at Waitrose. There's an Asda down the road but I don't like the 'feel'of the place and yes, I know that's illogical. I can visit Aldi on my way back from CAB and Lidl when I go to the health club.

vampirequeen Mon 21-Jan-13 14:46:50

I use ASDA for my main shop and haven't found a problem with their day to day quality but that may be because we have ASDA, TESCO, Sainsburys, Morrisons, LIDL and ALDI within a 2 mile radius. The number of stores definately seem to affect the prices in the area.

I use my local Coop and small shops for top ups and treats.

merlotgran Mon 21-Jan-13 14:46:56

Stephen Fry said on QI, 'Sainsbury's keeps the riff-raff out of Waitrose and Tesco keeps the riff-raff out of Sainsbury's! He used a stronger word than riff-raff but it might come across as offensive on here.

Ariadne Mon 21-Jan-13 15:11:27

gillybob especially when they sell clothes and stuff as well! grin

Anne58 Mon 21-Jan-13 15:28:25

I think Stephen Fry stole that remark from the late Alan Coren!

Lilygran Mon 21-Jan-13 15:41:55

We may be unlucky but the nearest Lidl doesn't have much stock. And some of it is strange, like lobsters for a fiver or electric drills. The nearest Co-op is fine and the nearest Tesco is er... Tesco. I go to them all as and when but I prefer Waitrose because rather than two fitments of the same five detergents in different formats and sizes and ditto breakfast cereal they have a really wide range including the rather esoteric ingredients the adventurous cook (DH) needs. And the quality is good and reliable. And a nice cafe. And a pharmacy. And a big car park.

BAnanas Mon 21-Jan-13 15:52:14

I flit between Waitrose, Sainsbury and M&S, depending on what's on offer. Hope all GNs who shop at M&S are aware of the vouchers that they give away in January, £5 off and £25 shop, which I think is quite a good discount so I have been taking full advantage and stocking up on their frozen fish and fresh chicken and meat which I also freeze. I love Waitrose and if I could only shop at one supermarket it would have to be there. In fact we both say if we ever moved we wouldn't go to a town without a Waitrose. However, Sainsburys is very good for special offers and the sheer range of products, and have found their staff have improved a lot over the last few years, maybe we have Justin Rose to thank for that.

annodomini Mon 21-Jan-13 15:56:22

Justin Rose, the golfer?

Movedalot Mon 21-Jan-13 16:03:33

Where we used to live our nearest option was Sainsburys and it was awful but I think it was just that store. This miss labelled things, often ran out of stock of several things I wanted and there were always long queus at the chekcout.

We only have Waitrose and Morrisons apart from a small M & S, small Lidl and the Co-op which is really not very good. Someone mentioned the bargains in Waitrose and I think they reduce by a greater percentage than the others so can get great bargains They also do lovely sushi!

I went to Asda when I was staying with my niece and it was very good quality, I was quite impressed.

I do think it depends to quite a large extent on how good the individual manager is.

BAnanas Mon 21-Jan-13 16:05:02

What a gaffe! I meant Justin King, my husband's always rabbiting on about golf you see, I got my Justins muddled.

annodomini Mon 21-Jan-13 16:21:34

BAnanas grin

nanaej Mon 21-Jan-13 17:18:18

My nearest supermarket (2 minutes walk) is a small local co-op which always has good (but limited) fresh fruit/veg & meat. I use it all the time for 'top-ups'!

We have a Sainsbury's and Waitrose in town which are about 5mins in the car or 15-20 minutes walking. If I need petrol I go to Sainsbury if not then Waitrose. I miss Lidl since I left work as it was opposite..great , good quality bargains!

Do a bi-monthly on-line for regular store cupboard stuff from Sainsbury, usually buy meat /fish from local butcher/fish shop and also use the local greengrocer especially for bulk stuff for batch cooking as always more economical.

I really must buy my second freezer! Since we moved I have less freezer space so I plan to get one for the shed.. wonder if they do one with an integral wine chiller?

cheelu Mon 21-Jan-13 18:02:17

well merlotgran seeings as most of us have said we use Sainsburys you have just insulted us ALL!! Well you used Stephen Fry to do so...Everyone was polite and ignored it but you know me!!