I might try Aldi

I find Aldi fresh vegs and fruit go off quicker but fine of using within a couple of days

I live Aldi too and like others I needed to save on my weekly shop when I first tried it. I too use too do my main shop at Aldi then top up my little things at Tesco but now just shop at Aldi for all my shopping, I do like once a month to go to Iceland for my freezer shop but that’s just me like a variety. Hierver I did try Lidl when it opened and did like it but it didn’t have the variety Aldi had and found it a bit more expensive.

Our local Aldi is dark and miserable and you have to go down stairs to reach it. The produce is the same as any other one I suppose. I remember visiting the Edgebaston one with a friend which was very swish and modern.
My DIL works for the RSPCA and says their meat is top quality.

Save not saw!

I am an Aldi shopper, topping up at Sainsbury's and M&S if I can't get everything. Not tried Lidl yet but I think there is one coming to our town soon. The quality of Aldi has improved greatly over the last 10 years. They have British produce and prices are so low, I saw around a third compared to shopping at other major supermarkets. Win, win for me.

I had the chance to get to Aldi today and was reminded why it’s not my number one choice - availability! It’s annoying when there are so often empty gaps in their regular items. Today they had no chia seeds, a particular seasoning blend we like, bran flakes, beetroot, and something else I’ve forgotten. I know stores are a bit down on stock after Christmas but this is a regular occurrence in my local shop.

I bought some nice looking casserole steak, although it was no cheaper than M&S, and have discovered they now do sour cream, so those are pluses.

It certainly tastes like it.

I understand from something I read on Mumsnet that Aldi and Lidl buy in top class meat at the same level as M&S.

Reading these posts, it seems obvious that the local Lidl or Aldi is just as good or as bad as their manager and his team. Politeness, being helpful, cleaning and tidying the store, selecting which stock to order and rotating it, all come from the top down, just as they do in any other store. The physical building and the lighting, parking and so on may be dictated by head office, but the details of day-to-day organisation are up to the manager. If your local example doesn't come up to your standards, then write or email the manager and head office with your concerns.

For the record, my Lidl is bright, clean, cheerful and packed with bargains, the carpark is large and there is a bus-stop close by. Some of their stock is not to my taste, but most of it is. The fruit and veg are fresh and well displayed, some in packs, some loose.

I sometimes use Lidl about six miles away if I happen to be passing, though generally I go to our local Aldi which is spacious, well stocked and with cheerful, friendly checkout people. The Lidl has been refurbished and extended and is now very large and bright, but no more friendly than our Aldi.

I would love to try Aldi or Lidl and my town now has both - but the parking for both stores is very limited and I've not managed to get into either because I get too cross at having to keep cruising round waiting for a space.

happygirl79 You have just described our local Adli and Lidl exactly.

Our Lidl is dark, depressing, always huge queues at the usually only 2 at most manned checkouts, and the cashiers are unfriendly, as well. .. and the frozen food section is atrocious, and tbh I find that Lidl is not any more cheap than Morrisons which is nearby.

Aldi OTOH, is large , bright, Clean and with wide Aisles, and although very busy always at least 6 tills open , and the cashiers are always friendly

Aldi certainly doesn't have everything I need for my bi-monthly grocery shopping, but it has enough to make the rest of my shopping at one of the big 3 a lot more affordable..

I find the checkout assistants at my local Aldi to be cheery and helpful despite being kept so busy
There's always someone on the shop floor to help if needed and they really do seem to be happy to help.
My local Lidl is the total contrast. Rarely more than 2 checkouts manned and always by apparently miserable assistants. There are never any baskets available despite the store not being busy and I have to get one from the checkout once someone has finished with it
No shop floor staff to help find things.
Perhaps understaffed? The fresh bread counter is the only plus for me.
I can only give my opinion based on my local stores and I am sure that it will differ around the country

I started using Aldi the week before christmas, looking for different Christmas treats. I am now hooked, i couldnt believe the price differences. My daughter has always shopped there and constantly told me to try, now i understand why. Ours is a new branch and it has wide open aisles, plenty of beautiful fruit and veg, the cheese cabinet was very interesting and i enjoyed the shopping experience there. It is now my supermarket of choice.

I think all the the large supermarkets are variable depending on where you live. In our town the local Sainsbury’s is simply atrocious. An out of town Tesco opened a couple of years ago and fruit and veg from there are top quality, even better than Waitrose which is my supermarket of choice.

My DH works for one of the big supermarkets but we shop at aldi's where we not only save money (despite the employee discount he is entitled to) but overall prefer the quality of the produce.

We would recommend checking use by dates of course, but a friend complained of gone off meat and pate from waitrose that was still I date so we feel happy with our weekly shop.

Halloumi fries, you say? :adds to list:

As I walked into Aldi Borehamwood last weekend, (not my local store)..which is opposite Lidl on the retail park... 3 middle aged and middle class woman were walking out together .

One said I've never been to a Lidl store, and the other said.. ''Oh it's not as good as this, it's sort of like a charity shop for food''. I tried to stifle my laughter

I don’t like Aldi, but do go to Lidl. Not all the time though, we use Lidl, Waitrose, and Morrisons. And also Marks and Spencer’s food hall.

OP,
please explain the use of the word professional in the title.
thanks.

I’ve just remembered their haloumi fries - absolutely delicious

I am no Hyacinth, just attempting a little light conversation.

I don’t go to Aldi often as it’s almost 20 miles away. I don’t do a full shop, either. I’m wary of their meat because the fridges are often overloaded and the piles of meat are just sticking up outside of the cold area. I like their halloumi and their bloomer loaves. Also the black pepper crackers are good and chia seeds are about half the price of anywhere else.

Fruit & veg is often a bit battered-looking plus it’s mostly plastic wrapped. Strawberries, grapes etc don’t last very long, I find, and greens turn yellow quickly.

I like the organic eggs, which must be popular as they’ve started doing them in different sizes and not just ‘mixed’ boxes but our branch doesn’t do Scottish organic milk. They rarely have bread flour and before Christmas didn’t have many cake-making ingredients.

I’m not keen on their tinned stuff, as it’s often more liquid than content. I do like their frozen butternut squash, which is hard to find elsewhere.

The baby clothes & equipment from the Aisle of Weirdness are very good value.

I go to Aldi regularly and top up at Tesco /morrisons for things i cant get there . The meat is mostly british with union jack flag on the label. Fruit and veg is ok . Dont like Lidl , have found it very disorganised every time ive tried it. Aldi definitely worth a try especially if on a tight budget .

phoenix