Aldi expansion

Maybe the foreigners in GabriellaG's small and perfect town are employed to keep the fantasy public lavatories clean for her, just in case she needs to use them after 40 or so years of holding on, someone has to launder the hand towels and then be grateful for the few pennies she gives

Merlotgran
Not where I live, you don't. Any 'foreign languages' or accents heard in my small town are spoken by tourists or cleaners, not residents

Is GabriellaG Katie Hopkins in disguise?

Time for the Aldi/Lidl song perhaps?
g.co/kgs/Cn1uEh

Maw, Thanks for alerting me to that post. I'd have missed it otherwise.

Any bets on which ultra posh, small town GabriellaG lives in? Maybe lots of second homes to accommodate the tourists and provide employment for cleaners?

Maw

Not where I live, you don't. Any 'foreign languages' or accents heard in my small town are spoken by tourists or cleaners, not residents.
No foreign doctors near you then GG?

Perhaps GG lives in Timbukto.
Oh! I forgot - they're all foreigners there.
And it wouldn't be classed as a 'small town' either.

We have a new Aldi nearby and I have visited twice. It's unbelievably untidy - nobody seems to care. I won't be going again.

We have a large Polish Community locally - a consequence of remnants of the Polish Air Force and Army who who were billeted here during the 2nd world war, settled here and were later, right up to the present day, joined by relatives.

Both Lidl and Aldi stock a wide range of Polish delicacies to cater for these Polish/Scots in their local stores but these are not available in their stores in neighbouring counties, nor in the other local Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons.

I think this attention to detail and meeting local preferences is one of the reasons for their continued growth and success.

There was a large Polish Community where I grew up in the 1940s and 50s. My ex-boyfriend even became Mayor . Fancy that.

Speaking of shopping and snobbery, my son and his family used to live in California. The best place for celeb-spotting wasn't the fancy hotels and restaurants or the upmarket shops.

It was Costco at Malibu, where well-kent faces could often be seen, because they like a bargain as much as anyone else.

I don't like Aldi, its messy and has huge queues because only two tills are open. I shop at Lidls and Waitrose for my fish and meat (buying it when its reduced and then freeze). The two supermarkets are next door to each other so its dead easy because you can use the same car park. Its nothing to do withs nob value shopping at Waitrose,j I have tried plenty of other places for my meat and fish, including the local butcher but always come back to Waitrose for the fish and meat.

You could all go to Waitrose: www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/new-waitrose-delivery-service-will-come-into-your-house-and-sneer-at-it-20181005178044

Jalima and Petra, we are obviously the only ones who feel uncomfortable if we buy cheap food that comes at the price of the exploitation of others who can least afford to.

I haven't shopped in Aldi but over the last few years I have randomly been served one of their chickens, roasted by a friend, another friend gave me a packet of their shortbread, and another visitor brought some croissants with them when they came to stay. All three items were unpleasant to eat and the biscuits were in a box like Walkers shortbread box but only contained half as many biscuits. No wonder it was cheaper!

I have gathered over the years that just about all supermarket chains keep their food cheap by exploitation of their huge purchasing power to force suppliers to sell to them as cheaply as they possibly can. I doubt that shopping at any of them can give anyone a moral advantage, even if they pay a bit more for their purchases.

I did hear a programme on the radio a while ago which claimed that Aldi and Lidl reduce staffing costs by not employing any staff to unload deliveries (and, presumably to stack them in the 'backroom')

Their staff are expected to unload, as well as everything else in store.

Oops, sent halfway though...

cont.

The programme focused on the delivery drivers who were not trained in unloading techniques and weren't always provided with the correct machinery for the task. Which made them liable to injury.

How much money this actually saves the stores and how valid were the delivery men's complaints I'm not able to judge.

I think it's true that somewhere along the line, someone is paying the price for our cheap food.

Paying more isn't necessarily the answer, though. If you recall the dreadful garment factory fire in Bangladesh, it was said then that these factories made clothing for all kinds of retailers, not just the likes of Primark or New Look. They might equally be making goods for M&S or other sellers, who will be making a greater profit because they charge more.

I think the point you are all making is true. I found a list once which showed what proportion of average income was spent on food per country.

There are so many questions about the food supply chain and the huge amount of food we waste in this country, both before and after it arrives on the shelves of the supermarkets.

Aldi are advertising for charity groups who would like to collect all unused perishables from their stores on Christmas Eve. Be good if all supermarkets did the same.

Nonnie
Most major supermarkets have been doing that for years.

I do love it - vote for Brexit- get hit in the pocket and see UK prices rise - then go to a German supermarket for cheaper prices.

I think it has been said before 'you just could not make it up'.

Shop in Aldi. Vote for Brexit. Still shop in Aldi.

Problem?

oh the irony- can't you see it?

Would it not make sense to buy British, if one wants to regain some form on control?

I now it can be difficult, when most of the utilities, and even parts of NHS, have been sold down the river, or rather across the Channel and the Ocean - but one could at least try - perhaps.

'know'

So who do you advocate that "brexiteers" should be doing their shopping with jura? Don't most rational people shop where they feel they get excellent value for money?

Sainsbury's are 21.99% owned by Qatar Investment Authority
Asda is owned by Wal-Mart, USA

And why do you drag Brexit into every topic? You seem to get very excercise about it and involve it in very topic of conversation.