Aldi

BreeVdK

Ok, so I've left Tesco and Dunnes for what I see is rip-off station. I shopped in Lidl last week and I definitely saved but I find it hard to do a full shop e.g. no Laughing Cow, Mi Wadi and stuff like that. Anyhow, I said I'd try Aldi this week and I was totally addled after about 10 minutes. No.1 problem is that the stock was all over the place. Fair play to Tesco and Dunnes who can lay out their shops nicely, but my head is wrecked trying to take in all the products stuck together e.g. condoms near the food products??! No. 2 was the 20 customers at the checkout with one checkout being operated even though there was management parading around looking at stock etc and No. 3 and this goes for Lidl too, the silence in the shop, I can hear my own thoughts! Could they not invest in some crappy supermarket music or something??!!!! Headed off to Lidl after I bought a few things and did the rest of my shopping there.

castie

Shop cheap...expect cheap treatment and services.

Ciaran500

You get what you pay for, if you want to shop in the cheapest supermarket you're going to have to accept that service. Think of them as the Ryanair of supermarkets.

Anti

Its like that so they can save money.

zero19

I love Lidl and Aldi myself, great food in those places

foggy_lad

no laughing cow and mi-wadi?? i'm very sure that both aldi and lidl have similar products although probably at a fraction of the cost!

HungryJoey

foggy_lad wrote: »

no laughing cow and mi-wadi?? i'm very sure that both aldi and lidl have similar products although probably at a fraction of the cost!

A probably re-named a cheesey alternative such as my-waddy or cheerful cow.

Nothing wrong with lidl or aldi, once you get your head around their budget store layouts.

ongarite

Can't fault Aldi or Lidl IMO. The layout is fine, once you familiarize yourself with them. Super cheap and great household cleaning products, cheese, juices, prawns, chocolate, biscuits, popcorn.

Corruptedmorals

Actually, there's no music in Dunnes at the moment. Why don't you stick to a combination of Tesco/Dunnes and Lidl/Aldi?

berliner

The Brocli in Lidl is half the price it is in Tesco and Dunnes.We're paying a high price for the "music and service " in those stores.Lidl and aldi are superb.

craichoe

Buy and mp3 player and listen to some music.

MarkR

I always do the main shop in aldi, and anything that I absolutely need that they don't have that I need (baby food etc) go to dunnes for.

Mollywolly

Aldi is great once you get used to the cheap and cheerful layout of the shop. I find their cereals, bread, juice and fruit and veg brilliant at sometimes less than half the price of the usual suspects. I do my main shop there and for the odd thing I can't get I use Tesco/Dunnes. Like someone else said, they keep their shops basic so that we get the benefit, ie cheap products. Where's the harm in that?

mikemac

Why don't Lidl have baskets? Do Aldi?
I've been in a few stores and it's trollies or nothing.

Some people don't buy that much and some people can't fit a lot of shopping on a moped

Dunno, I wish they had baskets but all stores are like this. Trollies are just awkward if you're picking up 5 or 6 items

BreeVdK wrote: »

Could they not invest in some crappy supermarket music or something??!!!! e

Probably have to pay for a broadcast licence and they'll do anything to save money.

I'm surprised that people would give out about having to use their eyes, to figure out the layout of a shop the size of Aldi or Lidl.

Ciaran500

micmclo wrote: »

Why don't Lidl have baskets? Do Aldi?
I've been in a few stores and it's trollies or nothing.

People buy more with trolleys.

Ste.phen

Also their products are usually stocked on the shelf in small cardboard boxes which people use in place of baskets.

Terrontress

The dilute drinks in Lidl are really good. Mi Wadi is chemical nonsense. This stuff is called "whole juice" or something like that. It's as cheap as you'd expect in Lidl, has high fruit content and doesn't need alot of dilution.

As per the music. I know of a chain of three prominent Dublin pubs, which always promoted live music by young bands, that have been forced out of business by IMRO in relation to money they wanted for them having been playing recorded music.

Also, IMRO were on the front page of Metro recently threatening to shut down the Electric Picnic for something similar.

I'd be happy if the whole of Ireland got together for a week and didn't play any background music anywhere just to teach those people at IMRO a lesson. It mustn't be cheap to play the music. I'd say if Lidl started playing background music, IMRO would have a go at shutting them down too.

ruprect

I went drinking in the field last week, fecking disgraceful, no music, no toilets, no women, no seats, warm beer.

Saved a few quid alright, but never again, back to my local in future.

I wear earphones in tesco to drown out the crap music, and it sickens me to think my goods cost more because a portion is going towards that music.

Musha

Happy Cow in Aldi Their blackcurrant high juice is far better than tesco/dunnes. I have resorted to tesco online at the minute due to broken ankle but i'll be back to Aldi in a couple of weeks

Can get the full shop in there for €30 cheaper than TUS and more junk cannot resist the sweet cake selection.

foggy_lad

Aldi and Lidl are better by far than the others and if people are that pampered they need to shop in tesco's for the piped advertising and the stalls pushing bits of cooked sausage on you to get more money out of you then they should stick to the dearer stores!

i have always found Aldi and Lidl easy to get around and well stocked except in the evenings but they also have wider aisles and there is less of that crap that people buy simple because it is there so the weekly shopping is at least 30% cheaper! also getting through the till with the shopping is so quick and easy when you don't have someone packing your shopping for you and there are no credit cards or cheques to be checked out so the whole operation is much smoother and less stressful than tiresome tesco's!

jor el

I can't recall if Tesco play music anymore. I can't say it's something that would bring me in. Also, every Tesco and Dunnes has a different layout, where as Lidl and Aldi both have practically the same layout in every singe store. Once you know where things are, it's the same in all their other stores, which is very handy.

The reason for no baskets, is that both stores official policy is: no bagging at the checkout. It runs quicker if you just bung everything into the trolley and bag elsewhere. Baskets, or people (like me) who just use the bag, can slow things down. I do agree with the OP on queues and lack of open tills, that's often the case, in both chains, and in any of their stores.

LOL@Cheerful Cow!

raido9

Completely disagree with OP.

Ok it takes you one visit to get used to where everything is, after that its good food, at a fraction of the price.

Keep up the good work Aldi

snubbleste

Aldi & Lidl are a godsend, if it were'nt for their presence we'd be paying even higher grocery prices since the four major chains all match (not compete) on prices.
At least the OP acknowledges that they definitely saved money in shopping at Aldi.

ScouseMouse

Äre you aware that to play music, you need TWO different licences.

They are hard discounters and strip out anything that costs them money.

For more information look up PPI and IMRO

I know, I have had one in my shop already and am getting pain in the ass letters from the other.

Gazza22

They have the Ryanair philosophy, no frills, cheap prices...

You have to accept the negatives of shopping there e.g untidy environement, afterall the prices are so low!

DéiseGirl

I really like both Aldi and Lidl and I'd say a LOT more people will be shopping with them in the coming months. Out of the two I think Aldi have better quality product but the nearest branch is a 20 minute drive away whereas there is a Lidl around the corner from me so I tend to do most of my shopping in Lidl, then stockpile things that I like from Aldi every six weeks or so. Do a shop in Dunnes or Tesco maybe once a month for things that Lidl/Aldi don't stock. Not to mention the bi-annual trip oop North to Sainsburys. I spend way too much time grocery shopping

MOH

Gazza22 wrote: »

They have the Ryanair philosophy, no frills, cheap prices...

You have to accept the negatives of shopping there e.g untidy environement, afterall the prices are so low!

Last time I was in a Tesco the place was a disgrace,I've never seen a Lidl/Aldi that untidy.

foggy_lad

Gazza22 wrote: »

They have the Ryanair philosophy, no frills, cheap prices...

You have to accept the negatives of shopping there e.g untidy environement, afterall the prices are so low!

any time i've been to tesco's in carlow it has been like a disaster area! crates boxes trolleys and pallets lift lying around all over the shop.

in aldi and lidl they use the large cardboard pallet frames for putting other boxes etc into and these are very easy to get by with your trolley! also they are far tidyier than tesco's or super value or even superquin which i thought was quite dirty considering their reputation.

inforfun

3 reasons why i prefer Aldi/Lidl over Dunnes/tesco and the likes

1. Price
2. Assortment. No endless amounts of ham and turkey only. Aldi and Lidl actually have stuff i like to put on my bread!
3. No Music. Brilliant!!

BreeVdK

Ok, ok, I agree with the fact I'd prefer cheaper products and no music to inflated prices to pay for the music. I guess it just takes a bit of getting used to and I refuse to go back to Dunnes/Tesco. I know the standard of products in Aldi/Lidl are just as good if not sometimes better than the aforementioned so I'm all for them.

snubbleste

Saw this today in a UK newspaper, where ASDA and Tesco are about to start price war on the basics:

Paul Foley, Aldi UK managing director, said: “For those who need a store with piped music, a choice of 42 yoghurts and who can’t pack their own shopping bag, then perhaps Aldi’s not for them. But for those who want a guaranteed quality at low prices, then the current economic climate simply makes Aldi an even more obvious choice.”

taram

I also love the fact there's no music! Nothing depresses me like Eye of the Tiger blaring at 8am.

I'm probably biased from living in Germany for some summers, so used to the layout of the stores. Lots of items are of better quality than Tesco, especially things like yoghurts/cheese, none of the sweetners and weird bean gums and preservativies that are in the same priced Tesco value stuff. Also Lidl/Aldi are great marking things suitable for vegetarians, and on the carnivore side, a lot of their sausages contain more pork than tesco/dennys/etc.

tippbhoy

Buy cheap, get cheap. simple as really.

It costs extra to pay people to stack shelves and they don't bother. works for them and plenty others.They also don't take credit cards because they won't pay the commission etc etc.

I must point out the fact that we shoot ourselves in the foot by not buying Irish and keeping jobs elsewhere. Such is globalisation I guess :rolleyes:

Aquos76

tippbhoy wrote: »

I must point out the fact that we shoot ourselves in the foot by not buying Irish and keeping jobs elsewhere. Such is globalisation I guess :rolleyes:

Swings and roundabouts. Irish prices too high....

old boy

know a gal, sayes shes a buyer for aldi , recons the stuff is the sames as dunnes, only diff packing

tippbhoy

Aquos76 wrote: »

Swings and roundabouts. Irish prices too high....

I agree, but at 4/5% inflation for the decade that's what you get

Mollywolly

As for tippbhoy's comment about not buying Irish, I've just been to Aldi today and a lot of their fruit and veg is irish, so are the rashers, sausage (premium ones are yummy and just as good as Superquinn's!), chicken, ham, etc.....need I go on?

snubbleste

old boy wrote: »

know a gal, sayes shes a buyer for aldi , recons the stuff is the sames as dunnes, only diff packing

You mean they are the exact same product? Or made by the same factory?
The half-coated chocolate biscuits in Aldi & Lidl for 60c are made by McVities.

run_Forrest_run

only started going to Aldi/Lidl recently because I'm sick of the rip off in Dunnes & Tesco, in the past few months I've seen a 20% rise in our shopping bills so I'm hoping the lads from Germany will help me cut costs.

As someone already said here, Aldi/Lidl have the same layout across the whole store which is great (once I get used to it!), I HATE the way Tesco constantly change their layout, especially in Mahon Point:mad:

Toto Wolfcastle

MOH wrote: »

Last time I was in a Tesco the place was a disgrace,I've never seen a Lidl/Aldi that untidy.

I lived next to an Aldi until recently and only went in twice in a year because it was so untidy and all over the place.

Having said that, the Dunnes next to it was not just untidy, but filthy.

I shopped in neither place.

Trx

Aldi s Product even have similar packaging...

These are known in the trade as Looki Likeys !!!
I cod you not !!!

jimmycrackcorm

I'm depressed now - I didn't realise that Aldi didn't have music. Now I'll miss it when I go.

doctor evil

Do aldi/lidl give farmers a fair deal?

Don't mind the two, was weird listening to Don Maclean while doing a late shop in Superquinn.

Shelflife

Most of aldi /lidls product is imported and alot of their "Irish" produce is from the north -- which before the nationalists jump on me -- is a seperate state for tax and employment and therefore is an import.

we may well reap what we sow if we continue down the discounter route, we may well have cheap products but no jobs.

DO0GLE

Having music in store equals IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) demanding and being entitled to fees from that store. This goes for every pub, shop, restaurant, etc

No music means cheaper operating costs.

Also, the more checkouts that are open, the more employees they have to pay.

calex71

Out of interest does anyone know what kind figure IMRO would be be looking for from Aldi if they played music in the store?

bmaxi

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I'm depressed now - I didn't realise that Aldi didn't have music. Now I'll miss it when I go.

All the more reason to shop there. At least you won't have to listen to "Jingle Bells" for the next three months.:(

Corruptedmorals

Well they could play unlicensed awful free music that no-one's ever heard before, Dunnes and Tesco played it for a few months, Dunnes is back to the normal licensed stuff, dunno if Tesco is. It can't be THAT expensive if tiny little shops can play it.

wmpdd3

IMRO used to base thier costs on the capacity of the premises ie a pub probably same for a shop.