Are Lidl/Aldi doomed once the recession is over?

Rucking_Fetard

Gia Salty Shade wrote: »

I spoke with a supplier of fruit to one of the German supermarkets (won't say wish one lest it identifies him) and he said he has planted a different variety to enable production at the prices the supermarket needs and the variety is much inferior to those he grows for elsewhere. I thought it interesting to hear from his side.

Yea, that's kinda similar to mine.

Their stuff is cheaper for a reason. Ya sorta need to think what could have been done to a product to hit that price point and whether you're happy to eat it.

NIMAN

ukoda wrote: »

isn't it SuperValu that claim the €80 savings in their new ad??

They are now, but I think Lidl or Aldi made that claim in their adverts of maybe a year or so ago.

Thespoofer

No

vibe666

is it any wonder tesco are doing so badly when they consistently pull stuff like this?

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Tesco+prepares+for+next+phase+of+price+drop...+by+hiking+prices.-a0284567681

http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/channels/supermarkets/tesco/more-prices-up-than-down-before-the-drop/226808.article

they've been caught several times hiking up prices before big price "drops" to make sure that they don't actually take any less money off you (and in most cases they take more).

they keep losing profits despite several incentives to get people back into their shops, and it doesn't look like it is going to change any time soon.

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2014/0416/609165-tesco-profit-annual/

dashcamdanny

those links are a bit of of date I think . March 2012

And to be completely honest.

They all raise prices and drop them again. Completely wrong, but I don't think that episode in 2012 is responsible for the drop in market share.

What i did find out from forums was very interesting.

One of the first things the new CEO did was to add huge money to payroll in some stores. And scrapping clubcard TV

893bet

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

Yea, that's kinda similar to mine.

Their stuff is cheaper for a reason. Ya sorta need to think what could have been done to a product to hit that price point and whether you're happy to eat it.

Not necessarily.

Higher price does not equal higher quality and visa verse.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

893bet wrote: »

Not necessarily.

Higher price does not equal higher quality and visa verse.

Well I can only go by what their suppliers have directly told me and for certain fruit and Bananas they are definitely getting what the suppliers themselves consider an inferior quality product.

I'm quite amazed how people are so local to any supermarket that they reject any criticism of them. More power to them, be they aldi or tesco, for having such a loyal customer base.

rubadub

Gia Salty Shade wrote: »

I spoke with a supplier of fruit to one of the German supermarkets (won't say wish one lest it identifies him) and he said he has planted a different variety to enable production at the prices the supermarket needs and the variety is much inferior to those he grows for elsewhere.

Where is "elsewhere" though, it could be tesco or could be fallon & byrne, or tesco finest and lidl bog standard (if they do have different ranges)

I know a guy in a newish small brewry who make beer for aldi and were also given a price point to match.

RoscommonTom

Today for example I did a shop in Lidl and some of the prices when I checked my receipt made me think I could have got them cheaper elsewhere.

Examples:
Blueberries €3.00
Broccoli €1.09
Cherry tomatoes €1.99
Refuse sacks €1.79[/quote]

You should of checked the price before you paid for them not only on the receipt, they might be dearer on a few things but cheaper on way more, aldis has great value on tools and the like, much better quality than other places for a lot of stuff, I got a suit there a few years back and it's as good as youd see in shops charging hunderts of euros.

dashcamdanny

RoscommonTom wrote: »

Today for example I did a shop in Lidl and some of the prices when I checked my receipt made me think I could have got them cheaper elsewhere.

Examples:
Blueberries €3.00
Broccoli €1.09
Cherry tomatoes €1.99
Refuse sacks €1.79

You should of checked the price before you paid for them not only on the receipt, they might be dearer on a few things but cheaper on way more, aldis has great value on tools and the like, much better quality than other places for a lot of stuff, I got a suit there a few years back and it's as good as youd see in shops charging hunderts of euros.

You are not being serious here I hope. An Aldi suit LOL.

Rucking_Fetard

dashcamdanny wrote: »

You are not being serious here I hope. An Aldi suit LOL.

Aldi snob

dashcamdanny

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

Aldi snob

A suit.. No. You would really turn out to a special occasion in an Aldi suit?

Dear god man. That's like going to Argos for an engagement ring.

Every man has his limit of frugal I guess.

wonski

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

I knew a producer for Aldi/Lidl/Tesco etc one time.

The profit margins from Aldi and Lidl were much smaller...very small. Producer didn't give a damn about quality going to them, if they complained they could f-off as they nearly weren't worth suppling.

Supplied them for years, was never a word.

Gia Salty Shade wrote: »

I spoke with a supplier of fruit to one of the German supermarkets (won't say wish one lest it identifies him) and he said he has planted a different variety to enable production at the prices the supermarket needs and the variety is much inferior to those he grows for elsewhere. I thought it interesting to hear from his side.

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

Yea, that's kinda similar to mine.

Their stuff is cheaper for a reason. Ya sorta need to think what could have been done to a product to hit that price point and whether you're happy to eat it.

Gia Salty Shade wrote: »

Well I can only go by what their suppliers have directly told me and for certain fruit and Bananas they are definitely getting what the suppliers themselves consider an inferior quality product.

I'm quite amazed how people are so local to any supermarket that they reject any criticism of them. More power to them, be they aldi or tesco, for having such a loyal customer base.

It is interesting reading so far:D

I had a chance to work for Tesco, Aldi, was close to Lidl and some suppliers who supplied most, if not all the supermarkets we have around here.

Planting a different, inferior variety? All buyers agree a variety before the product is ordered / delivered. There are some variations allowed but there is no way the supplier would get away with it for long.

Producer didn't give a damn about the quality? Not worth supplying?
Is he still in the business? I doubt he is. If he is - good luck to him.

Stuff is cheaper for a reason? Of course it is. Look at how many workers are walking around Tesco doing nothing really. Compare it with the german model - I am not a fan of this kind of model but it makes sense economically. Their succes is not at a quality expense, they just use their money wisely.

As for the meat - you can find out who makes the meat for whom easily. Look at the label;) I was told by beef eaters that Lidl's one is lovely.
Can't comment on this but if you compare it to the muck my local convenience store sells for €2-€3more - they must be right.

I just planted different variety of post here to get more thanks:D

Rucking_Fetard

wonski wrote: »

Producer didn't give a damn about the quality? Not worth supplying?
Is he still in the business? I doubt he is. If he is - good luck to him.

Yup, they are.

Was just thinking about it today aswell, the big ones all sent out Inspectors every now and then to check on the place, the visits were arranged in advance so they were Bullsh1t really, I'd have to check but I don't think the discounters ever came out.

wonski

Rucking_Fetard wrote: »

Yup, they are.

Was just thinking about it today aswell, the big ones all sent out Inspectors every now and then to check on the place, the visits were arranged in advance so they were Bullsh1t really, I'd have to check but I don't think the discounters ever came out.

The thing is that even if the producer doesn't care the buyer does.
There might be an unusual situation where the product itself is good enough for the customers and no complaints are made.

I do, however, remember the potato bags being ripped off;)
If 1 bag wasn't enough another one was ripped off again. Not a right size and quality would see the whole load sent back.

All depends on the type of product and customer's expectations. If the product doesn't meet the specs it goes back - this was the rule where I worked, and it was enforced on day-to-day basis.

Not sure what Inspectors you are talking about, though.

vibe666

dashcamdanny wrote: »

You are not being serious here I hope. An Aldi suit LOL.

I got one in the Tesco Value section, a lovely blue and white stripey number! :pac:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

wonski wrote: »

It is interesting reading so far:D

I had a chance to work for Tesco, Aldi, was close to Lidl and some suppliers who supplied most, if not all the supermarkets we have around here.

Planting a different, inferior variety? All buyers agree a variety before the product is ordered / delivered. There are some variations allowed but there is no way the supplier would get away with it for long.

Producer didn't give a damn about the quality? Not worth supplying?
Is he still in the business? I doubt he is. If he is - good luck to him.

Stuff is cheaper for a reason? Of course it is. Look at how many workers are walking around Tesco doing nothing really. Compare it with the german model - I am not a fan of this kind of model but it makes sense economically. Their succes is not at a quality expense, they just use their money wisely.

As for the meat - you can find out who makes the meat for whom easily. Look at the label;) I was told by beef eaters that Lidl's one is lovely.
Can't comment on this but if you compare it to the muck my local convenience store sells for €2-€3more - they must be right.

I just planted different variety of post here to get more thanks:D

Look, personally I couldn't care less which supermarket has what variety of what product or whether people shop in one supermarket or another. So I can only post based on what 2 separate producers of fruit for one of the German companies told me only in the past week. And that was that one planted an inferior variety (his words) to meet the price restraints of the shop. It probably is an agreed variety but an inferior variety nonetheless. The otherr person is CEO of a large company that imports a fruit from a different country to their normal product, which is not as fine a product as their usual standard and goes on the shelf without any brand name.
You can defend the stores all you like - I'll shop where I like regardless - but please at least accept that this is the view from sone of the fruit suppliers themselves, irrespective of your theories.

wonski

Gia Salty Shade wrote: »

Look, personally I couldn't care less which supermarket has what variety of what product or whether people shop in one supermarket or another. So I can only post based on what 2 separate producers of fruit for one of the German companies told me only in the past week. And that was that one planted an inferior variety (his words) to meet the price restraints of the shop. It probably is an agreed variety but an inferior variety nonetheless. The otherr person is CEO of a large company that imports a fruit from a different country to their normal product, which is not as fine a product as their usual standard and goes on the shelf without any brand name.
You can defend the stores all you like - I'll shop where I like regardless - but please at least accept that this is the view from sone of the fruit suppliers themselves, irrespective of your theories.

To be honest I find all fruits in all supermarkets on the same level really, that's why I am surprised to hear it.
When it comes to Bananas - they are all the same imo. Maybe my taste is too simple to notice little things.

Somehow You find lot of people here saying their quality is very good, so they must be doing something right.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

wonski wrote: »

To be honest I find all fruits in all supermarkets on the same level really, that's why I am surprised to hear it.
When it comes to Bananas - they are all the same imo. Maybe my taste is too simple to notice little things.

Somehow You find lot of people here saying their quality is very good, so they must be doing something right.

I'm sure it's all a matter of personal tastes. For example, I just don't like the texture of Chiquita bananas while I love Fyffes bananas.
There will always be a sufficient cohort whose tastes prefer one brand or variety over another - otherwise we'd end up with just one brand of everything.

rubadub

dashcamdanny wrote: »

You are not being serious here I hope. An Aldi suit LOL.

I would think it believable that the same factory making aldi suits also make suits on sale in other shops for much higher prices. Do you not believe this could be possible? Or are you simply sneering at the thought of someone wearing a suit from aldi.

wonski wrote: »

To be honest I find all fruits in all supermarkets on the same level really, that's why I am surprised to hear it.

I find lidl fruit to be a lot better than tesco. Esp. oranges, in tesco its like biting into a sponge of water.

wonski wrote: »

Somehow You find lot of people here saying their quality is very good, so they must be doing something right

An "inferior variety" could still be extremely good quality. As I said before we were not told where the grower usually supplies to. So a butchers supplying shanahans restaurant may also have an "inferior" fillet steak, which is still amazing quality. And a fruit supplier to fallon & byrnes inferior products could still be well above average.

RoadhouseBlues

Its mostly apples I get in Aldi. I find them grand, but I don't think I would be able to tell the difference anyway. I think someone said on this thread earlier that the chicken kievs were horrible. I just tried them today:-). I wouldn't go as far as to say they were horrible.. But if I'm honest, I wasn't gone on them. However. That being said. It won't stop me from doing my shopping there as usual. I normally wouldn't buy chicken kiev anyway. So I'm no expert:-):-)

RoscommonTom

There white bread is mighty and only 79 cent and the mcgraths tea they have is from the same factory as the Lyons tea, the only thing im not gone in is the beans,

dashcamdanny

RoscommonTom wrote: »

There white bread is mighty and only 79 cent and the mcgraths tea they have is from the same factory as the Lyons tea, the only thing im not gone in is the beans,

All the supermarkets sell decent cheap bread. Cheaper as well.

NIMAN

I found the McGraths tea poor, bought a box once, and ended up throwing them to the back of the cupboard after a handful of cups.

foggy_lad

RoscommonTom wrote: »

There white bread is mighty and only 79 cent and the mcgraths tea they have is from the same factory as the Lyons tea, the only thing im not gone in is the beans,

Aldi have two types of beans, the ones in the white tin @ 22cent are the same as the tesco cheap beans but the other ones "coral" branded are lovely and as good as any of the main branded beans yet only 37cent.

RoscommonTom

dashcamdanny wrote: »

All the supermarkets sell decent cheap bread. Cheaper as well.

Tescos is not half as nice as aldis though

RoscommonTom

foggy_lad wrote: »

Aldi have two types of beans, the ones in the white tin @ 22cent are the same as the tesco cheap beans but the other ones "coral" branded are lovely and as good as any of the main branded beans yet only 37cent.

Thanks I'll have to give them a try

vibe666

Looks like someone in Tesco can't add up.

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/5860082?1411388192&utm_hp_ref=uk

dashcamdanny

vibe666 wrote: »

Looks like someone in Tesco can't add up.

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/5860082?1411388192&utm_hp_ref=uk

Looks like the the said people will have plenty of time behind bars to relearn . :pac:

vibe666

dashcamdanny wrote: »

Looks like the the said people will have plenty of time behind bars to relearn . :pac:

unless they're in ireland, in which case they're likely to get a golden handshake and a pat on the back. :pac: