Is Dunnes gone very expensive?

Augeo wrote: »

No insult meant, I don't tend to buy processed, packaged stuff so I'm not aware of what stuff isn't available in own brand.

Also, I've never done a grocery shop in Dunnes, I can tell you though, stick to the own brands and it's 15% more expensive then Aldi or Lidl.

It's marketed as a slightly more premium supermarket as it's full of branded items, well staffed and the actual stores are in better locations more often than not. Dunnes are undoubtedly more premium than Aldi or Lidl.

Again, I don't shop in Dunnes, there's none near me. I'd wander into one a few times a year.

All of the various shops carry loss making items.

Jut because something is marketed as more "premium" doesn't mean it is. I mean, Starbucks can market their b*stardised coffee/ ice/ toffee/ cream concoctions as "premium" and charge a fiver for them - doesn't mean they beat the coffee in my Dad's percolator Branded items - you're paying for just that - the brand. Was it Fig Rolls where it came to light a few years ago that basically they were all made in the same place except at the end of the production line, the branded ones went one direction to be scored with two lines on the top and the generics went the other way

I agree the store might be better staffed in Dunnes, but it doesn't really help you get through any quicker when the (albeit full compliment of ) cashiers sit there nattering to their customers and encouraging them to go running off down the aisles again to grab something else so they can use a voucher :pac:

zell12 wrote: »

So ye ate more Aldi stuff because it is nicer and better quality?

My guess is the use by dates aren't as long?

I can’t understand how people are shopping in this environment and spending so little. We have two adults, two young kids in the house and it is easily 200+ a week. Everyone is eating all meals at home, previously that would have been some breakfast and dinners. I’m not buying anything outrageous and it excludes alcohol as I get that in O’Briens. Meat is included. Prior to this my husband and I would have eaten lunch at work so around €40 a week each. That is now obviously gone.

zell12 wrote: »

That is nuts, you could reduce that to e20pppw = e80 weekly shop
including household stuff. Just shop own brand items only.

I’m not sure how I could. I don’t buy prepared food or anything like that. Fruit alone is around 25-30€

Augeo wrote: »

You must buy lots of branded stuff?

Me? I don’t but I still don’t understand how a non vegetarian family can eat for so little. I just added meat and fruit up on my receipt and it’s close to €70

zell12 wrote: »

Bananas, Apples, Pears, Cucumber 99c each https://www.aldi.ie/c/groceries/super-6
Tinned pineapples, pears, strawberries...

I think meal planning around offers is where I could really improve

starbaby2003 wrote: »

I can’t understand how people are shopping in this environment and spending so little. We have two adults, two young kids in the house and it is easily 200+ a week. Everyone is eating all meals at home, previously that would have been some breakfast and dinners. I’m not buying anything outrageous and it excludes alcohol as I get that in O’Briens. Meat is included. Prior to this my husband and I would have eaten lunch at work so around €40 a week each. That is now obviously gone.

I'm the same as you.... Before this my shop would be around €100-€110 per week, then the value voucher would bring it down by €20.

The last 3 shops I've done are averaging close to €200 a week.

I don't think there's as many special offers in store and while I may have only bought one offer in the weekly wonders it was often something expensive half price that I'd buy a few of e.g. Cereals

I'm buying alot more bread and cold meats for lunches now though.

Fann Linn wrote: »

Don't mind me asking but do you use a list or just fling items into the trolley? I've found that if you prepare a list before you leave the house after checking your presses and fridge etc that you can have more control over your purchases.

Don't work from a list but buy same stuff each week.... I wouldn't do a top up shop.

We go through 5x2.75 litres of milk per week so that's 12 euro alone... I buy all my meat in dunnes, so if I get a joint of pork that's about 8 euro alone, sometimes I might get duck or salmon... Other than that meat is about 4 euro a night so that's 28 euro... So meat and milk alone we're up to 40 - 44 euro.

After that it depends what we need or is on offer. If breakfast cereals are on offer I will stock up... Weetabix and cheerios are expensive full price.

Usually the rest of the shop would come to another 50.... I would pretty much try to keep it to the 100 a week, some weeks that includes nappies so the "pantry" won't be replenished that week.

Since lockdown has happened I'm spending an extra tenner on bread 20 on cold meats... I'll be honest and say last couple of shops I've bought more meat than usual so there's enough meat there if we have to isolate... Only one drawer full nothing crazy...its only a 3 drawer freezer, other drawer has croquettes and roasties, top drawer dunnes litre tub of ice-cream, a few tangle twisters and ice cubes

Augeo wrote: »

An extra tenner on bread a week & an extra 20 on cold meat? That's a decent lash of sandwiches. Sliced pan worth of sandwiches a day extra? Cold meats can be very expensive though.

Salmon is quite an expensive source of protein.... Aldi have very decent fresh salmon fillets. Tesco have some woeful stuff that's cheap but it helps as Aldi & Lidl are forced to keep their price down on salmon to remain competitive.

If I was spending lots on weetabix & cheerios I'd definitely chance an ownbrand product. Especially if kids are lashing sugar onto them anyway

I'd definitely buy meat offers & get the freezer more in use if you wanted to reduce the spends a bit.

I wouldn't be a big sandwich eater, but now he's working from home the kids want what daddy is having, so a pack of cold meat like chicken will go in a day, so before a sliced pan would have lasted a week, now we're going through sliced pan, brown soda bread x2 for the salmon and bagels x2 for a break from sliced pan

I used to get my meat from the local butchers until I realised the chicken came from Holland, so now I stick to the more expensive Irish farmed chicken in dunnes.

Weetabix is for me, not a hope am I going for own brand

Truckermal wrote: »

Dunnes vouchers gone back to ten day's I got caught last week so it's Lidl and Supervalu to top up from now on..

Yes I got caught out too. Cost me €30. They could have let customers know.

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

Yes I got caught out too. Cost me €30. They could have let customers know.

It's literally printed on the voucher...