Cheaper brand food, what are the hidden gems?

Aldi for Irish mature cheddar, their Vive cola is decent. Chocolate in Aldi is too fcukin nice!

Lidl for pet food, milk, biscuits and the bakery. Mr Bubo is addicted to the donuts there.

I do the bulk of my grocery shopping in both, and drop into Tesco (oh la-di-dah, I'm so posh) for things they don't stock.

I'd say it would be better to post supermarket brand products that are a lot worse than the brands.

Tesco 23c can of baked beans is terrible. Mostly the bitter sauce, few beans.

Some of the supermarket own brand jaffa cakes are like crumbly cardboard.

Some of the bargain family packs of ham slices are woeful, not sure how.

Own brand cornflakes and rice krispies are usually awful. Only kellogs in my house

corner of hells wrote: »

My sister in law said that she would never shop in LIDL or ALDI because is her own words "its a shop for poor people ", at the height of the last recession, even when her husband was unemployed.
Her own father , a tough ol' townie laughed at her asking if her shiite smelled of roses too.

Well she didn't lick it from a stone so where'd she get it?

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Cans of Rheinbacher in Aldi, it's like 4.40 for 4 and it's delicious

Christ Ireland is such a ripoff.
In Amsterdam, a 6pack of Lander Brau pils is 2.59 and it's delicious.


Anyway back on topic I find Spar own brand milk to be quite delicious but then I'm a big milk-afficionado. Drink about 2 pints a day. Why would you pay twice the price for Avonmore just to fund their advertising?

A former friend of mine would never shop in Lidl or Aldi, she used to scoff at them as being for poor people. This woman was on the dole!
Her mother brought her to Lidl once and she was at pains to establish that she was only going in for the plants.
I go to both. Aldi alcohol free IPA is excellent and I like the bakery section in Lidl. I occasionally come out with an axe or paint too.

The sourdough pizza bases in Aldi. 2.99 for 2, they are 3.99 in Tesco. They're fab.

Why are Lidl red grapes so poor? Whenever I buy them they are going off and some are going mouldy. Never buy them there anymore.

The Indian coffee in the yellow packet in Lidl is unbelievably nice. However, it's slowly dwindled in supply over the past few month and now it is impossible to find.

I used to love that one but my taste buds changed. It's a bit lighter than the Indian one mentioned above. I'll be moving back to it if they don't restock it.

Tesco own brand Fruit pastilles, Wine Gums, and jelly babies are all better than their own brand equivalents

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

To play devil's advocate here...

Is there not a point to make here that there is inevitably a difference in quality and you get what you pay for?

Isn't it just a fact that the quality of items in Supervalu, for example, is going to be better than that in Aldi/Lidl?

It can't all be just as good. Goods are cheaper in value stores for a reason, make no mistake.

I see some saying some things might taste nicer but isn't that in a "needs more dog" type of way to quote the Simpsons? Even for those things it must be balanced with quality assurance, cheaper ingredients, mice in the kitchen etc...?

You pay to have the choice of 10 different brands of products very "just Aldi brand"
It takes up space to store Inventory and simply to manage that extra complexity but gives you choice. The German supermarkets cut costs by offering just one product.

It takes time and effort to ensure your "normal" supermarket looks beautiful and products on the shelves are always tidy and nest - Vs talking what feels like taking the cardboard box from the lorry straight to the shelves. You pay for that tidiness.

Count how many staff are working at any given time in Aldi/Lidl Vs in other supermarkets. €€€€

Brands use advertising so we pay more. You really think it costs that much more to produce Duck branded toilet cleaner than the Aldi version? Or is it the impact of advertising that lets you sell one very very similar product at a huge markup on the other resulting in more profits.

Your paying for luxury and choice in other shops whereas LIDL and ALDIs entire business model is focused on hyper efficiency to turn a profit.
Just down to the smallest things like having multiple barcodes on products simply to help the staff scan faster.

So you are correct to think that they need to cut costs elsewhere, it's just that they focus on cutting costs by increasing efficiency of everything primarily, rather than quality as you suggest.

Graces7 wrote: »

Interesting as I used to think that re Supervalu and elsewhere almost never used it.
So when I became island/housebound and the only supermarket who delivered out here was Supervalu... Heartsink. Where I lived before they called it Superbadvalu

But they have changed and are totally grand. Have a look at their online shopping page? A wide range including their own basic items and top brands. supervalu.shopping.ie
And at very easy prices.

Although I need to say that I eat very simply and basically. And economically.

Maybe it is different at different shops? I am delighted and happy with the one here. Just occasionally there is something they do not stock.

Thinking of the one in Dingle town! "the emporium!" WOW!

The one here is excellent. I email a list every 2 weeks. The one thing I miss is ice cream as it would be in transit too long and getting a coolbag back and forth.. Not had ice cream for 2 years...I keep meaning to train a seagull.... Would love a Magnum occasionally.

Yeah I agree. I don't think they are as expensive as people think they are. I do spend more money when I go there but it's more as a function of having a good selection. Their own brand stuff is very good.

I don't like M &S as it's mostly ready made stuff. Nice for hummus and a few bits but wouldn't do a full shop there. Not mad about eating UK beef either so would prefer Supervalu lidl for that reason.