Aldi and Lidl

meeeeh

April O Neill wrote: »

To not have my groceries fired at me? Seriously, there's no middle ground between this and BT? Really?

Hehe. I don't go to Dunnes because people working at cashiers and half of their customers are so slow. You are easily stuck in line for twenty minutes. Tesco is a little bit better. I love speedy cashiers in Aldi and I almost always manage to pack into the bag at the cashier, I really don't understand why people complain about them.

true

I got a garment in lidl once for painting in, it was total c**p, the zip broke on it first time it was used. Got a mak and snorkel and it leaked. A neighbour got a few odds and ends and sometimes they are ok, but I'm reminded of the old adage: "buy cheap, buy twice"

M three

Chop Chop wrote: »

One thing I will say is that the bread is shíte. Definitely brennans leftover loafs, It's practically stale when you buy it. I never buy bread out of Aldi.

You are talking through your hole.
I buy the brown soda bread in there all the time - the 2 brands they stock are great. They do great pitta bread and bagels too.

ScumLord

April O Neill wrote: »

To not have my groceries fired at me? Seriously, there's no middle ground between this and BT? Really?

I love Lidl and Aldis way. When I'm shopping I'm on a mission and time is critical. I like the speed, they fire it through I move it into shopping trolley arranging stuff by weight for repack at the bench. It's like a game.

seenitall

Yup, I could have written your post. I find that shopping there is so quick compared to Dunnes, it's practically enjoyable!

Of the two German retailers, I prefer Lidl because I generally find their discount, middle isle stuff more appealing, and the layout of my local Lidl is so... cosy somehow. Plus it never seems to be crowded in there no matter what time of day I go in.

I once bought a 2-euro bottle of wine in Lidl, drank it, and successfully survived.

Links234

Hell of a bump there, but I love Aldi and Lidl

fleet_admiral

Links234 wrote: »

Hell of a bump there, but I love Aldi and Lidl

Im steadily shifting all of my shopping to them. I still get all of my meat in SV but im tempted to try adld meat

ben.schlomo

Lidl fresh Pretzels, that is all.

ScumLord

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I once bought a 2-euro bottle of wine in Lidl, drank it, and successfully survived.

Me too, had to send a night in hospital though. Them staff can give a fair old beating when you just walk in and start drinking the alcohol off the shelf.

Links234

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Im steadily shifting all of my shopping to them. I still get all of my meat in SV but im tempted to try adld meat

The meat in both is grand, though I often prefer the diced beef in Lidl, but either way it's great.

dubscottie

I don't talk to anyone about buying stuff anymore as you always get the "why do you go to xxx when Lidl/Aldi has it for €xxx"..

Feck off.. Its my money and I am not going to use it to by crap.

As for it "being like brands but cheaper"... There is a reason for that. As explained on the many progs about food on Channel 4 and BBC2..

Whats left on the floor goes to Lidl/Aldi.

I went into one once. Walked out when I saw the state of the place.. Tesco's can be manky but this Lidl was something else.. I am amazed the environmental health have not shut some of these shops down.

ScumLord

dubscottie wrote: »

Whats left on the floor goes to Lidl/Aldi.

That's nonsense. The show I saw on channel 4 the factory was in the UK and selling food to Tescos and M&S as premium food. They had terrible standards across the board and took advantage of employees.

Lidl and Aldis food is coming from either Ireland (which I believe has some of the highest food standards in the world) or continental Europe. I wouldn't say their food is any better or worse than any other shop, it's a matter of preference and budget.

ScumLord

ScumLord wrote: »

Lidl and Aldis food is coming from either Ireland (which I believe has some of the highest food standards in the world) or continental Europe. I wouldn't say their food is any better or worse than any other shop, it's a matter of preference and budget.

Actually, it is precisely because of your first sentance that I think Lidl's fresh vegetables are far-ahead of Tesco and the convenience stores.

Tesco's vegetables are brutal. Lidl and Aldi began their lives as high-quality fresh-food retailers, as far as I know, and it is a standard to which Lidl retains considerable loyalty.

I have frequently bought fresh food from Tesco and the convenience stores that was not just bad quality, it was clearly expired.

dubscottie

ScumLord wrote: »

That's nonsense. The show I saw on channel 4 the factory was in the UK and selling food to Tescos and M&S as premium food. They had terrible standards across the board and took advantage of employees.

Lidl and Aldis food is coming from either Ireland (which I believe has some of the highest food standards in the world) or continental Europe. I wouldn't say their food is any better or worse than any other shop, it's a matter of preference and budget.

That was about sandwiches.. Jimmy's food factory on CH4 was the best..(might still be on 4OD) Explained what goes into the same product for different retailers.. There is a BIG BIG difference.

As for fresh veg.. Most of the root veg that comes from the UK/Ireland is in storage for long periods.. The growing season is so short here.

The term "fresh", as with alot of other terms used in Ireland for food would be illegal under the Trade Descriptions Act in the UK.

You can always tell with potatoes as the flesh is white with fresh ones and a yellow colour with ones that have been in storage.

donegaLroad

I remember when Lidl had cheese on sale with a tricolour across the front of the whole package and the words 'Irish Cheese' in large lettering. Out of curiosity I looked on the back to see where it had been made, according to the label it had been made in Essex.

monkeysnapper

I've found as much as I do a lot of my shopping in aldi you still need to keep an eye for bargains in Supervalu , especially meat wise

Missyelliot2

I live near both an Aldi and Tesco. I prefer Tesco for fruit (which is scary- but the Aldi fruit doesn't last very long), but since our local butcher has closed, due to it's quality, I buy most meat in Aldi. Aldi are also great for other products that aren't bought weekly ie pasta/flour/nuts etc.

But I always end up back at Tesco for milk, Dairygold, Bisto etc.....(I must sound 100 years old, but I have tried the Aldi equivalents)

freshpopcorn

I've a relative who works with a pest control company. He does lots of supermarkets/shops and he always says Aldi/Lidl have very high standards. He's also been told this by their suppliers.

dubscottie

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I've a relative who works with a pest control company. He does lots of supermarkets/shops and he always says Aldi/Lidl have very high standards. He's also been told this by their suppliers.

You don't need pests to be an environmental health hazard... I picked up one of the blue plastic baskets.. There was a thick layer (3-4 mm) of "muck" in the bottom.

Now that could be soil from the plants,veg they sell, juices from raw meat etc all mixed together.. And they have high standards..

Not to mention the fact that raw meat seems to get mixed with cooked etc on the shelves.

freshpopcorn

dubscottie wrote: »

You don't need pests to be an environmental health hazard...

I know, this man has seen the store rooms, delivery areas, attics,etc of supermarkets and he said the Aldi and Lidl are far superior to others. You must have caught Lidl on a bad day.

munchkin_utd

donegaLroad wrote: »

I remember when Lidl had cheese on sale with a tricolour across the front of the whole package and the words 'Irish Cheese' in large lettering. Out of curiosity I looked on the back to see where it had been made, according to the label it had been made in Essex.

The labels says where it was packed, not where it was made.

Kerrygold has a packing plant in England and also in Germany and with newer packing developments you'll even see them use contractors in Belgium or France which then leads to a Belgian or French packing plant code

freshpopcorn

dubscottie wrote: »

You don't need pests to be an environmental health hazard... I picked up one of the blue plastic baskets.. There was a thick layer (3-4 mm) of "muck" in the bottom.

Now that could be soil from the plants,veg they sell, juices from raw meat etc all mixed together.. And they have high standards..

Not to mention the fact that raw meat seems to get mixed with cooked etc on the shelves.

You extended your post since I first replied.
I worked in a Tesco for work experience in the store room. Meat was left out for the day. Frozen stuff was left to thaw before being refrozen. When the deliveries came in everything was mixed together. Washing powder, fire lighters, baby food, biscuits. The list is endless. There were also cats running around the store room not to mention the delivery man who told me about the rats in with the loose fruit and veg.
So what I'm saying is no where is perfect. Just from my experience Lidl is far cleaner than Tesco.

dubscottie

freshpopcorn wrote: »

You extended your post since I first replied.
I worked in a Tesco for work experience in the store room. Meat was left out for the day. Frozen stuff was left to thaw before being refrozen. When the deliveries came in everything was mixed together. Washing powder, fire lighters, baby food, biscuits. The list is endless. There were also cats running around the store room not to mention the delivery man who told me about the rats in with the loose fruit and veg.
So what I'm saying is no where is perfect. Just from my experience Lidl is far cleaner than Tesco.

Stick to Lidl/Aldi then as they are so great..

freshpopcorn

dubscottie wrote: »

Stick to Lidl/Aldi then as they are so great..

No, I shop in all supermarkets. Mainly Tesco to be honest. Just from my experiences tough Lidl and Aldi are the cleanest.

Hulk Hands

Stojkovic wrote: »

I have never in my life and never will set foot inside a Tesco.

Aldi/Lidl all the way and the money I save I treat myself in M&S.

If you've never set foot in a Tesco how do you know you're saving anything?

fleet_admiral

donegaLroad wrote: »

I remember when Lidl had cheese on sale with a tricolour across the front of the whole package and the words 'Irish Cheese' in large lettering. Out of curiosity I looked on the back to see where it had been made, according to the label it had been made in Essex.

Its not Lidl, Charleville cheese has a Belgian vet. stamp on it. The list of 'Irish' produce is huge
I buy in milk for work that has a Guaranteed Irish logo on ot but the vet. stamp has uk on it

Ush1

I've switched from Aldi to Tesco as they deliver and actually the prices aren't much different.

Fat Christy

I do nearly all my shopping in aldi. I'd need a bank loan if I wanted to do a shop in dunnes. Dunnes is right beside me but you just couldn't do a big shop there.
Go in for a few items and it's the guts of 50 yoyos.

Shenshen

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Lidl fresh Pretzels, that is all.

I LOVE them for having them.
They were among the few things I desperately missed over here. I can't describe my joy the day Lidl started selling them!

somesoldiers

tried the Aldi/ Lidl switch a few years back, would not do a full shop there but pick up a few bits. Sparkling water 6* 2l - 2.79!

Their cereal looked and tasted like something swept out of a rabbits hutch

Tombi!

Wright wrote: »

Anyone?

Could you not ring them or something?

pcardin

dubscottie wrote: »

I don't talk to anyone about buying stuff anymore as you always get the "why do you go to xxx when Lidl/Aldi has it for €xxx"..

Feck off.. Its my money and I am not going to use it to by crap.

As for it "being like brands but cheaper"... There is a reason for that. As explained on the many progs about food on Channel 4 and BBC2..

Whats left on the floor goes to Lidl/Aldi.

I went into one once. Walked out when I saw the state of the place.. Tesco's can be manky but this Lidl was something else.. I am amazed the environmental health have not shut some of these shops down.

proper chavtalk loike :pac:

Deathwish4

Aldis meat is better.
Lidls Fruit n Veg is better.

Pros and cons but most importantly of all, and as mentioned on here previously, both score the same in scrabble.

donegaLroad

I noticed a few weeks ago, that the Supervalu in Dingle is almost twice as expensive as the Supervalu in Ballybofey, for many items.

pickarooney

I noticed they have bakeries in Lidl in Ireland last time I was over. Nice doughnuts and cookies and things.

Muahahaha

donegaLroad wrote: »

I noticed a few weeks ago, that the Supervalu in Dingle is almost twice as expensive as the Supervalu in Ballybofey, for many items.

yeah that can happen quite a lot with Supervalues as they are owned by franchiees who can set their own prices. Supervalue appear to me to rip off customers in rural areas where there is no competition. A friend in Loughrea, Galway told me how high their prices were until a Lidl opened up in the town and then suddenly the prices in the Supervalue began to drop, says it all really

Geuze

fleet_admiral wrote: »

Its not Lidl, Charleville cheese has a Belgian vet. stamp on it. The list of 'Irish' produce is huge
I buy in milk for work that has a Guaranteed Irish logo on ot but the vet. stamp has uk on it

The EU stamp is determined by where its packaged.

Plenty of cheese is made in Irl from Irish milk, sent to Leek in Staffs. in 25kg blocks to be sliced and packaged.

It gets a UK stamp.

It's then re-exported back to Irl.

Geuze

dubscottie wrote: »

I don't talk to anyone about buying stuff anymore as you always get the "why do you go to xxx when Lidl/Aldi has it for €xxx"..

Feck off.. Its my money and I am not going to use it to by crap.

As for it "being like brands but cheaper"... There is a reason for that. As explained on the many progs about food on Channel 4 and BBC2..

Whats left on the floor goes to Lidl/Aldi.

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

They didn't get to 5,000 stores by selling "what's left on the floor".

Agricola

Find Lidl/Aldi great for toiletries, washing powder, bleach, cat/dog food all that kind of jazz. Their fresh meat has improved no end since they came here too. Lovely bit of lamb mince goes down easy. Vegetables can be ok....... saw some rhubarb in Aldi recently and it looked like it was grown in Chernobyl. Tinned food can be desperate. Bought a cheap tin of peas in it once, tasted metallic. Back to Batchelors for me. Have bought a fair few tools from the middle isle over the years. Spanners dont take a lot of abuse. The stuff isnt in them. Grand for light work though.

Satriale

This thread needs a song.

Menas

I would love a Lidl steak right now...

Satriale

Menas wrote: »

I would love a Lidl steak right now...

Ribeyes E3 on offer there at the moment. I've a couple for tonight.
Drop everything and go!

Ashbx

dubscottie wrote: »

I don't talk to anyone about buying stuff anymore as you always get the "why do you go to xxx when Lidl/Aldi has it for €xxx"..

Feck off.. Its my money and I am not going to use it to by crap.

As for it "being like brands but cheaper"... There is a reason for that. As explained on the many progs about food on Channel 4 and BBC2..

Whats left on the floor goes to Lidl/Aldi.

I went into one once. Walked out when I saw the state of the place.. Tesco's can be manky but this Lidl was something else.. I am amazed the environmental health have not shut some of these shops down.

You said here that only once you went in to a lidl or aldi and then walked straight out and then said later on that you shopped there and the basket was covered in "muck". Get your story straight before you start making up lies!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with lidl or aldi!

Menas

Satriale wrote: »

Ribeyes E3 on offer there at the moment. I've a couple for tonight.
Drop everything and go!

Thanks for the tip!:)

Egginacup

dubscottie wrote: »

That was about sandwiches.. Jimmy's food factory on CH4 was the best..(might still be on 4OD) Explained what goes into the same product for different retailers.. There is a BIG BIG difference.

As for fresh veg.. Most of the root veg that comes from the UK/Ireland is in storage for long periods.. The growing season is so short here.

The term "fresh", as with alot of other terms used in Ireland for food would be illegal under the Trade Descriptions Act in the UK.

You can always tell with potatoes as the flesh is white with fresh ones and a yellow colour with ones that have been in storage.

Ever hear of greenhouses?
And when you talk about in storage for "long" periods what exactly do you mean?

Egginacup

dubscottie wrote: »

You don't need pests to be an environmental health hazard... I picked up one of the blue plastic baskets.. There was a thick layer (3-4 mm) of "muck" in the bottom.

Now that could be soil from the plants,veg they sell, juices from raw meat etc all mixed together.. And they have high standards..

Not to mention the fact that raw meat seems to get mixed with cooked etc on the shelves.

Would you go away with you're anecdotal evidence. You could walk into an erstwhile pristine supermarket (Tesco/Aldi/Sainsbury's/whatever) and see a big puddle of gunk in one of the aisles where someone dropped a few eggs and then other people walked through it and no staff member had the time to clean it up yet. Does that mean the place is filthier than a backstreet chicken shack in Calcutta?

Wright

This is not what I expected to happen when I bumped this thread. Let me try and put a halt to this nonsense.

Any Aldi and Lidl I've ever stepped in here in Dublin has been very clean. The food is fresh and there is a lot of variety.

Possibly, Aldi's and Lidl's are not as well maintained down the bog or wherever, away from region managers eyes.

Tesco is also perfectly fine, and things generally cost the same there. They don't however, feature the unique goods Aldi and Lidl sell as specials, or even on the regular.

Have ye nothing better to do than argue about which supermarket is the best?

(Lidl sold out of the quadcopters really quickly. The Moore street branch got just 4 units in).

harry Bailey esq

I bought a bottle of Clarkes Bourbon whiskey from aldi earlier on at the great price of €14.99.I gotta say it's pretty damn good.Its as nice if not nicer than a lot of other bourbons that are 2-3 times more expensive.

foggy_lad

Menas wrote: »

I would love a Lidl steak right now...

You on a diet? feck it have a large steak not a lidl one! Enjoy:D