UK people - supermarket choices.

Options
13»

Replies

  • ivormorgan
    ivormorgan Posts: 18
    Options
    We have them all near me except an Aldi. Morrisons is getting pricier and the quality of the fruit, veg and poultry has been disappointing lately. I tend to get my fruit and veg from the local market, it's cheaper and easily as good. Tesco is on par with Morrisons for everyday groceries - price wise and range. Not middle-class enough for Waitrose and Sainsburys never have enough manned tills on a Saturday. We have an Asda which is like the bowels of hell, I refuse to go in there, which is a shame becuase the one where I used to live was superb.
  • niki87lewis
    niki87lewis Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    Asda, but I go to a local farm shop for fruit, veg and eggs :-)
  • girlinagirdle
    girlinagirdle Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    Honestly....having shopped at them all we've settled on the Waitrose Essential range as best choice and VFM and I include in that veg (including tinned toms), fruit (bags of their essential range frozen fruit make a mean fruit smoothies), protein (fish, cheese and I don't eat meat so not sure how I would feel about that) and carbs like fresh pasta/noodles when we need them. Works for us.

    We supplement that with herbs/more exotic veggies from our local Turkish/Polish/Iranian supermarket. I live in a part of London though where our high-street isn't totally dominated by the big four (yet). We do have a lidl and aldi that are hit and miss.

    Also a big fan of veg boxes. Having to cook what we are given has changed how we cook, forced us to think more about our food and explore new recipes. Now I can do things with a butternut squash that don't involve making it into soup (but do include fatayers and curries) and celariac holds no fear - although it took a while to get there!
  • Rossa59
    Rossa59 Posts: 20 Member
    Options
    Shop mainly at Sainsburys once a week. Used to shop at Morrisons but found the fruit and veg didn't last for very long. Sainsburys may be a bit more expensive but quality is better so we don't throw out as much stuff. Always get the longest 'use by' date you can even if it's at the back of the shelf or the box underneath the one on display.

    Own brand isn't always cheaper if a branded name is running an offer. Same applies to pack sizes. We find that sometimes the smaller packs work out cheaper than the bigger, so called economical, packs. Check the price per kg to compare. Other thing to check is the weight of the contents. A lot of manufacturers have reduced pack, tin, bag sizes but kept the same price. So you're paying the same but for less. You have to be a lot more savvy these days to make sure you're getting a good deal.

    Check out your local independent shops and markets too. We have a very good Q butcher that we go to once a month. A lot cheaper than the supermarket, saves at least a tenner a month even after petrol costs to get there and the meat is all local. They list where it's from so no horse meat pretending to be a beefburger.

    We have Asda and Aldi too. All the supermarkets are within 1/2 mile of each other. We check out the price of foods we buy a lot of online and pop into one of the others if Sainsburys doesn't have the same offer. Morrisons is the exception but will be online later this year.

    Our Morrisons has just re-vamped their store and it's a lot better now. Even has 'chilled' displays that blows out cold air over the herbs and unusual veg like 'tiger' aubergines and yellow courgettes (zucchini). Think they'll give Sainsburys a run for their money now and we've decided to go there more often.

    My stepmother lives near a Waitrose so sometimes we shop there. Their own brand can also be worth checking out and for 'luxury' items you can't get elsewhere, like Lapsang Souchong loose tea which we drink. Great ice-cream too! I rate them better than M&S. (I'm an ex Chef)
  • Hannah_Hopes
    Hannah_Hopes Posts: 273 Member
    Options
    Asda for fresh veg/fruit sometimes Morrisons if I want something a bit different
    Aldi/Lidl for breads/cooked meats/canned
    Butchers on a Saturday afternoon for bulk buying meat for freezer for few weeks/months
    :bigsmile:
    Oh and if there's a market near you, go check it out they can be cheaper than Asda by far especially with the fruit
  • mamamia29
    mamamia29 Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    Marks and Spencers for their 3 for £10 meat offers. Good quality food!
    Find Tesco is getting over priced lately
  • genghis54
    genghis54 Posts: 123 Member
    Options
    I tend to use Lidle,Asda and Tesco as they are all quite near, I find Morrisons and Sainsburys a bit pricey,
  • Hannah_Hopes
    Hannah_Hopes Posts: 273 Member
    Options
    Marks and Spencers for their 3 for £10 meat offers. Good quality food!
    Find Tesco is getting over priced lately

    Oh yeah M&S do some good meal deals sometimes for two and their stir fry selection, they can be relatively healthy and the meal for two tends to feed four of us when we want a treat :)
  • andypandy1109
    andypandy1109 Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    i use morries and asda for my bigshops but use Lidle every week for my fresh

    i like lidle as they are .sweedish i think but they dont put rubbish in their food...preservatives sweeteners ect...it is a lot cheaper too...

    i poarticually like their creme fresh 30 less fat but really has a good taste you can also get 1000g nat yog cartons and 1000g greek yog as well as all flavours.

    fruit and veg are often on offer but cheap[er to start with.

    try their own brands you will learn to like them

    all meat is bought from a farm shop would never pay supermarket prices for meat....its fresh cheaper and you can choose what you want to pay for an item...we stock our freezer up every couple of months or so so buyin gin bulk reduces the prices too
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    Options
    Can't beat Lidl/Aldi for price and quality - especially on fresh stuff like fruit, veg and meat.
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    Options
    Can't beat Lidl/Aldi for price and quality - especially on fresh stuff like fruit, veg and meat.

    have to agree, but I think quality will very much depend on local management, chucking out squishy toms, for instance

Categories