Groceries....

[macliam]

With all the increases in prices, I'm sure we're all looking to save..... but some strange things happen when we're pushed out of out comfort zone. I've long used LIDL and Aldi as alternates - and lately, I find I can walk around my local Tesco superstore and buy absolutely nothing, but end up buying in the Aldi down the road. I've also bought things in places I wouldn't normally consider, B&M, Home Bargains and the like.

I never found much of a downside to the LIDL and Aldi shop. Their steak was better priced and better tasting than any other supermarket on a like-for-like basis, other instore replacements were either as good as the big brand or plainly a chheaper version to be avoided... few errors there. Mayonnaise from Aldi is every bit as good as Hellman's at a significant discount, but the Tomato Ketchup tastes too much of tomatoes in comparison to Heinz!! Their chocolate digestive biscuits match McVities for texture and taste at a fraction of the price, their Ginger Nuts likewise. Home Bargains have Irish steak, which is significantly cheaper than anyone else's, but perfectly good (if you know how to choose). Other things are catch-as-catch-can.

But the surprise came with Poundland (which must be pushing the advertising laws by now as so many things are not a pound!) They had a deal on a triple-pack of McVities Jaffa Cakes..... next to a double pack of their own, which would normally have been significantly cheaper... but were outdone by the offer. So, for the first time in years, I bought the offer. What a mistake! I recall that the sponge was always slightly crisp on the outside, the filling sharp orange and the chocolate chipped away.... so that, if you were careful, you could extract the orange jelly bit untouched! No more. The sponge was, well, sponge. The "orange" was an odd taste that bore little resemblance to orange and the whole thing was a sugary concoction. Not good. So then I tried the "other" type, from an unknown-to-me supplier, and they seem to have mistakenly built a time-machine to McVities of old. All the qualities I had sought in the "real" brand were present in the "knock-off" and at half the price. Now I just need to rediscover my resistance........

[blythburgh]

We shop around but meat has to come from the butcher. And no Heinz tomato ketchup in our house, we love Stokes ketchup which admittedly costs more and we have to go to independent shops to get it but we buy when we are getting the meat at the butchers or a top up shop at an independent grocery shop.

Poundland started selling everything for a squid but time moves on and does the name matter? I do not expect Wickes to sell candle wicks

[MrsBear]

A Poundland store recently opened up in our High Street and I was surprised to find a few decent tasty and value for money items in their chiller and frozen cabinets. Shame their range of other products has dwindled...

[blythburgh]

A Poundland store recently opened up in our High Street and I was surprised to find a few decent tasty and value for money items in their chiller and frozen cabinets. Shame their range of other products has dwindled...

They are rollling out a lot of stuff for the home. Wish we could get to our Poundland easily. But when the new bridge is in place it will be a lot quicker and hopefully a lot less in the way of traffic jams.

[Sarah]

Poundland here recently moved into former Wilko former Woolworths premises. This has significantly increased their retail space, although I haven't yet noticed what additional product lines they're now stocking (other than clothing which is quite obvious and occupies around 1/4 of the new store).

I don't shop at B&M or Home Bargains as there aren't any nearby, nor Aldi really as the nearest is a bit too far away in an inconvenient direction.

I'll sometimes go to Lidl; although their ANPR parking is discouraging, but moreover the likelihood of them usually only having 1 checkout operating while most other customers have a large trolley full of groceries tended to keep me away unless I needed something specific there. Thankfully, they've just installed a row of self-checkouts, so I might be visiting more often in future.

[Richard Frost]

but moreover the likelihood of them usually only having 1 checkout operating while most other customers have a large trolley full of groceries tended to keep me away unless I needed something specific there.

Interesting, I have only been once and that is the exact reason I have never ever been back.

[macliam]

Poundland here recently moved into former Wilko former Woolworths premises. This has significantly increased their retail space, although I haven't yet noticed what additional product lines they're now stocking (other than clothing which is quite obvious and occupies around 1/4 of the new store).

I don't shop at B&M or Home Bargains as there aren't any nearby, nor Aldi really as the nearest is a bit too far away in an inconvenient direction.

I'll sometimes go to Lidl; although their ANPR parking is discouraging, but moreover the likelihood of them usually only having 1 checkout operating while most other customers have a large trolley full of groceries tended to keep me away unless I needed something specific there. Thankfully, they've just installed a row of self-checkouts, so I might be visiting more often in future.

I agree about the clothing at Poundland..... which now actually brands its store with the clothing label too. Some things are worth looking at where food is concerned, though I wouldn't look to it for healthy eating options.... but if they have what you want, you can do well. It has lost the old feel though, less junk and therefore less diamonds amongst the junk...

B&M and Home Bargains try to be a bit more upmarket.... I don't do B&M regularly as it's a bit far away, though it took over a "lost" Homebase premises. Home Bargains is on the same commercial estate as Tesco, Aldi, Screwfix, Wickes, Toolstation, Poundland, M&S and Next, etc. - about 6 miles away (so the nearest "useful" shops). Home Bargains do cheap household items - the food is a bit of an add-on, but has some interesting alternates to the big brands and stuff for home baking and real cooking, as opposed to ready meals (though it has those too).

My nearest LIDL is close to the B&M (and also Sainbury and Waitrose/John Lewis and B&Q) but it's about 12 miles away, so more of a stretch. I used to use them more than Aldi (as they were closer) but once the new Aldi opened closer to me, that all changed. LIDL bakery is brilliant - and cheap in comparison to other outlets. Aldi have good alternates and tend to be my go-to these days.

I used to shop locally - the local butcher was great....... but note WAS. A few bad experiences and I moved on. I buy local bacon and sausages because they are, clearly, the best, though not the cheapest. Outdoor-reared pork and all that, plus award-winning makers. I also used to use my local Co-Op, a lot. Then they moved and changed and became a place of last resort due to poor pricing and decreasing choice. Sad, I also banked with Co-Op (Smile) in the past... but no longer.

As to wait times..... I rarely have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a checkout at Aldi, but sometimes more. They've also opened self-checkouts now. However, I prefer to wait for better and/or cheaper produce than the dross Tesco wants me to buy... I guess it's the old Time V Money question. The thing I "like" about LIDL and Aldi is that they feel genuine. Few BOGOFs, few "BiN" reductions, the thing I dislike is that things you like might well be only temporary and disappear without warning.

[blythburgh]

macliam do try the Stokes ketchup, the firm is based very near you an definitely worth the price

[macliam]

macliam do try the Stokes ketchup, the firm is based very near you an definitely worth the price

I've tried it. It's OK, but not what I need. I like the idea of low-batch locally-produced sauces.... even if they were created by aliens **

Ketchup for me is mainly used as a mixer for Marie Rose, so it needs to cut through the Mayo, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and black pepper! Using a high quality ketchup would probably be a waste.



** Stokes is based at Rendlesham, famous as the UKs UFO site (and now famous for even more Anglo-Saxon gold!)

[blythburgh]

I do love the Stokes ketchup but it does take us a long time to finish the not that big bottle. DH's cousin and her husband love heinz ketchup. Both of them have lost their driving licence due to health problems and love Morrison's cafe. Not best pleased the sachets are not with the cutlery any more and you are limited to amount of free ones now. They can afford to pay for their extra but they find it annoying.

Bit of discussion on local FB page about Morrisons cafe. One lady posted that the one in the next town was only serving snacks but no hot food. She said it was disappointing as the visit was to be a treat with daughter. But drove back here and got the meal. Another person said great staff and great food.

I would agree about the staff they are good and very pleasant but they need to employ more and serve food on warm if not hot plates. Cousin always complains her chips are cold long before she had finished meal. As for the food, the one palatable thing was poached egg and avocado toast. Last two times (hoped first was a mistake) the eggs were perfectly cooked but the avocado was mush spread on the toast. Back to buying a drink and a salad from the salad bar. I did not know you could until they said the granddaughter always does that. She might be a student but I guess even at Oxford the students have standards when it comes to food