# Why is Lidl so Cheap?



## Rhyolith (23 Aug 2016)

I don't trust cheap supermarkets, it always seems that they make things cheap by exploiting people and having no regard for enviromental destruction. 

Lidl seems to be getting very popular and looking at the absurdly cheap prices, I can see why. However I won't shop there until I know how such low prices are acheived and what corners are being cut to do it.


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## RobinBHM (23 Aug 2016)

Or are other supermarkets expensive?

I think Lidl, for grocery items has a more honest pricing policy. Generally the price is the price, not buy 2 for £5.00 etc etc that the others are all guilty of. I get really fed up with the manipulation of pricing so you never know what the real price actually is.

Also Lidl has a much smaller product range, say 5000 products instead of the 20,000 that Tescos have. 

I think the big UK supermarkets are all guilty of exploitation, of farmers, cheap labour etc so I cant see how Lidl etc are worse.


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## transatlantic (23 Aug 2016)

Is it cheap? I disagree

They're marketing strategy is to compare other supermarkets branded goods with their own unbranded goods. What they should be doing is comparing the supermarkets own unbranded 'Value' products. Then it would be a fair comparison, and people would realise that Lidl/Aldi often are no cheaper. Especially when you consider that they don't have any of the special offers you see in the other supermarkets.

I'll still do a little shopping in Alid/Lidl, but will still do my main shop elsewhere. It's not cheaper and there is better choice elsewhere


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## Cordy (23 Aug 2016)

Not always cheap, a couple of years ago I bought their digital calliper £7
My most used tool by far

Now £9.99

Similar can be bought on the Bay for £5 including postage


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## Droogs (23 Aug 2016)

Most of the range that Lidle and Aldi sell are their own brands. They make them to the same standards as branded items and this has been borne out by numerous blind taste tests. They also have a policy of keeping the stores basic to lower costs. Though with all the recent exchange fluctuations perhaps we may see less of a saving in the future.


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## Rorschach (23 Aug 2016)

A whole host of things I would have thought. 

Smaller stores have smaller overheads, fewer staff and less "add-on" facilities. They often choose less desirable locations to build their stores and have smaller car parks leading to lower rents or in many cases buying the land outright as it is more affordable given the location anyway. Stores offer a core range of grocery products with a rotating set of specials, no non-grocery items are held in permanent stock unlike the other supermarkets. 
As others have said, not everything is cheaper, many products are on a par with the lower price range items found in other supermarkets but rarely do I find that I can get an item cheaper in other places. There is also less choice, say I want to buy chicken breast, Lidl will have it fresh or possibly frozen, 1 pack size usually. Go to tesco, you will find it fresh, frozen and in value, standard and finest ranges, several packs sizes in each range. Keeping stock like that takes up space and costs money, Lidl have 1 size, standard quality. Because they tend to offer just that one choice they save space and money on stock and can offer many more items in a given space so for a small store they can offer a good range of items.

We do a good bit of our shopping in Lidl now, we have a local store that is very close, it stocks a large range of the items we need day to day, the prices are lower or very close to the price our next nearest store Tesco charges and we find the quality to be very good. We save money and time by shopping there. If we need a few things we can walk there instead of taking the car, the trip is less stressful, the staff are better paid and happier than their tesco equivalents, much more friendly and helpful too.


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## lurker (23 Aug 2016)

Their big overhead saving appears to be:
Cheap sites
small footprint
Big turnover
fast churn (shoppers are not in there long as there is no real choice)

Take tools:
They are often sold out on the day of promotion
Rarely occupy more than a square metre of floor space
Most are decent and so cheap we dont mind loosing and abusing them 
I can hardly remember anything i have bought that was not good value


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## Ian down london way (23 Aug 2016)

And always pounce on the parkside shop vac (or was that the other store?) which is cracking!


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## clk230 (23 Aug 2016)

Rhyolith":125irvbv said:


> I don't trust cheap supermarkets, it always seems that they make things cheap by exploiting people and having no regard for enviromental destruction.
> 
> Lidl seems to be getting very popular and looking at the absurdly cheap prices, I can see why. However I won't shop there until I know how such low prices are acheived and what corners are being cut to do it.



Do more expensive items not exploit people and cause enviromental destruction ?

I wish I had the time like you do to trace the source of every item I buy to make sure it meets with my moral standards .


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## Rhyolith (23 Aug 2016)

lurker":363c1pke said:


> Their big overhead saving appears to be:
> Cheap sites
> small footprint
> Big turnover
> fast churn (shoppers are not in there long as there is no real choice)



This makes a fair bit of sense, I have never seen a Lidl store that I would consider "big" by comparsion to most main stream supermarkets. Co-op also has small stores and is quite a bit more expensive than Lidl in general. 



> Do more expensive items not exploit people and cause enviromental destruction ?
> 
> I wish I had the time like you do to trace the source of every item I buy to make sure it meets with my moral standards .



I basically assume all supermarkets have at least a number of products that are sourced questionably, my preference is to go with co-op as they *seem* to be the most ethical british supermarket.

I definitly get the impression that cheaper shops tend to be worse ethically than more expensive ones in general, however as you say its very difficult to ever actaully know. 



lurker":363c1pke said:


> Take tools:
> They are often sold out on the day of promotion
> Rarely occupy more than a square metre of floor space
> Most are decent and so cheap we dont mind loosing and abusing them
> I can hardly remember anything i have bought that was not good value



*Rant (no offense intended to anyone):* 
I do have a problem with this "buy cheap, wreck quickly" type tool use (or any other product for that matter), mainly because its god aweful for the environment. Most of these cheap products are made elsewhere in the world (China) and just shipping them over here produces a lot of pollution. Further the production itself produces yet more pollution and involves use of natural resources, who's extraction results in some of worst enviromental destuction committed by man. 

All of that is unecessary with tools in particular, as most can be made to last a lifetime (or longer), which in all likelyhood ends up costing less than buying a new cheap tool every few years. Thats particular the case in the UK, as we are lucky enough to have a strong tool heritage and lots of stuff on the secondhand market.

Evidently there are some tools, which are by their nature disposable (such as a wire brush). I would like to see more of these kind of tools in particular being made in the UK. Either way, this mass production, transporting and consuming of cheaply made products on a huge scale needs to stop, it literally cannot be sustained without major sacrifce which really is not worth it. 
*Rant over*


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## lurker (23 Aug 2016)

I have old British made chisels that are masterpieces and I treat them like holy relics
However I also have lidl ones which are great for bashing rough stuff including the odd nail (and opening paint tins  ) 
So both have a part to play


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## lurker (23 Aug 2016)

Unfortunately there is nothing to chose from where supermarket ethics are concerned.
All "you can see" is marketing spiel.
Next time there is a food product recall pay close attention to the various supermarkets involved; they all source from pretty much the same place.


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## kdampney (23 Aug 2016)

Two supermarkets could stock exactly the same own-brand goods:

At one (say, Aldi), in a slightly random semi-industrial location with a small car park, there is little choice of other brands, products are stuck on shelves in their packing boxes, no fancy lighting or music, no spare staff around, older trolleys, and longer queues at the (very long) checkouts with staff who barely look at you*.

At the other (say, Waitrose), with a nicely laid-out car park, there are 17 other varieties of what you want, nice new shelving, nice lighting and piped music, helpful smiley staff, new trolleys, in-store cafe, and almost no queue at the checkout*.

* in my experience anyway.

The exact same product would cost much less at the first, allowing those with less money (and/or perhaps more time) to shop there. The second caters for those with perhaps more money and less time. For (hypothetically) an identical product (though, as someone else pointed out, Aldi and Lidl often do well in blind taste tests). Horses for courses.


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## marcros (23 Aug 2016)

the model behind aldi and lidl used to be that they tested all of the products, and chose the best example of each. They then used their buying power to get the best possible price for the chosen one. So the lack of choice is very much by design.


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## Homerjh (23 Aug 2016)

Lidl has a smaller 'stock' than the big stores, and generally only have in pretty much general items, so whilst you may find common items there, you wont find anything specific to a narrow market, so no 'free from' dedicated area, no area dedicated to specific global areas (ie chinese, indian/etc) and limited varieties of what they do stock.

so for example :

Crisps : Lidl has a small section, primarily the own brand, but then some walkers/etc and maybe a box or 2 of special items. Asda, 2 long sections, own brand, and probably 3 or 4 other brands, various pack sizes, offers, specialties of things like popcorn, again multiple flavours and brands. 

Canned items : Lidl - small section of commonly bought items and nothing really unusual, asda, probably has more soup varieties and space than the whole of Lidl has for everything.

Drinks, Asda has 1 row of boxed beers, 1 row of bottles (craft as they like to call it now :/) 1 and a bit rows of wine,1 row of spirits, plus end shelves of offers and cider and others about 1/2 row. Lidl, about 3 meters space of beers, and loads of wine, but still about 1/3 of asdas (BTW lidl 89p bottles are really nice, try them!)

Also the central sections of lidl that change weekly, this is also used to et people in as well, and some good offers sometimes.


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## doctor Bob (23 Aug 2016)

A lot of Lidl own brands taste like dung, their fruit and veg is woeful. 
Tried it for a few months and realised I'd rather spend a few Bob more and get decent food and get through the till in a respectful manner, rather than the till person throwing my goods down a bowling ally. 
I can stand people fingering food as well, the clientele in Lidl are obsessed with picking stuff up and breathing all over it, disgusting.


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## lurker (23 Aug 2016)

Maybe you live in a rough area Bob. My local lidl is fine as are the check out staff, no mucking around but perfectly pleasant.


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## Rorschach (23 Aug 2016)

doctor Bob":363r1qb9 said:


> A lot of Lidl own brands taste like dung, their fruit and veg is woeful.
> Tried it for a few months and realised I'd rather spend a few Bob more and get decent food and get through the till in a respectful manner, rather than the till person throwing my goods down a bowling ally.
> I can stand people fingering food as well, the clientele in Lidl are obsessed with picking stuff up and breathing all over it, disgusting.



No problem with their brands here, and if you don't pick up the fruit and veg how do you know what is good, maybe that's why you don't like it? :wink:


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## Homerjh (23 Aug 2016)

I eat veg that has been covered in soil, had all sorts of creatures eat bits and poo on it, and been outside for ages...a quick wash sorts that ;-)


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## doctor Bob (23 Aug 2016)

Homerjh":2wbl0c4v said:


> I eat veg that has been covered in soil, had all sorts of creatures eat bits and poo on it, and been outside for ages...a quick wash sorts that ;-)



As I do, i prefer this to some filthy scuzbags dirty fingers all over it, some of the sights in my local lidl look like they haven't had a bath for a few years.


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Aug 2016)

I find their many of their own brands (not all) much better than many proprietary brands, the frozen fish e.g. is way better than many. The quality of the fruit and veg is way better than any other around here, we go out of our way for it, it's cheaper and better.


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## murdoch (23 Aug 2016)

Strangely, I've just built a big kitchen for one of the top men at Aldi. His wife does all her shopping at tesco!


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Aug 2016)

She probably lives closer to Tesco.


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Aug 2016)

Maybe I'm better organised than some. I do the big shop at the beginning of the month, and I start with B&M where I get the things I know to be cheaper there, then across the road to the market where I get what I know is cheaper there. Then back past Lidl where I get what I want and know is cheaper there and the back to Tesco for anything for some reason or other has not beeen bought already. All one trip - swmbo hates it ... but she knows how much money I save by doing it. Every second month I do a Buywholefoodsonline order which covers cereals, spices and dried stuff.


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## graduate_owner (23 Aug 2016)

What do people think about Parkside tools? I have bought some Toolzone stuff from Aldi which seem fine for the occasional user like me, but I haven't tried Parkside from Lidl.

K


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## Rorschach (23 Aug 2016)

Workzone (Aldi) has a greater range of tools I think and are a bit cheaper in most cases. Parkside tools seem to be better made and look and feel better in my experience. Tools from both shops though have performed well for me so far.


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## owsnap (23 Aug 2016)

I wouldn't call Lidl Super Cheap.. however the product quality are soo much better than that from the tesco/asda , specially the asda which is just disgusting...
Before you start.. I'm not from UK and not living there currently however I have been there for several months at a time and the only shops where I could shop are LIDL/ALDI because A LOT of british made food tastes like utter junk and is full or processed stuff.. While Lidl import most of their Food from Germany/belgium/netherlands/even poland where it has better quality.

I have been several times in Germany's LIDL's as well, and those are so much better than UK ones and also much cheaper, but still Lidl has the best quality stuff for a more sensible price when compared to other UK stores, I'm sure If I could spend £3 for a loaf of bread or £10 per kg of meat at other UK stores the quality would be similar. But I'm not that retarded or as you say ''posh'' to do that.. So I will just stick to LIDL when I'm there from time to time and want to survive on your supermarket food which is really a hard thing to do 

I don't really like Aldi as much on the other hand as the food quality isn't as good as from Lidl. Only went there for some fruit/vegetable when it was on offer.


edit: Other positive thing for Lidl/Aldi is that they don't have those ''ugly store brand'' product packagings, all of their packagings are just Normal (their own brand mostly ) but all is nicely designed.
On the other hand when I had to go to other british supermarkets there were shelves full of those value-budget products which come in really really poor packaging ,and you feel like a Homeless man buying those items even quality wise they are probably the same as others just marketed as something totally ''cheap'' so you don't actually buy them out of shame of someone seeing you buying them.


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## MadMongoose (23 Aug 2016)

Never been to lidl but shop at Aldi which i think is owned the the same people?

I think its more to do with the fact they aint fussy like asda and tesco's - i mean they have people checking veg for not being a perfect shape and other daft things which will no doubt raise prices for perfectly shaped produce.

Aldi dont seem to care and nor do i so i use aldi for veg and meats


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## rafezetter (24 Aug 2016)

As far as the goods are concerned I've not had a problem with the major items, sure a few of the parkside things like drillbits have let me down on occasion but the bigger ticket things are seemingly just very good value - my pillar drill 500w, german made (not chinglish as assumed by Rhyolith) 3 year guarentee etc etc is better in just about every way compared to a similar priced one from any major tool retailer - I know because I was looking ahead of time. 3 years on almost and it's still humming away nicely - along with a lot of the other power tools I've bought.

Another thing many of you have overlooked to mention is that as well as the mainstream supermarkets having more choice, this also adds to an incredible amount of unsold product, both food and other goods. How much this adds to their general overheads I can't guess but it must be significant.

Also I've noticed more and more mainstream supermarkets opening and closing branches seemingly willy nilly, we had a small morrisons "express" that had been shoehorned into a small site open and close within 18 months or so - could have something to do with that fact that there was already a large asda and sainsbury's not much more than a mile away, but this seems to happen a LOT.

Our local B&Q closed down, it was one of their biggest stores in the area to start with, then it got cut in half (the other side left empty) and now it's closed altogether, I mention it because I found out some while ago that that site is owned by the large sainsbury's on the other side of the road, they must have bought it when that small commericial park first opened, but now it sits idle not making any revenue - I have to wonder how many more sites are owned by the big supermarkets, usually to earmark it as a potential supermarket location, but not utilized yet and not generating income; because all of that will add to their yearly losses and be a reason to keep prices higher than maybe they could be.

Lastly, right after the crash of '09 did anyone else notice how all of a sudden prices just came tumbling down, and with the major campaigns of Aldi the last few xmas's and poundshops flourishing everywhere prices came down again? I'm certain I never used to see quite so many items being offered in major supermarkets for a pound. Even now I wonder how is it places like farm foods can sell 3 tins of heinz baked beans for £1 when they are around 60p per tin in a major store.... and then you look around and it's obviously the Lidl / aldi effect: small store, sparse choice and basic presentation.

I don't know about you but I don't go to a supermarket to be "entertained" with the adult equivalent of a babies sparkly mobile overhead.


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Aug 2016)

MadMongoose":2vtygoxf said:


> Never been to lidl but shop at Aldi which i think is owned the the same people?


No, totally different firms.


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## AJB Temple (24 Aug 2016)

I have bought a few tools from Lidl and Aldi. In general I am unimpressed despite cheapness. I tend to regard them as disposable:

Two rakes, bought for grading type 1 stone and gravel on a paved area I made. Both rakes bent early on. Fail
Two pairs secateurs, bought as back ups when parents in law visit. Heavy and unpleasant to use compared with Felco. Felco cost 10 times more and worth it. 
Shovels with long handles - bought for shifting building sand. Very good.
Large electric drill bought as backup. Too heavy and somewhat feeble battery. Impulse buy, tried to give it away and was refused (by overly fussy offspring!)
Long (about 2ft) masonry drills. Bought for a one off job. They did it. 
Set of about 40 spanners. Cost £27. Includes wall hanging case. Far better than expected. Really very good and stupidly cheap. 
Palm sander purchased by wife. Junk. 
Chop saw bought by brother. Junk. Laser misaligned, mechanism stiff, rubbish blade. 
Pair of pry bars / long crow bars. Excellent. 

So, some stuff is good, some not. Very low risk as it is dirt cheap. As for the food and wine, I am not really swayed by much of it. My wife is German and she quite likes lidl and aldi. Aldi is seen as marginally more upmarket according to her.


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Aug 2016)

The open end spanners make decent calipers for turnery. They're cheap and being made to a DIN spec. are fairly close to stated size (being a fraction over sized isn't usually a bad thing).


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## Homerjh (24 Aug 2016)

murdoch":1pjft2di said:


> Strangely, I've just built a big kitchen for one of the top men at Aldi. His wife does all her shopping at tesco!



doubt they will have an Aldi close then if he is a top man at aldi


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## Homerjh (24 Aug 2016)

graduate_owner":xkpaf1zo said:


> What do people think about Parkside tools? I have bought some Toolzone stuff from Aldi which seem fine for the occasional user like me, but I haven't tried Parkside from Lidl.
> 
> K



all performing fine for my uses :

SDS drill from Lidl as needed to plumb the washing machine and dishwasher and no wall holes, did that fine as well as helping to break up the concrete sections in the garden when we bough it to patio and renovate. the only issue is the twist switch is difficult to move, but some pliars give enough twist.

Circular saw : again cheap (and lidl has them this week i think again), 2 blades and done everything i have asked, kitchen worktops, trimming 6ft fence panels, raised beds, and with the rip blade cutting shed sides down to fit to a small trailer.

also i have an aldi router that was £30 i think, again does the job fine so far.


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## Bm101 (24 Aug 2016)

I'm a convert. Average weekly type shop on basics is about £70 cheaper than bigger competitors. I find certain products superior to sainsburys or tesco. The steak for example is excellent, not had a bad one yet. You have to be able to adapt a little in your brand familiarity at first and experiment a bit. Lidles chips are rubbish! Certain things aren't available. I get my coffee elsewhere. :shock: 
If you cook from scratch a lot then I can't really see the point in paying extra for the basics. 
As for shopping 'experience' well let's face it you're in and out like the SAS and that suits me fine. If I wanted to be comforted that I was a better class of person I'd go to waitrose. Fortunately I'm under no such illusions.  
Personally I'd prefer to shop around a bit and keep my hard earned in my pocket. 

In terms of sustainability at least food wise, I'd guess there's far less waste generated by this business model than the bigger supermarkets. It just doesn't allow for high levels of waste. In terms of the throwaway culture it's no more guilty than any other shop. Less so maybe.

Can't see that buying a throwaway hard point saw there is any different from buying one at a builders merchant. Of course there are problems with the throwaway culture, I'm just not sure why you think it's the fault of one shop more than any other. Try convincing your average diy'er or the average professional working to real world price/time constraints (the lion's share of the market), they should be after a Disston saw that they can reset and resharpen. Let me know how you get on.  
I agree with you on the throwaway culture btw. I just can't see a way round it in real terms.
Cheers
Chris


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Aug 2016)

Steak?? Try the kangaroo - excellent!


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## marcros (24 Aug 2016)

phil.p":1j6ix99d said:


> Steak?? Try the kangaroo - excellent!



jump to it!


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## Bm101 (24 Aug 2016)

What's that you say Skippy? You go well with a nice chilled bottle of riesling? Awww. Cheers cobber. You did it again Skip.


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Aug 2016)

Yup. Nice bottle of Clare valley. Cooked on a very hot griddle from frozen. Easy. Perfect.


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## themackay (24 Aug 2016)

I shop at Aldi/Lidl regularly for a range of basics which I consider to be good quality and cheaper than the main supermarkets also some of their specials are very good use Asda Tesco for other bits and peices cant get at Aldi Lidl,I have bought items I would not buy again but if you dont try you dont know


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## mickthetree (24 Aug 2016)

Had some good stuff from there. Some not so good....







Steaks are nice, but I would like to know more about their ethics. I assume at those prices the farmers are getting squeezed??


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## DiscoStu (24 Aug 2016)

Personal I like Waitrose. They are not expensive but they don't sell cheap things. To clarify if you buy Tesco value beans you'll get cheap watery beans if you buy Waitrose beans then you'll get beans that are similar to the Heinz beans but cost less. If you ask at their meat counter where their beef comes from they can (and you can ask to see it) show you a folder that shows the farms where the cattle are raised. Some are even raised on the Leckford estate that is owned by the John Lewis partnership. You'll also find that when these food issues occur as they occasionally do that Waitrose aren't involved - horse meat for example. 

I know a guy who worked for a coffee company and he said that Teaco were horrific to deal with and bullied them, whereas Waitrose were very pleasant and didn't try to screw them over and were very concerned about the origin of beans and the workers who farmed them. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NickWelford (24 Aug 2016)

I prefer waitrose too. Their branded stuff is no more than tesco price. Their meat and veg is a bit more pricy but much better quality and I don't throw much away. Their staff are all empowered to reduce items or give you something free if necessary. Customer service is very good. I'll happily pay more for better service.


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Aug 2016)

Up til lately the nearest Waitrose was 120 mile round trip, now it's only 25 - but according to the time of day it could be an hour and a half, so I'll give that a miss. (I've never seen one, or an Ikea). :lol:


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## DiscoStu (24 Aug 2016)

Nick I think I have the same ethos. I will pay more for service and quality. One thing I don't like is people who go to a shop use the staff for their knowledge and skill and then buy the item online because it's £10 cheaper. (I'm more thinking tools and Axminster here than Waitrose).


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## AJB Temple (24 Aug 2016)

Fully agree with Waitrose. We have three nearby. Excellent quality. Excellent service. Fresh produce beats Tesco et al hands down. The staff want to work there. Says quite a lot.


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## Terry - Somerset (25 Aug 2016)

Somewhat fortunate that Lidl have opened a new good sized branch in Taunton - as a shopping environment it is a match for better Tesco/Sainsburys etc, albeit about one third the size.

I find that food is generally good value and good quality - if an item does not match up I buy elsewhere. I have also bought a few woodworking/diy bits and pieces there over the last 4 years. The wet and dry vacuum is still going strong, F clamps were good value, castor sets for mobilising tools excellent etc etc.

The reason they are cheaper is one of corporate retailing strategy which takes cost and complexity out of the business: 

- far fewer different product lines
- smaller more basic stores (no coffee shop, loos, cigarettes etc)
- no loyalty cards - complex and intrusive (in my view)
- no online shopping
- no petrol forecourts
- simple web site
- no "add on" products - insurance, banking, loans etc

The other major supermarkets are trying to be the single source of everything to everybody. The Lidl model seems to be much more focused on good value food with regular seasonal offers for household/diy - a keep it simple stupid (KISS) strategy. 
-


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## Rhyolith (25 Aug 2016)

Bm101":2zndx1ez said:


> ....
> In terms of sustainability at least food wise, I'd guess there's far less waste generated by this business model than the bigger supermarkets. It just doesn't allow for high levels of waste. In terms of the throwaway culture it's no more guilty than any other shop. Less so maybe.


That is a good point. This is a good argument for smaller shops generally, which I personally prefer as shopping takes less time.



Bm101":2zndx1ez said:


> Can't see that buying a throwaway hard point saw there is any different from buying one at a builders merchant. Of course there are problems with the throwaway culture, I'm just not sure why you think it's the fault of one shop more than any other. Try convincing your average diy'er or the average professional working to real world price/time constraints (the lion's share of the market), they should be after a Disston saw that they can reset and resharpen. Let me know how you get on.
> I agree with you on the throwaway culture btw. I just can't see a way round it in real terms.
> Cheers
> Chris


My rant was directed towards this culture in general, not just Lidl shoppers. Though the products offered there are classic examples of the kind of unstustianably short lasting stuff that is not needed. Builders merchants and modern tool shops alike are aweful for this much as supermarkets.

The fact is that this kind of throw away practice *cannot* continue whether its justified on an indivdaul level or not. I have already mentioned the damage done extracting and transporting resources all over the world, but a must more at home problem is landfill. The entire system is inefficient and destructive, so in my mind there is no argument for keeping it that holds up to the reasons for trying to find another way (which I don't think is that hard). 

The obvious solution is to re-use old tools, which a lot of us on this forum do already. To me the only thing that makes this an un-realistic option is not the cost (50p for dissiton at my local market, not modern saw can beat that) but the time it takes to find decent stuff at the right price. Solve that and in the UK at least I see no need for cheap throw away tools.


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## JohnPW (25 Aug 2016)

The only problem with Lidl and Aldi are the long queues at checkout, usually there's at least 4 or 5 people in front of you in the queue. If you go really early in the morning or late in the evening, it's less busy but then they only open 1 or 2 tills.

With Sainsbury/Tesco etc, you can go in, get what you need and come straight out by using the self service checkouts. Unless it's the really busy times like 6 or 7pm.


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## Phil Pascoe (25 Aug 2016)

Rhyolith":1oqgev0t said:


> My rant was directed towards this culture in general, not just Lidl shoppers. Though the products offered there are classic examples of the kind of unstustianably short lasting stuff that is not needed. Builders merchants and modern tool shops alike are aweful for this much as supermarkets.
> 
> The fact is that this kind of throw away practice *cannot* continue whether its justified on an indivdaul level or not. I have already mentioned the damage done extracting and transporting resources all over the world, but a must more at home problem is landfill. The entire system is inefficient and destructive, so in my mind there is no argument for keeping it that holds up to the reasons for trying to find another way (which I don't think is that hard).
> 
> The obvious solution is to re-use old tools, which a lot of us on this forum do already. To me the only thing that makes this an un-realistic option is not the cost (50p for dissiton at my local market, not modern saw can beat that) but the time it takes to find decent stuff at the right price. Solve that and in the UK at least I see no need for cheap throw away tools.


Who do you charge for the saw file and the hour spent sharpening the saw?


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## sammy.se (25 Aug 2016)

It's all about Amazon fresh for me now! Love it. No queues, delivery within 5 or 6 hours... what's not to like about it?!


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## clk230 (25 Aug 2016)

Chris[/quote]
My rant was directed towards this culture in general, not just Lidl shoppers. 

But is was directed at Lidl :?


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## Rhyolith (25 Aug 2016)

phil.p":2a59v4c4 said:


> Who do you charge for the saw file and the hour spent sharpening the saw?


The same person you charge for a new saw every few years  

I was actaully wondering if saw sharpening could be mechanised, I see no reason why not. If a lot of people had re-sharpenqble saws I imagine re-sharpening could get very cheap indeed. It would certainly cost less time and money for everyone involved then constantly making new saws.



clk230":2a59v4c4 said:


> Rhyolith":2a59v4c4 said:
> 
> 
> > My rant was directed towards this culture in general, not just Lidl shoppers.
> ...



Considering the title of the thread it was not very clear. I have not particular issue with Lidl over any other store that sells cheap throw away tools and the points rasied regarding the greater sustainability of small stores has got be re-considering my food shopping preferences in favour of shops like lidl.


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## lurker (25 Aug 2016)

AJB Temple":3ozbqlcr said:


> Fully agree with Waitrose. We have three nearby. Excellent quality. Excellent service. Fresh produce beats Tesco et al hands down. The staff want to work there. Says quite a lot.



I guess only someone who lives in Tunbridge Wells can say "we have 3 Waitrose nearby" :roll:


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## clk230 (25 Aug 2016)

How to confuse your audience -- Raise a question titled why is Lidle so cheap , mention Lidle in your opening post then say its not about just Lidles . 
Confused .com 

Unfortunately manufacturing has gone the mass produced route and while big business rules I don't really think things will change , yes a few can kick the trend but it wont make any major in roads.


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## Bm101 (25 Aug 2016)

It's good to have a rant Ryolith. It's good you're aware. It's a shame more aren't or choose not to be. The years have made me cynical no doubt. But they've also taught me there is no simple answer. To anything. Never mind global socio-economic trends. Fight your corner. Live your life by your ethics, but I wonder if any of us can do any more than that. Fair play. It's admirable. Good luck to you fella.
Regards
Chris


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## Phil Pascoe (25 Aug 2016)

lurker":3l9pmnfe said:


> AJB Temple":3l9pmnfe said:
> 
> 
> > Fully agree with Waitrose. We have three nearby. Excellent quality. Excellent service. Fresh produce beats Tesco et al hands down. The staff want to work there. Says quite a lot.
> ...


I was about to say the whole of Cornwall has only one - and that's a new one.


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## DiscoStu (25 Aug 2016)

I am somewhat confused by all of the comments about the add on products and that these are what make Tesco etc more expensive. I'm sorry but Tesco don't sell these items at a loss they sell them because they make good money on them (same as with fuel). I think where Lidl may be winning is not that they don't sell add on product but lots of people don't want acres of choice of instant coffee etc and people want to shop somewhere where there is only 3 choices. In addition by reducing your lines you increase your economies of scale on the lines that you do sell. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## YorkshireMartin (25 Aug 2016)

Rhyolith":8zgalmjg said:


> I don't trust cheap supermarkets, it always seems that they make things cheap by exploiting people and having no regard for enviromental destruction.
> 
> Lidl seems to be getting very popular and looking at the absurdly cheap prices, I can see why. However I won't shop there until I know how such low prices are acheived and what corners are being cut to do it.



I did try shopping at Lidl once last year. My experience of it was that the fruit went full on moldy in a day and a half, the corn cobs were covered in miniscule flies (on the shelf in store!) the bread tasted different, not in a good way and the baked beans were virtually all sauce and no beans.

Based on this I'd say the stock they sell is short dated and/or from poor producers. In the case of the can of baked beans, obviously you can sell them cheaply if you omit 40% of the actual beans. I'm sure this is the case with a lot of their products, a higher percentage of filler and/or lower quality base ingredients. It's the only way it could work, given that "cutting out the middleman" already happened 20 years ago in that sector.

I'm sure they have some good value stuff, but I didn't find it all that cheap anyway compared to Asda. Never went back after that and it's 3 minutes away.

Oh, the pastries are OK, if you get there early enough. The watermelons are also OK.

Before anyone says, Im aware that certain products are treated to give them a longer shelf life, such as water/ammonia sprayed on bags of lettuce.


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## YorkshireMartin (25 Aug 2016)

DiscoStu":36orih6e said:


> I am somewhat confused by all of the comments about the add on products and that these are what make Tesco etc more expensive. I'm sorry but Tesco don't sell these items at a loss they sell them because they make good money on them (same as with fuel). I think where Lidl may be winning is not that they don't sell add on product but lots of people don't want acres of choice of instant coffee etc and people want to shop somewhere where there is only 3 choices. In addition by reducing your lines you increase your economies of scale on the lines that you do sell.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



and this. completely agree, except loss leaders are far more prevalent than commonly thought.


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## petermillard (25 Aug 2016)

Never been to Aldi. First experience of Lidl was in Greece. Compared to Greek 'supermarkets' Lidl is amazing; back in Blighty they're just (badly laid-out) warehouses with stuff in that you can buy. TBF I've only been to one here (nearest is 40 mins away, life's too short) but no thanks; M&S for preference, but OK with Sainsburys, Tesco or Asda for branded goods. Not a Waitress fan (history there...)

Worth bearing in mind that not everyone shops on price; convenience & quality play a big part...

Cheers, Pete

edited for spelling & clarity


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## Rorschach (26 Aug 2016)

phil.p":2msdmvpe said:


> lurker":2msdmvpe said:
> 
> 
> > AJB Temple":2msdmvpe said:
> ...



Well you have 2 technically, but really it was built for us in Devon


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