donāt knock it, look after your pennies and the Ā£Ā£Ā£ will look after themselves. 30 some years ago when living in England a brand new Aldi store opened up in our town and my wife quickly took up the bargain shopping. We had a brand new Mercedes at the time which stood out like a sore thumb in the Aldi carpark but it wouldnāt today. We had 4 young children and after filling one shopping trolley and taking it to the car my wife would then go back in the store and fill it again!
Lidl is my favourite shop and despite what some say you can buy and eat healthily without breaking the bank.
Of course for a non food bargain shopping experience Action is the place to go!
5 Likes
Once upon a time the UK middle classes looked down on Lidl and Aldi, but I think those days are long gone. I still have many tools that I bought in Aldi twenty or more years ago and which continue to give good service. Though, obviously canāt say the same for the tomatoes 
2 Likes
I love Lidl and Aldi 
(and Edeka etc)
2 Likes
Seems to come and go in our local Lidl (which has just reopened after a massive facelift lasting 6 months, and is 100x better for it).
Sometimes the shelves are half empty, at others overfull, spilling out into the aisles (a classic French Lidl shopping experience).
Not really noticed any shortages in Carrefour though, which is my daily go-to at lunchtime as it is literally 200m from my office.
We do our main shop in Lidl, and complementary bits in Carrefour. Both have increased their prices recently quite significantly, but Carrefour definitely taking the excess inflationary medal of the moment. Iām a big fan of Lidl, but they have a strategy in which they were positioning themselves to move up into the same customer segment as the other large supermarket brands. Inflation might put a scupper on that, as people tighten their belts and look for better deals, or simply donāt buy at all.
I love Lidl and Aldi
Donāt disagree, but we havenāt really used them for a few years now - havenāt become flush - just prefer buying fresh food on the local markets from our neighbouring producteurs who now know us and we know where they grow their veg (even if our caniche occasionally pees on it).
Similarly I like our local butcherās practice of selecting ing animals from local farms in the Cantal and using everything from nose to tail. Also I donāt want to buy cheese wrapped in plastic. Weāre fortunately able to pay a few centimes more and love supporting our neighbouring producteurs.
The 80km journey to Lidl would wipe out any savings I think!
Iām in London and can honestly say Iāve not seen any shortages. Where are you experiencing shortages?
1 Like
Quite an introduction!
1 Like
Well nor have I but I go for very specific things like their ginger shots which I put in my lunchbox. Also they are the best place to buy multicoloured card. I got a load of smallish slow cookers there one year too as Christmas presents for student children
and godchildren. Wonderful.
No loss then eh ā¦ 
3 Likes
Lidl Bromley x2, Catfod and Lewisham. Tesco Sidcup, Sainsburys Sydenham.
Toolstation and Screwfix around the same broad areas. Selco likewise. Plumbcenter and others.
So they sell Crabbiesā ginger wine in shot glassesā¦
If I had the misfortune to be teaching in a school Iād probably buy them too.
Whatever gets you through the teaching day
Just a few comments on what people are saying here. Weāve used Lidl for many years in the UK and France. We actually have three Lidl stores in town ā¦ why so many ? I donāt know. Theyāre great for the staples and the fresh veg (mostly), but itās not really our main shop. We also go to Grand Frais, which I think is a very schizophrenic shop, and also not our main shop. Itās either very expensive, or very cheap. Got Ginger a few weeks ago at ā¬3.99 per kilo and blueberries at ā¬4.50 per kilo. So, on Wednesday, weāre going shopping and itāll be Lidl, Grand Frais, Action and Carrefour. Weāll also get a lot of of our fruit from the guy on the roundabout, and a lot of our meat from the butchers in Saissac, but most things do come from supermarkets.
I make my own now. Far superior, even if I do say so myself. Over 15% alcohol, deep golden colour and fiery as f**k. You need about 200g per litre of good root ginger ā¦ see my previous post.
I make my own now.
Ah, but are you an active member of the teaching profession?
Sadly not, but I do have a tame professor (retired).
Iām rich because 90% of the time I shop at Lidl 
In the UK I did M&S, lovely food though didnāt notice much taste loss after switching to Aldi / lidl. And now in France - well, itās just so much better than (UK) M&S anyway!
I mean lovely baguettes 35c, fulsome smoky salmon 30ā¬ / kg - even the cauliflowers have come down to 1.20 from 4 euro last week.
Aldi 14Ā£ / L gin - won an award (never seen it here in France).
However - today, in Lidl, no whole chickens, fillet steak is no more, thereās hardly ever any lamb, and when there is itās far more than UK. G20 is doing lamb cotellete at 12.90 / kg, v Leclerc at 22. (ok Leclerc a bit tastier).
Frozen cod at lidl about 15 euro - could get fresh from Leclerc for 20ishā¦
Guess have to shop around - which one of course can only do living in close packed cities?
cribed as ā
Iām also a retired professor, but am far too egocentric to be described as ātamedā.
1 Like
[quote=ātoryroo, post:28, topic:41642ā]
Iām poor so 90% of the time I shop at Lidl.f beign
[/quote]throms
Ok, not being patronising because iāve been there too, but when youāre really strapped for cash thereās also a certain satisfaction, and perhaps pride in nevertheless being able to create decent meals.
Weāve had an artisan and friend fitting the second of this yearās new bathrooms and this lunchtime sat down to some (admittedly ābronzeā) spaghetti with sautĆ©ed onions and garlic, one tomato, a couple of sardines and some anchovies and olives with chile flakes, a drop of wine and some water from the pasta. The total cost of the mael was probably under ā¬2. Mind you there was also 75cl of local wine @ ā¬2 a litre!
1 Like