Do you have a favourite supermarket?

[PaulSB]

Within 5-6 miles we have, it's ridiculous:
Booths
Aldi x 3
ASDA x 3
Tesco x 2
Morrison's
Lidl
Sainsbury's
Waitrose
M&S

My favourite supermarket is Booths for quality, quiet, local produce, highly ethical and great service. We can't afford to shop there except for special items or occasions. Used to get a lot of good yellow sticker deals but they've improved their stocking levels.

I'd love to support Booths for everything as I fear we will lose the store especially since the awful M&S opened 100 metres away. We've had Booths for decades and people queue to get in to M&S!!!! Crazy.

Plus Booths told Waitrose what to do with their money when Waitrose tried a takeover. 😂

I enjoy shopping in Aldi and find the range, quality and value is generally very good. A week's shop for under £40 for two. Meat (farm shop) and bread (Tesco) excluded. Mrs P has a thing about Tesco sourdoughs and we have two big freezers.

Tesco is my pet hate especially following the appalling local approach to Covid-19. Truly awful. I do have to go every 4-5 weeks for a few things Aldi don't stock. I detest Tesco to a ridiculous level but hey ho. Stopping me five visits in a row for a "spot" check at self-checkout finished it for me! First time I'd made a genuine error on a jar of coffee and then almost strip searched on the next four visits.

ASDA is OK but doesn't really have the range and quality is average. Excellent Covid-19 security. Morrison's is dowdy and poor quality.

Sainsbury's range is poor and often out of stock. I do bob in for Ophir gin.

Lidl locally is difficult to get to and very limited in range.

I won't be dragged in to M&S or Waitrose for their ridiculously over priced average quality food.

 

[Brandane]

I won't be dragged in to M&S or Waitrose for their ridiculously over priced average quality food.

I can't comment on Waitrose, they are rare in Scotland, in fact they might have withdrawn altogether by now. But when down south I found them no better than Sainsbury's.
As for M&S, I used to think their food was the bee's knees, but lately they seem to have become very average and as you say, grossly overpriced. Portions are ridiculously small too, on their "meal for one" products. e.g. Roast lamb meal for one consists of 2 thin slices of lamb, 4 half potatoes roasted, a spoonful of peas and a few slices of carrot. Meal for one - one what? One sparrow??

 

[Pale Rider]

Waitrose opened a branch in Durham City, thinking there would be lots of wealthy customers prepared to pay nine quid for two tiny venison medallions.

There are such people in Durham, but only a tiny handful.

The overwhelming majority of shoppers are from former pit villages and have not much money.

Within a few months Waitrose had shut the store.

 

[PK99]

We have three Aldi's and a Lidl locally. It's standard practice in all of them if you see the person behind only has a couple of bits you offer to let them go ahead of you. It's standard if you're behind someone with a full "shop" you just ask if you can go first. This is Lancashire!

Doesn't happen in Waitrose

In Waitrose with a couple of items, I use the self check out - without ever a queue.

 

[postman]

No choice Mrs P is Sainsbury through and through.Mind you I am not allowed to shop covid and all.

 

[fossyant]

Tend to shop at the nearest depending upon traffic/what we want. Not really done big shops since Covid started - I literally fly in for exactly what I want and I'm out.

Aldi or Iceland near 'rush hour', Morrisons at other times. Turn left out of our housing estate, and the traffic is terrible ! Aldi actually trumps Morrisons for fruit and veg quality.

Whilst WFH, it's been Morrisons, Aldi and Iceland as all are within a mile. When at work, we've a big Asda at the end of the road, so that's handy.
At the caravan it's Tesco, Aldi or a fancy new Lidl. Quite like their Lidl. No Lidl near at home, so we don't go.

We do B&M for cat litter and Felix AGAIL - £5.99 for 30l of wood based cat litter - we go through loads with five cats.

 

[Brandane]

Waitrose opened a branch in Durham City, thinking there would be lots of wealthy customers prepared to pay nine quid for two tiny venison medallions.

There are such people in Durham, but only a tiny handful.

The overwhelming majority of shoppers are from former pit villages and have not much money.

Within a few months Waitrose had shut the store.

The only 2 branches of Waitrose I have seen in Scotland were at Newton Mearns (affluent suburb on south side of Glasgow) and Helensburgh (retirement town on the Clyde for yachtie types). The Helensburgh branch was a purpose built place but didn't last long and is now a Morrisons IIRC.. The Newton Mearns branch might still be there, but having so few branches in Scotland must cause logistical problems, and extra costs.

Edit to add.... A quick check online shows 3 branches around Glasgow, 3 in Edinburgh, and 1 in Stirling. All in the more affluent areas, obviously. No RDC coming for Scotland any time soon then!

 

[swee'pea99]

I literally fly in for exactly what I want

 

[Fab Foodie]

For years I shopped at whichever supermarket I happened to be passing at the time.

But recently I've become very keen on Lidl.

When they first opened in the UK the shops were a bit low rent, as was some of the food.

However, we have a couple of newer ones near me now and they are excellent in both respects.

I like the size, big enough to have plenty of choice, but not so large as to be daunting and take an age to traipse around.

The food is the main attraction, the bread tastes like proper bread, and their raw and cooked meat is among some of the best I've tasted.

Their fizzy orange is nicer than Tango and less than half the price.

I'm not sure the meat is much cheaper than elsewhere, but while I'm not wealthy, I can afford to food shop mostly on taste and quality.

The Hereford sirloin is a particular favourite, always tender and juicy, and cooks a treat.

Ditto the leg of lamb 'steaks'.

Oh, and my Lidl reusable carrier bag is proving more durable than some others which only manage a few trips before falling apart.

Do you have a favourite supermarket?

Waitrose of course...there are others?

 

[snorri]

Within 5-6 miles we have, it's ridiculous: Booths, Aldi x 3, ASDA x 3, Tesco x2, Morrison's, Lidl, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, M&S.

Wot no Co-op.
Within my 5-6 miles all I have is a Co-op

 

[PK99]

Waitrose of course...there are others?

I do have to say if I lived in't'north, Booths would be my go-to shop, their localism plus quality ethos trumps even the Beloved Waitrose

 

[Pale Rider]

I do have to say if I lived in't'north, Booths would be my go-to shop, their localism plus quality ethos trumps even the Beloved Waitrose

I liked the couple of Booths I've been in in the Lake District.

 

[fossyant]

Wot no Co-op.
Within my 5-6 miles all I have is a Co-op

Ah we've also a Co-op - handy when you run out of stuff. The one next to work is way too handy.

 

[Pale Rider]

Waitrose of course...there are others?

I'm surprised you've fallen for the Waitrose is quality marketing spiel.

Next you'll be telling me you believe Boris Johnson.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Got to share some of this Waitrose love. The till packed up last time I went, so the manager let me have a £10 bottle of wine for the bother.