Which are the cheapest supermarkets?

[NormanH]

OK OK...this is a Daily Mail article, and it's about the UK., but it started me thinking.

 With a lot of people feeling the pinch I wondered what is the experience of those of us living in France and able to get to reasonable sized supermarkets?

Is Lidl cheaper than using Auchan's special offers etc?

What about Super U or Monoprix's own brands?

Where do you find good value shopping?

[Will]

I don't know, but I always have a shopping list of stuff from Tesco, Boots, Superdrug etc when I travel back to France from England.

(I should point out the the Netto referred to in the article is not the same Netto as the French Intermarché budget outlet - Netto in the rest of Europe is part of the Danish Maersk group).

[nectarine]

Down here I find that Leader Price is good value and there's a discount place called Mutant which sells cheap meats and other goods (yes, I know the name puts you off !).  I did shop at Auchan, and they often have special offers but I always end up spending far more because the shop is bigger and I find more stuff!!!  I tend to buy fruit and veg at my local market ... and prices do vary amongst the stalls but quality is always good and I don't begrudge spending money on good fruit 'n veg ... then tootle to either Lidl or Leader Price for the rest.  In the centre of France, where we lived for a while, I found that SuperU was the cheapest supermarket chain around there.

[Mutiara]

There is no real answer to the question because the supermarkets are constantly having "promos" and unless you are really on the ball and constantly read through all the publicity that comes through the post you can never really be sure. You also need a lot of time to visit stores such as Netto, Leader Price, Lidl and your local supermarket, so fuel costs can also be a consideration for some. We have also noticed that some items that we buy week in /week out vary in price from one week to another !

It can also depend on store loyalty cards especially if you are a resident here. As an example, we were pleasantly suprised on our recent visit to one of the big chains that we have now accumulated 75 euros to pay for our next shopping bill, all done on points over the year, something to bear in mind if you shop in the "cut price" superamarkets which often don't have these schemes in operation.

It never ceases to amaze me that our French neighbour who is retired, actively seeks out the cheapest items spending hours driving around to save a few cents, and then comes into our local Bar Tabac and spends 25 euros on fags and downs a couple of ricard every day but hey, everyone to their own ! [+o(]

And finally check you receipts! It is common practice we have found that the shelf price does not always correspond with the till price[:@]

[Frederick]

   South Vendee  seems to me mostly uner the control of SuperU unlees you  travel into the larger towns ....I find for wine and other bargains Mille Stocks is the place to go.they have branches in most big towns ....Like a bit of an alladins cave and  you dont know what is on offer in them  from one month to the next   They sell everything clothes shoes  household stuff... tools  fishing tackle .. garden and DIY materials ...fridges ...cookers  washing machines etc    They seem to end up  with what other people had  when their shops have gone bust..an outlet for liquidation sale stuff perhaps .?  I dont really know where they get it all from ..

 I found a case of very good wine numbered bottles... house bottled cases of 12.....back lable was in Japanese  but what the hell ....it was good stuff Japans loss was my gain ....If you have one near you and havent visited ....look in... that big tin of paint you want for the house might just be there the week you visit  at half the price you expect to pay. ....

[Mutiara]

I've never heard of "Mille Stocks" but they sound very much like the other national chain of shops selling liquidated stock and such like called "NOZ".

I remember finding some lovely red Bordeaux wine in our local Noz that nobody was buying because  it was specially sourced and bottled for Tescos in the Uk, and so the labels were all in English which must have frightened off the French !

 

[Frederick]

   Yes  Mutiara ....NOZ  shops are the same kind.....I once found in NOZ some square plates and bowls in plain white  marked up at 3 euros each....on the bottom..."John Lewis "

[NormanH]

NOZ isn't known in the south I'm afraid..[:(]

[Patf]

I  do most shopping at Champion, but they have now been taken over by Carrefour. Prices of their own branded goods have gone up.

Intermarché are cheaper, and SuperU cheaper still, so I ought to make the effort to familiarize myself with their products. But I like the layout at Champion and know the serving girls now, we often have a chat. Not sensible reasons for staying with them .

Lidl is even cheaper, but I don't like that shop.

BTW, I don't think there's a french word for cheap, (except for moins cher.) Is this significant?

[Clair]

[quote user="Patf"]I don't think there's a french word for cheap, (except for moins cher.) Is this significant?[/quote]

cheap = bon marché / pas cher

moins cher = cheaper

[Thibault]

A report in The Times yesterday said that the UK "big four" supermarkets were actually cheaper over a range of products than Aldi and Lidl.  Although the discounters had one or two very cheap products, in fact a lot of their stock was dearer.

This is interesting because there has been a lot of publicity in UK about people deserting the main supermarkets for the perceived cheaper discounters.  Aldi has seen a 20% rise in demand in the past three or four months.  The rash of money off and other promo offers make it quite difficult for people to work out who or what is cheaper where.   A good marketing strategy, perhaps.[:)]

[nectarine]

just compared two supermarket bills ...  interestingly a roll of pate brisee cost me 1.29 at Lidl and 0.49 at Auchan - quite a difference as I expected it to be cheaper at Lidl! 

[giantpanda]

Hi!

See here:

http://www.orange.fr/bin/frame.cgi?u=http%3A//mobile.orange.fr/content/ge/high/v2_offre_boutique/doc_tarif/documentation_tarif.html

But if you want to check for you, which is the cheapest, than make your standard trolley.

And check with the different outlets, what it the total cost.

Of course, things get complicated, if you do not stick to branded articles, because quality will not be necessarily comparable.

In general with Aldi or Lidl, you will fare pretty well.

But for example if you compare the regular Lidl price, and the price of Leclerc Eco ( which is not necessarily the same quality, and it not always available) you will find the Eco product will be a few centimes cheaper.

Yours,

giantpanda

[NormanH]

[quote user="Thibault"]

A report in The Times yesterday said that the UK "big four" supermarkets were actually cheaper over a range of products than Aldi and Lidl.  Although the discounters had one or two very cheap products, in fact a lot of their stock was dearer.

This is interesting because there has been a lot of publicity in UK about people deserting the main supermarkets for the perceived cheaper discounters.  Aldi has seen a 20% rise in demand in the past three or four months.  The rash of money off and other promo offers make it quite difficult for people to work out who or what is cheaper where.   A good marketing strategy, perhaps.[:)]

[/quote]

This was exactly the point made in  the link I gave in my original post

The idea of this thread was to see if the sale thing applies in France in the experience of the posters here.

[Rob Roy]

One of the things I have noticed when you get the 'pub' for the various supermarkets is that they always have the same things on promo - for example if SuperU have pork as a special, so do Intermarche or whoever. The fuel prices are always the same as well even when they are about 500 mtrs apart along the road. There does not seem to be the same competitive merchandising here as in UK. Another thing I wish they would do is have a reduced shelf for things near the end of their sell by dates rather than just clearing the shelves - the only thing that seems to be sold off are the stale bread and pastries!

 

[Ian]

Aldi

Lidl

Netto

??????

[BIG MAC]

We live near Mayenne and I think our research thus far has us generally shopping at;

Inermarche for cold meat and crevettes and diesel / bottled gas

Hyper U for veggies, cooked meats booze and bread.

Leclerc for tools and DIYish odds and sods (Also fishing gear and bicycle bits) and they do a mean casserole and tartaflette?

Noz used to be an Alladins cave. I don't think it is quite as good as it was but well worth a wander about.

Sesame is ok for white goods

Pigeon? or Leroy Merlin in Laval for building materials although our local merchants in Javron is helpful.

 

 

[NormanH]

the latest word on the street man is that Ed have good cheap veg and meat, but that is just my town innit..

[Théière]

Define "Best"

Most of the postings reflect cheaper,  not always the best I find.

Tesco value range, cheap but..........

Sell you quality family car and buy a basic Hyundi then spend the difference on some better quality food.

 

[NormanH]

[quote user="teapot"]

Define "Best"

Most of the postings reflect cheaper,  not always the best I find.

Tesco value range, cheap but..........

Sell you quality family car and buy a basic Hyundi then spend the difference on some better quality food.

 

[/quote]

Perhaps because the thread is "Which are the cheapest" not "which is best".

[Scooby]

Can you buy meat directly from the abattoir in France?  Here in the UK we buy all our meat from the local abattoir and our fish in bulk directly from the fish wholesaler.  Both meat and fish are much cheaper bought this way and they're better quality with more choice - they will cut and pack to order.  We have often wondered if we could do the same in France but have not come across anyone locally who does this.  We're in 24 near Hautefort.

We also buy a whole lamb, hind quarter of beef etc from local farmers in the UK - and pick the meat up from the abattoir once the animal has been slaughtered etc - I'm guessing this must be an option in France too?

[NormanH]

I believe it is an option in areas around large 'marché de bétail' such as at Laissac in the Aveyron.

In my part of the Languedoc you don't see much livestock, but the same thing applies to large quantities of wine [:D]

[Théière]

[quote user="NormanH"][quote user="teapot"]

Define "Best"

Most of the postings reflect cheaper,  not always the best I find.

Tesco value range, cheap but..........

Sell you quality family car and buy a basic Hyundi then spend the difference on some better quality food.

 

[/quote]

Perhaps because the thread is "Which are the cheapest" not "which is best".

[/quote]

You are absolutely right NormanH, the thread was hijacked by that estate agent!

Noticed you followed him though [Www]

[Jo]

I go "halves" with a neighbour who raises pigs, pay towards the feeding, then get half at slaughter.

[Cat]

A recent study of the price of a selected trolleyload of 46 goods, conducted by UFC (l'Union fédérale des Consommateurs ) Que Choisir, found that the cheapest was Lidl, followed by Aldi.

http://tf1.lci.fr/infos/economie/consommation/0,,4237698,00-le-hard-discount-vraiment-dix-fois-moins-cher-.html