What is the cheapest, chain supermarket in London?
#5
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Within most people's definition of central London, there's no Asda, Aldi or Lidl, who are the three cheapest UK chains.
Tesco and Sainsbury run different pricing systems on different kinds of stores. Suffixes like Metro and Local are internal code for "ripoff" and most central London branches of these two have those suffixes. However, if you go to the storefinders on their websites, input the postcode of where you're staying and ignore suffixed branches, you'll find just about the cheapest chainstore prices in central London.
Otherwise, Iceland (with a handful of branches north and east of Islington) is slightly cheaper, though with a limited range of non-frozen food. Morrisons is cheaper still, but branches are usually too far out for tourists.
Somerfield has a smattering of branches round the edge of central London, but they have a complicated system of branch by branch price differences, and I've forgotten how it works. I THINK all their central London branches operate higher than average pricing.
Tesco and Sainsbury run different pricing systems on different kinds of stores. Suffixes like Metro and Local are internal code for "ripoff" and most central London branches of these two have those suffixes. However, if you go to the storefinders on their websites, input the postcode of where you're staying and ignore suffixed branches, you'll find just about the cheapest chainstore prices in central London.
Otherwise, Iceland (with a handful of branches north and east of Islington) is slightly cheaper, though with a limited range of non-frozen food. Morrisons is cheaper still, but branches are usually too far out for tourists.
Somerfield has a smattering of branches round the edge of central London, but they have a complicated system of branch by branch price differences, and I've forgotten how it works. I THINK all their central London branches operate higher than average pricing.
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Lidl is an innovative marketer.They introduce new products weekly. Their regular consumer goods are of high quality and low prices. We buy there because their cottage cheese is the best available. A loss leader is a good beer that sells for 70 US cents per 1/2 liter. Try and find the closest one!
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>>>>>>
Suffixes like Metro and Local are internal code for "ripoff"
>>>>>
...and he fancies himself a retail food marteteer
it's not about ripoff, it's about value. depending on how much you plan to buy at each shop and how much time you have on your hands, you decide what value it is to pay more to buy where it's convenient (and where the cost of doing business is higher) or trek out to the hinterlands to search for a cheaper market.
i don't understand what this has to do with 'ripoff'. central london is just more expensive for store purchased food because of the economics involved (smaller stores mean less scale, higher cost of staff, premises, conjestion charging, etc, etc.)
i have never noticed a big difference in pricing among the smaller central london chains already discussed. and you'll do no better (in fact much worse) at independent markets like the ones in chinatown, etc.
Suffixes like Metro and Local are internal code for "ripoff"
>>>>>
...and he fancies himself a retail food marteteer
it's not about ripoff, it's about value. depending on how much you plan to buy at each shop and how much time you have on your hands, you decide what value it is to pay more to buy where it's convenient (and where the cost of doing business is higher) or trek out to the hinterlands to search for a cheaper market.
i don't understand what this has to do with 'ripoff'. central london is just more expensive for store purchased food because of the economics involved (smaller stores mean less scale, higher cost of staff, premises, conjestion charging, etc, etc.)
i have never noticed a big difference in pricing among the smaller central london chains already discussed. and you'll do no better (in fact much worse) at independent markets like the ones in chinatown, etc.
#9
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We absolutely love Lidl (and Aldi). We try to incorporate a stop at one WHEREVER we travel in Europe. Lots of cheap booze and candies to bring home for friends and ourselves.
We just discovered Tesco on our recent trip to Budapest - another winner. And we thought Walmart was so unique...
I think I should be embarassed to admit that we frequent such cheap joints, but with the dollar in the tank and my limited budget we are always looking for new ways to pinch a penny.
We just discovered Tesco on our recent trip to Budapest - another winner. And we thought Walmart was so unique...
I think I should be embarassed to admit that we frequent such cheap joints, but with the dollar in the tank and my limited budget we are always looking for new ways to pinch a penny.
#10
Reading the OPs other thread - since he plans on arriving in London w/o any money, credit cards or onward ticket - he probably won't make it to any shops except maybe in the departure lounge at the airport . . . .
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Seems on my recent trip i was forced to use Waitrose when i was in a place and wanted a supermarket and prices seemed higher for what i wanted to buy than Tesco or Sainsbury - at least their regular supermarkets
Is Waitrose on the way up - did not notice them so much before?
Is Waitrose on the way up - did not notice them so much before?
#13
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PalQ, Waitrose has been around for years but they have been expanding a lot recently - we now have 2 in Edinburgh. They are the classiest of the supermarket chains and owned by John Lewis (as in the department stores) but unfortunately don't share the JL stores' "never knowingly undersold" ethos.
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