Another German Discount Grocer Enters the Philly Market (at last) (Philadelphia: to buy, organic)

[MarketStEl]

I think some of you have heard the rumors that Aldi's German archrival, Lidl (rhymes with "needle"), is expanding in North America and had plans to open in this market.

Its first store will open in Warminster next year, according to this report in the Business Journal:

Officials greenlight European grocer for Bucks site | Philadelphia Business Journal

Looks like the chain promotes an eco-conscious image; the store will occupy only half its lot, with the rest going to green space.

So: who's excited? Who's blasé?

[1ondoner]

My pal in the UK sent me a text on Sunday regarding Lidl opening their first store in the US.


I sent him the following response - I'm not a fan of these cheap supermarkets. They sell sub-standard/generic stuff, that's how they keep prices low. You get what you pay for.


He sent me responded back by saying - Well, their quality does speak for itself, that's why they have a lot of market share away from the big boys. That's why I always go to them when I need cycling clothes, thermal stuff and holiday food.

Aldi and Lidl serve a specific segment of the population but they get what they pay for.

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I think some of you have heard the rumors that Aldi's German archrival, Lidl (rhymes with "needle"), is expanding in North America and had plans to open in this market.

Its first store will open in Warminster next year, according to this report in the Business Journal:

Officials greenlight European grocer for Bucks site | Philadelphia Business Journal

Looks like the chain promotes an eco-conscious image; the store will occupy only half its lot, with the rest going to green space.

So: who's excited? Who's blasé?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

My pal in the UK sent me a text on Sunday regarding Lidl opening their first store in the US.


I sent him the following response - I'm not a fan of these cheap supermarkets. They sell sub-standard/generic stuff, that's how they keep prices low. You get what you pay for.


He sent me responded back by saying - Well, their quality does speak for itself, that's why they have a lot of market share away from the big boys. That's why I always go to them when I need cycling clothes, thermal stuff and holiday food.

Aldi and Lidl serve a specific segment of the population but they get what they pay for.

Do you buy store brands at a regular supermarket?

They vary, as I've remarked before, but some stores have very good ones, and it's no different with the no-frills supermarkets.

I tend to avoid Save-a-Lot because most of their private label products aren't that good. I had a great experience with Bottom Dollar's, and on my most recent visits to Aldi, ditto. I wouldn't call it "getting what you pay for," for (as your British friend said about his experience) I've found their quality comparable to that of national brands. (By comparison, there are some ShopRite brand products I won't buy because I don't consider their quality up to par.)

Don't forget that there are other practices that allow these chains to sell for less besides relying almost exclusively on private label products (some, especially Save-a-Lot, often make special large purchases of nationally advertised name brands at lower-than-usual prices; these, however, vary from week to week, so if you absolutely MUST have Brand A, then these stores won't be an option for you).

Those practices include:
--selling the merchandise from their shipping boxes rather than having staff unpack them and put them on shelves
--having a limited selection of products; a typical deep-discounter will stock 3,000 to 5,000 items as opposed to the 30,000 or so you'll find in a regular supermarket
--offering no service whatsoever. There's no in-store bakery, deli counter, butcher, fish counter, or prepared-foods section, and the cashier puts your purchases back into a shopping cart for you to bag over at tables beyond the checkouts. Didn't bring your own bags? They'll sell you some.

But if you shun private-label food products on general principle, I suggest you reconsider your stance and try some sometime. I recall reading somewhere a few years back that more than 90 percent of U.S. grocery shoppers buy them. Obviously, most don't buy them exclusively, or else those national brands wouldn't exist, but they do help shoppers save money, which is the whole point of the exercise.

BTW, "generic" means "unbranded." During the stagflationary years of the 1970s, a number of supermarket chains did add such products to their merchandise mix, again as a money-saving move. Most of those products were lower in quality than their branded (national or private) counterparts; I remember, because I tried them. I suspect that's what led to their demise.

Usually, most stores stand behind their private label products with satisfaction guarantees; if you don't like it, you can take it back for a replacement or refund of your money. Aldi, unique among grocers, does both: if you don't like one of their products, you can take it back and they'll replace it AND refund your money. I'd say that's a statement of confidence in the quality of what they sell. (The chain's current ad campaign, which uses the slogan "You'll like them both but love our price," also emphasizes the lack of a difference in quality between the national brand and their private label.)

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I think some of you have heard the rumors that Aldi's German archrival, Lidl (rhymes with "needle"), is expanding in North America and had plans to open in this market.

Its first store will open in Warminster next year, according to this report in the Business Journal:

Officials greenlight European grocer for Bucks site | Philadelphia Business Journal

Looks like the chain promotes an eco-conscious image; the store will occupy only half its lot, with the rest going to green space.

So: who's excited? Who's blasé?

I'm excited. I've been shopping at Aldi since I discovered them in Maple Shade about 1993. You can't do all of your shopping there, but you can put a dent in your grocery expenditure there.

I've been in a Lidl in downtown Bitburg Germany. It was about 20 feet from front door to front door between Aldi & Lidl. The natives told me that they did most of their shopping at the two & drove to a supermarket in a nearby town in Luxembourg once or twice a month.

Aldi is headquartered in Illinois. Lidl will be headquartered in Virginia.

They are similar but different. This will kill off some substandard chains. It will put pressure on some unnecessarily high priced chains.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

My pal in the UK sent me a text on Sunday regarding Lidl opening their first store in the US.


I sent him the following response - I'm not a fan of these cheap supermarkets. They sell sub-standard/generic stuff, that's how they keep prices low. You get what you pay for.


He sent me responded back by saying - Well, their quality does speak for itself, that's why they have a lot of market share away from the big boys. That's why I always go to them when I need cycling clothes, thermal stuff and holiday food.

Aldi and Lidl serve a specific segment of the population but they get what they pay for.

ROFLMAO!

Over the years I've seen Aldi employees stocking pork from Smithfield shipping boxes. The fresh chicken comes from Tyson. You can figure out where their American products come from most of the time.

There are even a couple of Aldi products that l prefer to their name brand cousins. I've mentioned them to several people who have tried them & agreed.

[1ondoner]

I get my Tide, Cascade, Colgate, Chlorox and other consumer brand items from Walmart because they are cheaper than in Wegmans or Target. But fresh food and fruits it's another thing altogether. We haven't bought bread in years because we make our own bread plus we have a kitchen garden and an orchard in the backyard.

It's OK to shop at Aldi, Lidl, Big Lots, etc but just be aware there is a difference in the products. Once in a while, I check the Aldi website for seasonal stuff but I'm yet to buy anything from them.

And then there is also Costo, BJ's and Sam's Club. I avoid these stores completely because I think they promote over-consumption and wastage.

Originally Posted by southbound_295

ROFLMAO!

Over the years I've seen Aldi employees stocking pork from Smithfield shipping boxes. The fresh chicken comes from Tyson. You can figure out where their American products come from most of the time.

There are even a couple of Aldi products that l prefer to their name brand cousins. I've mentioned them to several people who have tried them & agreed.

[2e1m5a]

I don't know how anyone can say that quality at Aldi is any worse than PathMark or Shop Rite, etc.

I think Lidl will be a very welcome and needed addition.

Aldi to Go Full Organic, Bans Pesticides and Rivals Whole Foods as Healthiest Grocery Store - ORGANIC AND HEALTHY

I do almost all of my shopping at Weavers Way, A&N Produce and then 1 or 2 trips a Month to Whole Foods, sometimes Trader Joes, but I have been meaning to check out Aldi (my Mom knows her stuff and loves it) and will check out Lidl.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

I don't know how anyone can say that quality at Aldi is any worse than PathMark or Shop Rite, etc.

I think Lidl will be a very welcome and needed addition.

Aldi to Go Full Organic, Bans Pesticides and Rivals Whole Foods as Healthiest Grocery Store - ORGANIC AND HEALTHY

I do almost all of my shopping at Weavers Way, A&N Produce and then 1 or 2 trips a Month to Whole Foods, sometimes Trader Joes, but I have been meaning to check out Aldi (my Mom knows her stuff and loves it) and will check out Lidl.

I have always tried one of something when I try something at Aldi. I get most of my paper goods at Aldi. The rest varies, seasonally, but there's nothing that I've bought at Aldi that's been a quality issue. You just can't do all of your shopping there.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

I get my Tide, Cascade, Colgate, Chlorox and other consumer brand items from Walmart because they are cheaper than in Wegmans or Target. But fresh food and fruits it's another thing altogether. We haven't bought bread in years because we make our own bread plus we have a kitchen garden and an orchard in the backyard.

It's OK to shop at Aldi, Lidl, Big Lots, etc but just be aware there is a difference in the products. Once in a while, I check the Aldi website for seasonal stuff but I'm yet to buy anything from them.

And then there is also Costo, BJ's and Sam's Club. I avoid these stores completely because I think they promote over-consumption and wastage.

If you think that Aldi = Big Lots good for you. You couldn't be further from the truth, but go ahead & think whatever you want. Just don't continue to pass judgement on Aldi, or the people who shop there.

[HappyRider]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

My pal in the UK sent me a text on Sunday regarding Lidl opening their first store in the US.


I sent him the following response - [i]I'm not a fan of these cheap supermarkets. They sell sub-standard/generic stuff, that's how they keep prices low. You get what you pay for.

I hope you didn't send him in green font.