Best buys at Lidl

[Mike Dodd]

Not to mention the (forget the name - good sign!) canned wheat beer at

79p a tin (light blue in colour). Me and SWMBO (a conniseur of anything between 4% and 14% ABV) - on the odd occasion that we fancy a beer find this one of the most drinkable beers from a tin.

Local Lidl (hey, it's around the corner so we do pop in from time to time) stocks all local grocery products at 1/2 price of the local Morrisons (and it lasts longer!), and cartons of fruit juice are very good both in terms of quality and price. Cured meats, being German, are also of good quality. In terms of variety of food, well, that's the downfall, and the reason our weekly shopping does come from a UK supermarket, however, there are gems to be had.

Back onto the subject matter; Have bought a £5 angle grinder and a 18V cordless drill from Lidl - both of which have been adequate in use and considered good value. You pays your money and takes your choice.

[daddyfreddy]

I've been to Matalan a couple of times. Maybe they do better stuff for kids or women but the stuff for blokes is odds and sods, not particularly fashionable and sizes that you don't want. Mainly because it's stuff that's surplus.

Primark is the place where poor people shop, Matalan buyers are normally well to do wide boy types. In any case I'm not fussed about the kind of people who shop there because I'm not a snob.

[Andy Hall]

Yep. Loaded with sugar as well.

I was speaking a short time ago to somebody in one of the major food producers who sell product under their own brand label as well as supplying to some of the major supermarket chains.

The supply sourcing people for most of them put the supplier through the wringer on quality, quality assurance, continuity, availability and of course price. This included Safeway (Argyll group) who generally were very particular.

He told me that following the acquisition by Morrisons, he met with the relevant supply person there and had assumed that they would continue with some previous products. The approach instead was that he wanted to know what Tesco bought and then wanted one tier level down from that and a much cheaper price.

I think that that says it all....

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Which Matt would that be, John? You seem to have problems with names.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'm glad you've learnt something. You seem to think everything of one brand is to the same quality. A problem with just reading and believing adverts.

Tell us, why are you interested in pro quality socket sets? After all, 'your' Prius doesn't need servicing - and fixing anything on it would be well beyond you.

[Doctor Drivel]

There is only one Matt.

** snip senility **

[Doctor Drivel]

** snip senility **

[Doctor Drivel]

** snip shit kicking drivel **

[daddyfreddy]

Having the tool that will do the job for you is all that matters. Joining a kitchen worktop is an extreme example. The jig alone will cost =A3100 to do that job. But why didn't you just hire the stuff? That would have been cheaper.

Yes, they can be but that doesn't mean all low cost tools are or that they are not accurate enough to serve what is required of them.

That depends on the skill of the worker more than the tool and certainly won't be apparent in many jobs. Some cheaper tools may take more time to do the job or may not last as long as other more expensive tools but I doubt whether you could tell the difference in the finished job, in most cases.

[Doctor Drivel]

Having the tool that will do the job for you is all that matters. Joining a kitchen worktop is an extreme example. The jig alone will cost £100 to do that job.

[david lang]

Steve Firth wrote: Is this some other Matalan in a universe far, far away? Because the

Another label junkie. Matalan are an incredibly successful clothing retailer.

They own factories in low labour cost far east countries, they own shipping lines, they own the retail stores and they know exactly what their customers want because of the card you have to use.

Their shirts in particular are excellent quality and wash perfectly, at a fraction of the cost of european produced equivilants.

It's the year 2005. Just because something costs less does not mean the quality is inferior. The world changes and moves on - some people don't.

Dave

[Chris Bacon]

Remember the British motorcycle industry?

[Doctor Drivel]

No, he is just dumb.

Matalan saw off C&A from the UK market after about 60 or 70 years of operating here (C&A are/were Dutch). They are also chipping into the Marks & Spencer market. I used to buy underwear and socks at M&S, as did most, I now buy at Matalan. They sell Wolsey underwear and Pringle socks, all designer label, way cheaper than M&S.

Look at the history.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Most old farts such as you might have. But usually bought for them by their spouse.

Thought labels didn't matter to you?

[Doctor Drivel]

** snip babbling senility **

[Matt Beard]

Are you really using a publicly viewable forum to acuse Lidl of selling stolen goods?

[Andy Hall]

Why do you think that he used to buy from C&A? On their underwear, the C & A labels indicated which way round he should put them on.....

[Doctor Drivel]

This they did. I think Richard Cranium should have disposable underwear, as he is clearly incontinent.

[Chris Bacon]

Well, they *do* sell a "stollen"[1].

[1] The stuff in a box is better than the cellophane wrapped "rolled up" stuff IMO.

[Rob Morley]

Mmm Stollen :-) Are they open on Sunday?