Sales of ready meals did go down dramatically a while back which led to a rise in "to cook" ranges with ingredients bundled together to cook at home. M&S has always done well with this. Processed food sales were in decline and lots of retailers stripped additives out of their food. M&S led the way (again) along with Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Tesco.
People are definitely more worried about health and processed food, salt content etc. GDA and more information and comsumer campaigns have had an effect. sunny Delight went from being the 5th biggest FMCG brand in the Uk to being delisted by Tesco after it was found to contain vegetable oil and you could fry chips in it. McDonalds introduced bags of Apples and Salads and better quality ingredients (all a bit smoke and mirrors in my book).
LIDL & the happy guy in Somerfield.
as to the price vs ethics issue, the supply chain tactics employed by these discounters are indeed as described by leenewham but unfortunately the argument borders on hyprocrisy for most people, as the tendency to externalise costs and shift them onto the public good and weaker agents is intrinsic to large parts of the capitalist economy, and not limited to food discounters. One should not assume that more expensive outfits are necessarily any better, I don't know about waitrose or sainsburys, but eg the automotive industry is infamous for its payment morale all over, and thinking of companies that tend to pay their suppliers only once the lawyers have done their jobs, the names daimlerchrysler and lufthansa come to mind (ok more germans but that does not make a difference for this point), and they are both premium providers in their fields. it is very difficult to be a consistently ethical consumer, i do not want to argue against it, but choice is very limited, and it takes a lot of time (research, travel etc).
I'm afraid I can't really agree with your above suggestion that Lidl and Aldi have any different practices regarding ethics re suppliers or staff from those of more expensive supermarkets so it's rather unfair in my opinion to equate cheaper with less ethical per se.leenewham wrote:Lidl and Aldi are doing well simply because food is expensive and they are cheaper. Problem is, if you pay less for food or clothing it's generally because funds are squeezed down the supply chain. Tesco or Aldi or Lidl may not say "pay your workers pittance and make them work all hours, but they do say 'I want it tomorrow, I want it for x p per unit and if you don't supply it, I'' go somewhere else.
Something has to give. What gives is ethics. That is the choice: Ethics vrs price. I don't think Aldi or Lidl will ever be 'cool'.
If, for example, you were to cut away the cost of expensive packaging, TV and celebrity advertising costs, shop overheads e.g. prime locations and "posh shop" overheads - what would be the cost comparison then? Their staff are no better paid and I doubt their suppliers are treated any better (certainly not from Net reports over the last few years).
Also, strip away the "brand snob" hike in price to typical profit margins, meaning that we kinow that M&S food profits have supported other areas of their UK business in recent years and hence the hoo-har currently that seems not to be happening now. So, supply and demand hiked charges is business, sure, but hardly a basis for assuming better ethical standards if cost is being used as the main comparison with other retailers.
I do agree about Sunny-D though. I was appalled when I read the ingredients some three or four years ago and even complained to advertising standards (first and only time ever for me incidentally) as to how their adverts were allowed to say it was healthy. The reply came back that it had vitamin C so could be said to be healthier than fizzy coca cola drinks (which don't have vit C) which is what was implied in their ads. Glad I'm not the only one.
Sorry Mosy, I've worked with a few supermarkets and they treat suppliers differently, although admitedly I haven't dealt with Lidl or Aldi (although there are ethical issues regarding Lidll which are well documented). Suppliers are dealt differently from supermarket to supermarket. It does make a difference. The quality of the food differs. More money is available for ingredients in own brand good in some supermarkets compared to others despite the fact that they are often made by the same suppliers (Fairly don't have a huge factory making fairly liquid, it's made by a company up in Liverpool/Manchester under license, they also make own brand, although they are not the same products and production runs are on different days).
As for expensive packaging. Packaging is actually relatively cheap, but if you want corn starch plastics (made from plants, not oil), recyclable materials and biodegradable materials and inks you pay more because they are not the norm. Waitrose and M&S are very good in this regard. It's simply not true that we are paying more for packaging to 'entice' consumers. Supermarkets are ALWAYS trying to cut costs of materials and packaging which is why still most of it is not environmentally friendly. Unfortunately.
As for expensive packaging. Packaging is actually relatively cheap, but if you want corn starch plastics (made from plants, not oil), recyclable materials and biodegradable materials and inks you pay more because they are not the norm. Waitrose and M&S are very good in this regard. It's simply not true that we are paying more for packaging to 'entice' consumers. Supermarkets are ALWAYS trying to cut costs of materials and packaging which is why still most of it is not environmentally friendly. Unfortunately.
Spotted this thread on Virtual Norwood which may bring more cheer to local Lidl lovers: http://www.virtualnorwood.com/forum/ind ... topic=6104
"The enormous former Edgintons furniture store in Penge High Street, -and Olby's before that- is set to open in August 2008 as a Lidl. The hoardings are already up and interior work is taking place. This would make it unusual as it does not have any parking. Every neighbouring Lidl has a car park attached- Sydenham High Street, Beckenham High Street, Southend Road, Catford Island, Croydon."
Admin
"The enormous former Edgintons furniture store in Penge High Street, -and Olby's before that- is set to open in August 2008 as a Lidl. The hoardings are already up and interior work is taking place. This would make it unusual as it does not have any parking. Every neighbouring Lidl has a car park attached- Sydenham High Street, Beckenham High Street, Southend Road, Catford Island, Croydon."
Admin
An interesting read, especially including the comments attached under. Such snobbery, Tsk! springs to mind. Not all people have cars to travel further afield so "walking stores" are a must. Plus "hoy polloy"(sic re sp) means ordinary people not an underclass.
I think maybe people should judge Lidl on what it sells, not on whether you're seen carrying a Lidl carrier bag. Be a secret lemonade drinker if you want
For what it's worth, I find I can eat food from Lidl that I can't because of bulking additives used in many supermarket brands. As ever, feel free to take or leave my comments.
I think maybe people should judge Lidl on what it sells, not on whether you're seen carrying a Lidl carrier bag. Be a secret lemonade drinker if you want
For what it's worth, I find I can eat food from Lidl that I can't because of bulking additives used in many supermarket brands. As ever, feel free to take or leave my comments.Lidl
My mother-in-law swears by Aldi. And it's not because she cannot afford to buy everything she needs from the usual suspects, she can just be pretty canny with her money.
When she does her weekly shop she goes to Aldi first and what she can't get there she gets in Sainsburys. I keep meaning to check out our local one - I think it might be Bellingham, not sure.
I might (probably?) am wrong but I also got the impression that because a lot of their (Aldi's) stuff was European that they might have less additives. I might be wrong but haven't other European countries banned hydrogenated fats etc.? I know French biscuits for example seem to use butter and have a much shorter ingredients list!
When she does her weekly shop she goes to Aldi first and what she can't get there she gets in Sainsburys. I keep meaning to check out our local one - I think it might be Bellingham, not sure.
I might (probably?) am wrong but I also got the impression that because a lot of their (Aldi's) stuff was European that they might have less additives. I might be wrong but haven't other European countries banned hydrogenated fats etc.? I know French biscuits for example seem to use butter and have a much shorter ingredients list!