More than two weeks into January and many of us are looking for ways to tighten our purse strings, especially when it comes to shopping for groceries.
As the ongoing cost of living crisis looms over Ireland, choosing where to buy the essentials has become more important than ever for households.
Whether it’s the money-off vouchers at Dunnes Stores or the discounts unlocked with a Tesco Clubcard, we all have our go-to supermarket where we believe we’re getting the best value for money.
However, as households look to cinch their belts tighter, many of us will be wondering which store genuinely offers the lowest prices without skimping on quality.
In response to this, Lidl has taken it upon themselves to put an end to the debate by initiating regular comparison shopping studies – pitting their prices against rivals Aldi, SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and Tesco.
Every fortnight, Lidl loads up a trolley with staple items for a typical family – such as spuds, milk, bread, fruit, chicken fillets, mince, pasta and soda bread.
At the other store, Lidl selects the closest equivalent products, considering factors such as weight, quality, branding (whether private label or premium branded), and price.
For instance, Lidl offers 500g of Atlantic Salmon Natural Fillets for €8.99. The closest comparable item at SuperValu is a 400g pack of salmon fillets priced at €14.99. Using pro rata pricing, the cost of 500g of SuperValu salmon is calculated at €18.74 – more than double the Lidl price.
Lidl’s aim with doing this is to prove it delivers the best value, while maintaining the high standards shoppers expect – and the results speak for themselves. The most recent comparison shop took place on January 6 at Lidl and SuperValu stores in Dublin.
The latest comparison revealed significant savings at Lidl:
- Lidl: €150.05 before discounts; €147.26 after Lidl Plus savings
- Dunnes Stores: €207.87 before vouchers; €172.87 after €35 voucher savings
- Tesco: €195.83 before discounts; €185.97 with Clubcard savings
- SuperValu: €209.96 with no Real Rewards savings
A Lidl spokesperson said: “You know how we recommend you Go Full Lidl for the best prices? Well, we need to make sure for your sake (and ours!) that our prices are always lower than the rest. So, every once in a while, we do a big shop somewhere else. In the name of science, we head to another supermarket and do the same shop for the same or similar products for a family of four. Then we compare receipts to make sure that Lidl is the BEST value.”
Even with loyalty discounts applied, Lidl emerged as the clear winner in the most recent study, with a savings margin of at least €25 compared to Dunnes and nearly €40 compared to Tesco. For SuperValu shoppers, the difference was an even more striking €62.
For those curious about the exact items and prices compared, Lidl provides full details and receipts on its website here. Shoppers can review these documents regularly to verify Lidl’s claims and make informed decisions for their weekly shop.
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