Best Grocery store for Value?

Tim and I were talking today about how we should check out the other grocery stores in the area before continuing to shop at Tesco.  We shopped at Tesco (and the local co-op) the entire times I was visiting because that was primarily where Tim shopped, as it was 24 hours and on his way home from work, but we'll also live near Waitrose, Morrison's, ASDA, and Sainsbury.

If we were looking just for cheap merchandise, then I would supplement our shopping at a pound store something like that, but I'm curious as to which stores you think give you not only inexpensive food, but also good quality food.

I only shopped in ASDA twice.  Are they the inexpensive alternative to grocery stores the same way Wal-Mart in the US is? 

Compare it this way: My weekly shop at Morrisons costs 70GBP...at ASDA it's 40GBP. And I have a daughter that is 18 months old...so imagine all the baby related stuff plus food for her, myself & my husband for the week. Sometimes we end up getting enough to last 2 weeks with 40GBP, just depends on what we buy and usually it's the ASDA value line. I would say that ASDA is like a SuperWal-Mart.

Right. so definitely worth the extra 10 miles!

I would say that ASDA is like a SuperWal-Mart.

ASDA was until recently* owned by the US Wal-Mart company and some bigger ASDA stores have been rebranded "ASDA Wal-mart"

*"Wal-Mart has sold Asda for £6.9bn to a Leeds-based investment vehicle called Corinth Services Limited for only £200m more than it paid for the UK supermarket chain in 1999."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/6527054/Wal-Mart-sells-Asda-for-6.9bn-in-group-restructuring.html

Netto!

Netto!

Also, Lidl and Aldi sometimes have some great bargains, so they're worth checking out once in a while, although I wouldn't do my normal weekly shop there.

We do the majority of our shopping at Tesco's, but DH & I really like Sainsbury's value range.  It depends on what items you buy most and if you're willing to try store's own instead of name brand finding which ones you like best on taste and salt / sugar content.

I usually only do main grocery shops ever 2 weeks, its just quick bits that I need on a weekly basis.  We do also supplement at Aldi o occasion as one of the Tesco's near us is right across the street from one...

Also, Wilkinson's or Superdrug are good places to supplement household / toiletry products instead of purchasing from supermarkets.  I know toilet paper for us is usually cheaper from there than anywhere else, unless Lidl has an awesome deal on.

Nearly forgot Costco or JTF - if you've got a membership or eligibility can be good for items that you use a lot of to buy in bulk.  This is where we tend to buy pop from instead of the supermarkets.

Once you start doing more shopping here you'll find which stores you're comfortable with and products you like.  Its finding your balance to suit your needs.   

The problem with this question is EVERYONE is going to have different opinions based on their preferences for food/food shopping.

We used to shop in Tesco, but they've been sneakily pushing their prices up for the past year or so, so when we moved to a different area, we switched to ASDA.  ASDA, in my opinion, are cheaper for the same level of quality.  If quality is something that rates second next to price (that sounds wrong, but I think you know what I mean - as in, if budget is your MOST important thing), then I would recommend ASDA easily.

We usually do a combo shop of Lidl + ASDA (and not just because they're next door to each other!).  Lidl/Aldi/Netto ARE cheaper for some products so it pays to shop around, but I wouldn't do an entire weekly/monthly shop in there.  I get my cheaper bits in Lidl and then everything else in ASDA.

If quality is something that is slightly more important, try Sainsbury's.  They are marginally more expensive (but not by much) than ASDA but I would rate the quality of their low-end products as a bit better if that's something that's a bit more important to you.

Personally, I'd give ASDA a go for a few weeks/months and see how you like it - you may hate it and find that you prefer Tesco!  It's really just so variant that you have to try it yourself and make your own decisions.  Honestly, so much depends on what SORT of products you buy as different stores are better for different things.

eta: can't comment on Morrison's as we don't have one near us, but they are similar to Tesco/ASDA in price level.  I find their range & variety slightly smaller, though, than those 2.

People define value differently, so I will throw in my 2p.  I usually shop at Sainsbury's becuase I like the taste of the ranges better and I think they have more choice of foods that I like.  I think it is a decent compromise on price (to say Waitrose).  I dislike Tesco and rarely shop there, but don't see much difference is price when I do.  I don't like Morrison's offerings, so I don't go there at all.  The busy-ness of Asda freaks me out and it isn't convenient to me, so no love lost there.

ETA:  I try to buy most household items not at a grocery store.

The problem with this question is EVERYONE is going to have different opinions based on their preferences for food/food shopping.

Exactly. Also, the selection/quality of stuff at one branch of a shop might be completely different from another branch of the same shop - it depends on where you are, in part.

Personally, I go out of my way to avoid Asda if I can help it. What I can't get at farm shops, I get at Tesco - because it has a Costa Coffee with cushy leather sofas and big picture windows overlooking the sea. Making my shopping experience pleasant is the most important thing to me! 

Personally, I go out of my way to avoid Asda if I can help it. What I can't get at farm shops, I get at Tesco -

We have in this town- a Tesco extra, a normal sized Tesco, a Tesco express, and they just tried for planning permission for another one.  We have a Morrisons, but its expensive. We just got an Aldi, and we have a Lidl. 
Asda has been trying and trying to get into this town forever.  However, it keeps getting pushed back by the council, who is demanding road improvements from them.  Its gone to court now, I think.

Anyways, I wouldn't go to Asda even if it were close! Even if its no longer owned by wal-mart?, I am an anti wal-mart person.

We have such nice local produce and meats, that I always try to get it from the various local suppliers whenever possible. I get a gorgeous organic veg box delivered every 2 weeks and it lasts me the whole time, its brimming full and its only £12 with 6 eggs as well. Otherwise, due to the overabundance of tescos that's where I end up.

All we have is an Aldi, Morrisons & Tesco Metro.

Honestly, it works down to this:

Morrisons for most food.
Tesco Metro if Morrisons is out of something (picked up while walking home).
Aldi for bread/milk/etc if we run out during the week.

However, I LOVE Sainsbury's own brand. So whenever we're at the ILs we stop by Sainsburys. Plus, my cat will only use Sainsbury's own brand clumping litter. *sigh*

Exactly. Also, the selection/quality of stuff at one branch of a shop might be completely different from another branch of the same shop - it depends on where you are, in part.

Oh definitely!  In one part of the country, Tesco might be better for Mexican ingredients, for instance, but in another part you might find them easier in Sainsbury's.

I think Asda is the cheapest imo, but I don't like their meat! So I rotate my shopping, some weeks I go to Asda, sometimes I do Costco, but my absolute favorite supermarket is this one Morrisons, its about 7 miles away, but the butcher is amazing!

I agree with ASDA being the cheapest though it can be mentally taxing going there.  I also don't like the meat and buy that at Costco. But for basics like, pasta, couscous, anything canned and cleaning products, ASDA is great. For produce, I like Lidl. Best tomatoes in the UK!