I find Tesco useful for things like canned soup - when they put it on sale, it's a good sale. (It's been 4 for 3 pounds for Baxters lately, so I am up to my elbows in cans of soup.) And trash bags. Chicken and beef - not necessarily top quality, but good quality. (Like for making chili or beef in ale, etc.) are often available there. If I'm wanting a really good quality of meat, I go to a butcher. I've tried steaks and roasts from most of the big three here (Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons) and they just don't have the flavor of a butcher's beef. Veg, except for things like carrots or frozen veg, I go to a local shop or Waitrose as the quality just isn't there otherwise. Household cleaners are usually a good bet with Tesco. I almost always only buy things that are on sale. Was surprised last week to be unable to get my usual free-range eggs from them (15 for 2 pounds) but note that Waitrose always has free-range eggs on at 6 for a pound, which is cheaper than most places and the eggs that were available from Tesco. My local corner shop is the cheapest for milk and often has bread that's nearing the "sell by" date on for half-off.
Having watched for a while now, I see a pattern of sales that move from store to store. Cathedral Cheddar will be on sale at Tesco for a bit, then another store, then another - but it's always on sale somewhere in town. Several pantry items follow the same pattern. So, if I need one of those, I check around and can usually find the sale. I'm guessing Brexit is going to throw a wrench into my little scheme, tho.
