2008
Deserting Superquinn
I got a call during the week from Mark Paul, a journalist with the Sunday Times, who wanted to ask about why I’d largely deserted Superquinn and now do my main shop in Lidl. I would have thought the reason was pretty obvious, but was happy to expand on it for him.
His article, in today’s Business Section, uses me as an example of the sort of shopper Superquinn chairman Simon Burke needs to woo back if he is to “staunch the flow of shoppers” to cheaper rivals.
Maybe he’s right. I was once a slavishly devoted Superquinn shopper, even something of a Fergal groupie. I did all my shopping there and I’m ashamed to admit that I slightly looked down on those who I felt were willing to compromise on quality by shopping in ‘inferior’ places, even if it saved them a few quid.
My desertion of Superquinn was gradual but pretty much total. I still shop there from time to time, but never with a trolley - it’s a place for occasional top-ups if I happen to be passing.
I initially went to Lidl from curiosity but was perplexed by unfamiliar brands, even unfamiliar foods, and found the basic displays and the absence of the high level of service to which I was accustomed disconcerting. I was used to having someone fill my bags, to real butchers and the smell of fresh baked bread, to pretty displays and interesting specials.
But, you know, the stuff I bought in Lidl was pretty good in the main and there were a couple of things I really liked a lot and that I couldn’t get in Superquinn - JD Gross chocolate was the biggie for me. So I went back and kept on trying new things, but was still not doing my main shop there.
The turning point came one day in Superquinn when I just popped in for a few things and half way around looked into a basket that contained bacon, nuts, cheese and some veg and realised that by taking a short trip across town I could not only cut the price of that basket in half but do so without making any compromise on quality at all.
I had this very strong feeling of being taken for a ride. I abandoned the basket, got in the car and pretty much never looked back.
One quote from Simon Burke in the article stands out for me:
“People should feel that shopping in Superquinn is something stylish to do. There should be a feeling that it is a cut above the rest.”
If he wants to woo me and my like back he won’t do it with that thinking.
It’s amazing how quickly you acclimatise to a more basic shopping environment. Once you do it brings all those prettied up and stylish displays elsewhere into sharp focus, you start to see them for what they really are, pointless distractions designed to make you spend more and overlook high prices.
We are after all talking about grocery shopping here. It’s a necessary chore, not a style statement. If I want stylish I can take the €2000-€3000 per year I save by shopping cannily and go in search of it, but I won’t be looking in a supermarket.
Tags: Style, Superquinn
August 31st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
You’re quite right with this article - I don’t think enough people realise exactly *how much* they can save by going to Lidl (or indeed their local market) instead of one of the big-name chains.
These days I split our shopping in three and go to the market for fruit and veg and eggs, Lidl for all the store cupboard staples and Tesco or Asda (I’m based in England) for the very few things I can’t get at Lidl. We reckon to have saved ourselves £15 - £20 a week doing it this way - just by putting in a bit of effort. It’s quite horrifying when you really *look* at the prices in the big-name stores - you have to wonder what you’re really paying for.
Anyway - the point of all this rambling was to say that you’re absolutely right and thank you for a great article.
I haven’t been reading your blog long, but I’m sticking around!
August 31st, 2008 at 5:07 pm
“People should feel that shopping in Superquinn is something stylish to do. There should be a feeling that it is a cut above the rest.”
That’s what I always found about Superquinn - perception of quality rather than quality itself. Fruit and vegetables in Superquinn were never up to scratch and in recent years, I frequently found the brown bread (one of the reasons for going there), underbaked. I usually had to bake it upside-down in a bread tin for five minutes to get rid of the soggy button.
Mind you, I still have a weak spot for a few things in M&S! But, apart from that, it’s Lidl and Aldi all the way.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Is it in the print edition only? I can’t find the article online.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Yeah, print only. They never put the content that is aimed at Ireland only online.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:08 pm
They do; but not all of it.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/
August 31st, 2008 at 7:28 pm
If SuperQuinn would like to be taken seriously as represneting value for money they should stop selling Bling bottled water @ €44.99 a bottle.
Most likely a cheap publicity shot to get media coverage but does very little for their image. It makes me want to avoid the place.
August 31st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I have to admit to still being a slave to Superquinn as it is 5 mins from my house and there are still the few items(mainly Italian) I think are better. In saying that they have been out of stock of my favourite brand of Italian meats Rovagnati for the last 2 weeks and I’m waiting for a response to my enquiry about them. The mortadella, cooked ham and roast cooked ham are very good, I have tried the ham in Aldi and yes it is def on par with all the supermarket and big brand Irish hams but the Rovagnati is better than all of them but you do pay for it. I do think SQ’s Irish and Italian tomatoes are better too, I’ve only ever seen dutch cherry tomatoes in my local Aldi but smebody mentioned on my blog that they stock Italian plum so I’ll keep a look out. They do tend to stock a lot of Italian products like Loacker biscuits which I can’t live without and they do an excellent balsamic vinegar. I buy my meat in my local butcher but I always buy my fish in SQ, they always have excellent tuna and swordfish at the weekend. Regards the service side, shopping with a 22 month old is not easy and the bag packing service is actually what brings me there for my big shop, I’ve noticed lately that the bag packing has been reduced but I ask for it at the till and they always oblige. I always notice a huge difference in the supermarkets here and in Italy, they are very simple in Italy like Lidl and Aldi really, no fancy lighting and marketing ploys, just a basic supermarket.
Sorry for the long comment, just wanted to give a SQ customers side:) Great blog btw Kate!!
August 31st, 2008 at 11:33 pm
There’s rumours in the press that Superquinn is up for sale.
September 1st, 2008 at 1:39 am
Italianfoodie: I didn’t mean to sound as though I hate everything about Superquinn - I don’t, and probably buy a few things there most weeks. You’re right, the fish is great, and I love their sausages too. I just find them way too expensive for my big shop now that I’ve got used to much lower prices.
My “baby” is 10 now, but I DEFINITELY know what you mean about shopping with a toddler!!
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
The annoying choice of music played over low quality speakers drove me crazy … and then I felt invisible while the staff (well, a good percentage of them) ignored me while discussing their hang-overs with the till operator beside them … or worse, shouted the conversation at the operator three tills away. THe till operators at Lidl are always pleasant and efficient. I suspect that they too hate their jobs but are adult enough to get on with it instead of adding to the general misery. Also, whats with the low-lighting in SQ ?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
We have also have recently deserted SQ in favour of Lidl. We had been going to our local SQ for years, occasionally defecting to Tesco, but never straying very far. We always thought we were getting the best quality but recent articles (including the one mentioned in these posts) made me think again, especially as our shopping bill had been escalating at an alarming pace over the past 18 months.
We used to pop into Lidl occasionally, more out of curiosity than anything else, and never did a full shop there. I must say, we’re really happy with the change - overall we reduced our shopping bill by about 25%, without having to ’sacrifice’ anything much. Initially we held off buying fruit and veg; convinced they were not up to standard - how wrong we were! Quality is just as good, if not better, then any of the other big name supermarkets.
Overall we’re very happy with the change and have discovered a few hidden gems like the Italian plum tomatoes or the smoked trout fillets. The Parma ham is also just as good as the M&S, although I do agree with the previous post which said Rovagnati do a better mortadella (Lidl’s one is a bit too fatty for me).
September 12th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Sort of apropos of nothing. I completely fail to see the attraction with mortadella. It reminds me of that flabby “funny face” luncheon meat you can buy for the lunch boxes of malnourished children.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I love Lidl and have been enjoying their continental meats, breads and cheese since before the other supermarkets jumped on the band wagon; having recognized a new niche opening up for them.
Spanish red wines are another favourite; amply provided in both Lidl and Aldi, being considerably cheaper than in larger supermarkets.
One thing I would point out is that Lidl is THE place to go for meat products. Aldi is to be avoided like the plague.
Many of their cold meats are obviously reconstituted mechanically reclaimed scraps and do not meet with my tastes at all!
I shop in both Aldi & Lidl for most of my basic foodstuffs; excluding fruit & veg which comes from Lough Boora Organic Farm. I wonder if they supply eggs?
I also shop in Tesco’s for the things I don’t like to buy in the other shops; like loo paper & kitchen towel (recycled).
My cat is a firm lover of Tesco’s; but the dogs prefer Lidl Gerodog nuggets which the cat steals anyway!
Personally I would rather see lower food prices on the shelves than receive Club Card Points. So as for Superquinn and their perception of quality pricing I think it’s time they lowered their sights a little and joined the real world…
September 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Just tried to have Lidl pastrami for lunch - not good, i think i’ll be going back to m&s on this one! Apropos mortadella, the Rovagnati one is the only version that approaches edible for me, but it is still way off the thinly-sliced-as-you-wait fresh version.