I remember being chained to Spar in Roundwood when I lived in Wicklow. Now, I go to convenience shops - the likes of Mace, Spar, Londis etc. - as little as possible. They’re more expensive than butchers, supermarkets, grocers, or newsagents.
It’s a lot easier for me now because I live in Dublin city. I can get quite a lot of good basics in very convenient Asian shops; Timgad on the South Circular Road is excellent value, selling bread, milk, olives, chocolate and crisps, soft drinks, meat, rice, hummus etc. And the supermarkets are just a few minutes stroll away. So I rarely need to go to the convenience shop, except for more chocolate, jellies, newspapers, ice cream and the like: things newsagents used to sell. When I do go to a Mace, a Centra, or a Gala, it’s much of a muchness. I think most of us to go to the nearest convenient shop.
With all these caveats against convenience shops in mind, I still think Centra remains the most appealing. Spar’s offers of a grisly old sausage roll with rank twisty fries for €3 and a €1 pack of McVitie’s biscuits isn’t for me. Londis specials are better but somewhat pointless - I suspect few of us need the makings of a bolognaise from a convenience shop.
Much better offers ast month in Mace. Now out of date, they included Wispa and Crunchie bars 2 for €1, Mace firelog for €1 (over €1.70 I think I saw in Lidl today) and some ok deals.
Centra’s offers are a bit lacklustre this week - why buy a roast there? Still, they’ve had more consistently better offers over the past few months, including things you might want to buy in a convenience store rathet than simply things you would buy out of desperation. Current specials include:
- Centra pear punnet (750g) was €2.19 now €1
- Centra washed white potatoes (2.5kg) - half price - now €1.75
Maybe it’s their enormous marketing campaign, or maybe I’m being led astray by the bright blue and yellow colours, but Centra’s still the best of a bad lot. See all deals here.
This Friday, Centra giving away free muffins with every cup of coffee. I haven’t tried either their coffee or their muffins. Any good?
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