If I were a rich man, I’d probably shop in organic farmer’s markets – and Superquinn. Maybe I’ve been sucked in by its unrivalled (for a supermarket) bakery, its wide range of fruit and veg, or perhaps it’s sheer shininess.
Over the years, it developed a reputation as a more “exclusive” supermarket; it was where wealthy people told their friends they shopped. But now, as more ’08 Mercs fill the carpark at Lidl, those who still have cash to flash love to boast about the great bargains they picked up in the German discounters.
So, exclusivity won’t work for Superquinn any more. By and large, their prices now seem about the same as Dunnes or Tesco. They’re fighting for bargain-hunters, and over recent months have been running some pretty good offers. So good, I’m going to mention them again.
Being a pretty broke freelancer, I tend to gravitate towards the bargains, so Lidl has become my first stop. But I’m very tempted to make Superquinn my second, especially if they keep up these great deals.
Check it out – €1 for the following (original price in brackets):
- 4 pack Birds Eye Chicken Burgers (€2.69)
- All Cadbury’s 100g bars (€1.69)
- 1st Choice Frozen Leaf Spinach (€1.55)
- Walker’s Crisps (up to €2.15)
- 600g Baby Potatoes (€1.99) – still much cheaper in Lidl though
- Superquinn French Stick (€1.99)
Or €2 for the following (original price in brackets):
- Seedless Green Grapes (€4.99)
- Real Irish Food Company Preserves (€2.79) – note these are very good
- McCain’s Potato Winners Southern Fries (€3.05)
- Superquinn Oranges (€2.99)
Or €4 for some of the following meats (again, original price in brackets):
- 454g Premium Irish Mince (€4.99)
- 250g Farmed Salmon Darnes (€6.49)
- Irish Chicken Kiev (€5.99)
These offers are valid until January 18. There’s much more in store. I’m going to get my hands on some of the non-perishables and freezable products before then. From what I can see, most of these offers beat those of Tesco, Dunnes, and SuperValu. Outside Lidl and Aldi, which of the big supermarkets do you think offers the most consistent value?
Wednesday 14 January, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I’m just going to put this out there. Marks and Spencers isn’t bad you know. Their 12e Dinner For Two offer was the talk of the town last year. They’ve made a pledge not to put any weirdy additives/weird stuff in general into their food, so it is comforting to shop there too.
The Asian supermarket is perfect for bargains of course – once you get over the sheer volume of indecipherable thingies on their shelves. Massive bags of frozen fish and meat you can make many dishes with and freeze or invite 25 people round for an impromptu party. Random advice: shop every day, and only for what you need. Shop 15 minutes before the shops close, to avail of discounts. Random recommendation: Buy India Knight’s The Thrift Book. It’s BRILLIANT!
Monday 19 January, 2009 at 10:36 am
Living in Blackrock close to two shopping centres means I’ve been pretty spoilt over the years.
Superquinn was always the shop of choice for me. I wasn’t very price-conscious but it never failed me on selection, and I love the frills, such as Superscan, nice friendly staff that have been there since I was a kid and, like you say, great bakery and fruit & veg departments.
But since M&S has moved in across the road, it has gone steadily downhill. Product variety has been sacrificed for big displays of discount food and the introduction of ready-meals that compete with M&S.
I understand that price is important but for me, time is just as valuable, if not more so. And the fact that I can rarely get all the ingredients I need for a dish in one supermarket really frustrates me now.