howdy..

looking through a few of the threads re shopping and supermarkets...

Whats the deal.. ? seen some of you going to all different ones for various bits n bob's is that the norm or is that the best way to shop cheaper..?

I feel like i've been fleeced when I go to Coop. Just a few things and it's CHF 60 plus.

I try to do one big shop per week at Lidi. I fill the trolley and don't look at the prices. Unlike Aldi, Migros or Denner, everything is there that I need to do a weekly shop. I sometimes get a few things at Coop since it is right near my work, but you don't get very much for your money.

I was surprised that Lidl had: Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Lipton Ice Tea (I hate the way Migros doesn't stock these and I need to go to Denner when I get these for visitors), Heinz baked beans, the same cut meat brand as Coop, Swiss meat, very soft toilet paper, branded washing powder, Magnum and Extreme ice creams, and best of all the fruit and veg is 10 times better and almost half the price compared to Migros/Coop.

MariZug, - Thanks for that.. was kinda wondering what it was all about.. supposed you get used to it and find out these kinda thigs for yourself...!

thanks..

Co-op isn't that bad, the veg is cheap (15 CHF gets me a weeks worth easily) and if you shop carefully you can always get money off of things, often as much as 50%. I haven't found Migros any cheaper so far, and I find the quality at Co-op a bit better.

No wine or beer in Migros was the biggest shock. I searched until closing time for a bottle of wine to go with the dinner I was planning

Yeah that is just plain crazy to be honest, I was the same when I first went.

cant shop there then!!

Happened to me when I first started shopping there as well. Are the owners Mormon or something?

I see quite a few big drink ("Getranke") shops around but I haven't been into one. Does anybody know if there is a substantial savings by buying your drinks from one of these places?

Box of frogs -

Shopping at several different stores is not by choice, it's by necessity. Sometimes because of the prices, sometimes because of availability and sometimes just because of personal preference; e.g. I like the flavor of the wiernerli from Migros better than whats available at Coop, yellow cheddar is only available at LOEB, etc.

I've lived all over the globe and one has to adjust to the way things work locally. I understand your question and your sense of wonder (or is it annoyance?); being originally from the U.S. the whole rest of the world seems inconvenient to me... I grew up in a world where I could buy almost anything, anytime. Every grocery store sold every brand and was open 24 hour per day everyday of the year. I could go out to eat at 3 am. Recycling was put out on the street and picked up once a week (and we didn't have to separate it), and on and on. But I no longer live there, so I now have adjusted my life to the way things happen here. There is no sense is wondering "WHY?" the locals don't so things the way they are at home, one just has to accept that things ARE different and move on.

Well, yes that is the way i shop as well, since the French supermarket "Carrefour" closed down last year, due to no business. This supermarket had just about everything you needed. And especially an amazing choice (variety) of food. Going to Migros and Coop gets me the same food everytime, how boring.

The Migros founder was against vices. Refused to sell tobacco and alcohol.

Migros is now a Cooperative. Recently, the members voted against the management to continue the founder's tradition of no cigs, no booze.

Bit of hypocrisy though: Migros owns Denner, Globus, etc. where you can get your vices.

I am so poor at the moment that as Migros and Coop are next to each other, I do a quick check on special offers and quality of vegetables in one, then go back to the other and do some of the shopping and then back to the other to finish off.

The quality of the vegetables really vary in Migros.
Over the last couple of years Co-op has got better.

Fruit Yogurts - Migros better
Budget salami - Migros
Ice Cream - Moven Pick only in Coop (check out Manor for offers though)
Chocolate - Co-op or Manor as have Lindt, Mich and Suchard & Cailler as opposed to Frey
Lindsatorte - Migros
Bread - Migros (best is Manor for nutty bread but only on Saturday & Wednesday.)

Where as all the Migrol Gas station/convenience stores have always sold tobacco and alcohol products..

Looking for grocery discounts and special offers? Look here:
http://www.aktionis.ch/
They regularly update the offers from Migros, CoOp, Denner, etc.

Another example of the Migros management ignoring the wishes of the shareholding cooperative members.

It really isn't you know - esspecially considering the recuring low standard of the produce in many stores.

But then your idea of cheap to mine, may vary.

For example, I don't call 5.80 for a punnet of often over ripe cherry tomatoes - that you have to always shake around to see if the bottom ones are mouldy yet - particuarly good value.

The veg in the Sihl City co-op is consistently flawless in quality, each and every time I go there. The Migros in Bahnhof Enge has the exact mouldzy crap you descrbe. Maybe the consistency does not run throughout stores.

As for costs... well I call 2.30 CHF for 4 large leeks good value.

Our local one has a good wine selection and tastings every Saturday. Many spirits are available, including Pimms and they stock tonic water (not my drink, but many people seem to like a gin and tonic). Good beer selection too including Aussie beers and a locally brewed Baarerbeer. I found the juices, soft drinks and water to be overpriced though, so I wouldn't just go there for non-alcoholic stuff.

Same here. Even the same shopping list, funny enough. With the exception of making my own Lindsatorte or cookies. Denner has some good meats (just got nice turkey breats for not much) and they recently got better house products.

I think even if we weren't poor I would still check the prices and duck in here or there for different products, it's crazy how much food and generally groceries cost here. The only bItch is it's not too nice for the kiddo to be dragged to 3 different stores, so we plan a lot more than home and take turns.

If you're that side of town you might want to check out Barkat in Schmide Wiedikon. Most of the veg is absolutly no worse than C or M & a hell of a lot cheaper - 'specially the more ethnic stuff like sweet potatos, huge bunches of corriander & chillis that are actually hot! - oh, and they do normal fist sized red onions too, but avoid the garlic