The two discounters were included in this week’s ‘Super’ Grocer 33, but neither Aldi nor Lidl could outgun Waitrose in Horsham, which racked up 85 points. Just two not-stocked items and no out-of-stocks set Waitrose on its way, backed by excellent service and standards.
Our shopper praised the “helpful” staff. One helped her “find the frozen haddock I was struggling to see” and another indulged in “a nice chat”. She was also impressed by an attractive wine display, not deterred by online pickers and restocking staff, who had positioned their trolleys “carefully in the middle of a wide aisle”.
Aldi in Chester-le-Street claimed second with 80 points. Its availability score of 18, thanks to just one not-stocked item, was even more impressive as the store was just 11,000 sq ft.
Our shopper praised the clean and tidy space, while remarking that “the flow of the store made this the fastest shop I’ve ever done”. They also liked the “eye-catching” end-of-aisle displays. There were very few gaps, empty packaging or rubbish anywhere, despite the store being “very busy”.
Knocked into third place by just one point this week was Asda in Liverpool, which would have been a contender but for three out-of-stocks. Nonetheless, our shopper “had a great experience here and can’t believe how quickly I was able to get around”.
She said the store felt “quite calm” for a Saturday morning and was pleased to find that “staff seemed to be everywhere”. Those on the shop floor were busy replenishing stock but were “only too happy to help when asked”. All in all, it added up to “a totally stress-free shop, which I appreciated”.
Morrisons in Wrexham placed fourth with 77. Availability was the biggest issue here, due to two out-of-stocks and two not- stocked items. Otherwise, the store performed well, and our shopper particularly liked the counters. “Not a good store to go to on a diet!”
She also appreciated the “lovely” fresh flowers and felt “the staff made it a much more pleasant experience”. “They were not chatting amongst themselves or so busy stocking that they couldn’t help.”
Next came Tesco in Honiton with 75 points – a score hit by two out-of-stocks and one not-stocked item. Our shopper was happy with the service, despite the lack of staff on the floor, as the few she encountered “understood the location of the items very well”.
She also found the aisles to be clear and easy to navigate, enjoyed the “fresh and lively” plants on display and was delighted to hear Whitney Houston being played in store.
The drop to sixth place was steep. Lidl picked up 61 points partly thanks to five items not being stocked – though this could be partially explained by its square footage of just 12,000.
Our shopper also found the car park “slightly annoying” due to a lack of parking spaces. Once inside, however, the shop was “good” – partly thanks to its diminutive stature, which meant “everything is fairly easy to find”.
Further back still in last place, on just 53 points, was Sainsbury’s in Winchester. The store posted this week’s lowest availability score due to three out-of-stocks and two not-stocked items. Our shopper said she “didn’t love this store” because it “lacked variety”, the lack of staff was “frustrating” and the layout “confusing”.
She did like the “very big” clothes and homeware section but said the store was “a little rough around the edges”.
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