made a complaint to assistant manager in store. he was very rude and dismissiv. Then made a…read morecomplaint through the Aldi website. After 2 weeks no response at all. I deplore poor customer service so I will now not be spending another penny in Aldi. Lidl will now be getting my custom.

Have to say, in spite of the random factor, I become more enamoured of Aldi each time I visit. Is…read moreit the random gingerbread man houses, in for Christmas? Is it the strange array of intriguing biscuits? The alternative brand booze? The magic inner aisle of crazy toys, canoes, hard drives and other assorted oddities? Yes. Yes it is. It's a cheap, magic, slapdash place. I still won't be shopping for all my regular bits there, as it doesn't quite work for a whole shop in one, but I will be going in for cheap surprises. The queues are a bit of a hassle; I agree with Chris in that there's quite a pressure to get your goods packed up and out of the way in Superman-like speeds (which I always fail) but other than that it's grand. Staff have plenty of banter too, which is always a boon. P.s. Debit card only.

Oh Waitrose. My…read moreolder brother seems to think that I've got my priorities wrong as a relatively new graduate who is a little bit unemployed shopping in Waitrose. But he is missing the finer supermarket shopping experiences in life. It is often accused as the middle class, overpriced spot to shop. Whilst there are your fair share of fancy cars in the car park and mummy's debating which brand of gourmet baby food to buy it is one of the gooduns'. As supermarkets go Waitrose seem to treat their staff well, support local community, have a wider range of products available and all in all appear a friendlier place to shop. Split your shopping between here and some local places for fresh produce and I don't mind spending a few extra pennies for some happier faces.

We haven't been in the store, but we order online from this store. If you order a shop of at least…read more£50 you get free delivery. With your first order you get a free bottle of wine and a welcome pack. They also send you money off coupons for your next three orders. They do substitute your items if they don't have what you want in stock, but when the driver arrives he goes over them with you - they allow you to inspect it and if you don't like it they will take it back and give you a refund. I think you can select not to receive substitutions though. The Waitrose own brand is of good quality so it's not an issue. I don't think it's all that snooty or expensive. I think it depends on the choices you make when you shop. Alot of grocery stores are doing price matching these days so I think aside from shopping at Asda its comparable to shopping at Marks or Sainsburys.

It's hard to go into Lidl and not shudder slightly at its almost tangible bargain basement…read moreatmosphere and eerie lighting. But, let's face it, you're not there for ambiance. You're there for cheap groceries, and Lidl's Chapel Allerton's branch has them in spades. That, of course, is the place's strength and very reason for being. There are plenty of items in there that you'll get significantly cheaper than you will elsewhere, branded and otherwise. You can also pick up a better range of fruit and veg than discount supermarkets have traditionally offered, which is a definite plus. It's all very no-frills, and if you're in any way particular about your week's dinner menu, you won't get a full week's shop out of the place. It does its job of offering all your basics (and a fair amount besides) well, though. That's something that's especially welcome in an area where your alternatives, if you don't have a car, are basically Tesco Express and Somerfield, neither of which is the cheapest place to buy a crust. If you remember your own bags and don't lurk in Lidl's gloom for too long, you and this discount supermarket will get along just fine.

Lidl...my sister used to live round the corner from one in Manchester and when I used to visit it…read moreusually ended up being the the booze-run destination for the evening. There was always some ridiculously cheap wine-like drink or mysterious spirit such as 'Vodkat' not quite vodka but near enough...and when you're a skint student you're not that picky! Quite what we were drinking I'll never know! It's when you're going through truly penniless times that the temptation of Lidl is too great and if you shop at supermarkets anyway, I'm not exactly sure of the hard facts, but ethically I can't imagine it's hugely different. They sometimes sell such a random assortment of things...they always have bags full of partially smashed Eastery chocolate shapes and we once found some 80s-style 'space boots' in a size one that my tiny footed friend managed to cram into...they looked pretty amazing but it's things like this and the eclectic assortment of other clothing items, accessories and gadgets at eye-wateringly low prices that makes the ethical qualms really hit home. How is it possible to make a profit from such cheap prices? However from the cheap strip lighting, cheap and cheerful 'décor' and rather haphazard presentation it's obvious they are definitely cutting corners cost-wise. One hangover from my Manchester Lidl days I occasionally allow myself are their crinkle-cut Crusti Croc crisps. Amusingly-named and deliciously crunchy, they are almost addictive! I wouldn't happily shop here on a weekly basis but an occasional purchase when I'm passing allows for the satisfaction of my morbid fascination with the garishness of it all...and that creepy lighting!

As far as little supermarkets go this modest co-operative is a fair shout. Housing everything you…read morecould possibly need in a pinch it's a really handy store for those living nearby, despite the prices being just a little bit higher than most other supermarket chains. I nipped in here for some basics and was really pleased to find that they sell Clover, a small and very specific point I know, but it seems all other places nearby to me have ceased to sell this most coveted butter brand! I was really pleased. They also have a grand fruit and veg section, though not as wide and fresh as Oakwood fruits, a good selection of handy quick meals, cereals and more. There are also feed 4 for £4 deals, which seems to be their answer to Sainsburys feed your family for a fiver deal, which isn't bad! As well as all this the shop assistant was really sweet and friendly, offering up a bit of harmless banter as I purchased my goods. All in all, a pretty fair place to purchase some goods!

Now these sorts of shops aren't really the sort to get excited about but I just had to give this…read moreone a mention. The store has managed to cover most of my emergencies, from desperately needing a sewing kit to cough medicine to a birthday card. There seems to be an awful lot hidden away on the shelves. The food selection isn't bad and it's of the same quality as a big supermarket. They always ID me even though I am approaching 30 but I don't mind as it means you don't have the usual drunken kids hanging out side. What is great is the staff, they are always very helpful, keen to chat and makes buying your tea bags a little bit fun.

Eastern Foods is a large shop with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in the roofed outdoor…read moresection. They have huge sacks of potatoes, onions and rice for sale - great if you're running a food business or just live in a house with many other people. I have a feeling the 'organic eastern foods' referred to on the sign are probably in packets on shelves inside and probably doesn't include the veg as you'd think it would be labeled as such. In this 'outdoor' section they also have frozen foods. Inside is a well-stocked grocer's selling a wide variety of products of 'Eastern' origin including shelves stacked high with large bags of grains and pulses, and a variety of herbs and spices. They also have many items you'd expect in your average Leeds grocer. This shop is off the beaten track if you're only familiar with Leeds city centre and the areas nearby but for locals it must be brilliant to have such a well-stocked shop with such variety within walking distance.

Offering up much the same exotic fruit and veg as its equally vaguely-named counterparts in Hyde…read morePark, Eastern Foods has the added advantage of being situated far from the student crowds and having prices that reflect this. Miles away from anyone who might think it was worth paying a quid for a mango, this shop instead sells good quality, organic (although this is not clearly labelled) fresh fruit and veg at very reasonable prices, ensuring there's always a crowd of locals peering into the assembled boxes and crates to see what's in today. Good for those hard-to-find ingredients or just if you fancy trying something different, just be prepared to wait to get served or face doing battle with some formidable looking pensioners for first place in the queue.

The store is situated in a very large building that looks like a department store towering over the…read morestreet. I suspect it is most frequently visited by restaurant/cafe owners or those with massive families who stock up on huge bags of rice, pulses and other products available in 'bulk buy'. They do, however, sell single portions of things for the lone shopper who enters anyway despite the huge 'cash and carry' exterior, such as myself. I managed to find cans of Coconut milk for only 59p each which is almost half the price of other retailers. My whole basket came to less than a fiver, which would have been more around the £8 - £10 mark in most other shops. They sell vegetables, breads, and meats fresh or frozen. Biscuits, sweet goods, kitchen wear such as baking trays and other handy bits and bobs, and various cosmetics such as bath/shower gel etc. Susan is right about the name being somewhat confusing as it is mainly foods from Asia and Africa and not the common British conception of 'continental food' (deli style West European). If you are after the latter (Italian, French, Spanish etc) you are probably better off going to a deli in town or a chain supermarket.

Great shop on the former Fforde Grene site. Good access and…read moreplenty of parking- even open until 10 most nights! Specialises on pulses/spices/grain/meat/breads/veg and sauces I would associate with West Indian/Pakistani/Asian and possibly even Greek cooking. I'm a regular here to stock up on spices/chick peas and even black peppercorns as they're so cheap! I also frequent the butchery for Mutton or Goat to do in a curry. Prices are fantastic, packages have a variety of sizes to suit your needs and it's like an Aladdin's Cave. Go have a snoop around, I bet they stock something you'll want to buy at a great price!

As I used to live only 2 streets down from this Hyde Park treasure, my shopping trips often ended…read moreup here. I can see why those who don't dare cook outside the realms of beans on toast would avoid this shop as it is full of the weird and wonderful, stacked high with ingredients most would not know how to cook or what to cook it with. But where is your adventurous side?! I am a huge fan of curry, whether it is Indian or Thai in origin (or an English equivalent) and Maumoniat's sells everything you will need to rustle up either. They stock the usual brand name curry culprits such as Pataks Originals for Indian cooking, Blue Dragon for Thai and Chinese and many other untranslatable brands from many different origins. They also stock all of the ingredients you would need to cook up a homemade bowl of world cuisine from scratch with various roots and shoots, fish sauce and the like. A true delight for experimental cookers or fans of foreign cuisine. They also sell a wide selection of cooking oils, various breads, health foods, cheeses (mozzarella, halumi, feta..), sausages, fruits and vegetables. If you are looking for ingredients for a special meal you are unlikely to find elsewhere, it is a your most likely outlet, however, if you are just looking for some fruit and veg or the usual shop, you are likely to find a cheaper place elsewhere.

This place, for someone like me, is totally random and yet totally fun. I think that's why it's so…read morevery popular to be honest. It's the supermarket with a difference, that difference being it's an international supermarket. As well as any of the staple items you might require, this place has the best and most interesting ingredients for any curry/asian cuisine fan. They have spices that I've not even heard of, all kinds of rice, naans and other such accompaniments - generally spicy heaven. They have a large frozen section too with plenty of goodies and loads of random strange foreign delights. The sweets are the most crazy! The last time I came here I bought a turkish delight selection box which had some really random flavours, I loved it! For adventurous purchases in the edible arena, this is the place to try. Yum!