MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial More Aldi grocery stores opening in Switzerland
-
The invasion of Switzerland by the huge German grocery chain Aldi continued today with the opening of their second store in the canton du Jura, this one in Porrentruy, bringing the total in Switzerland to 195. This, along with Lidl, also a German company, is a growing threat to the quasi-duopoly of Migros and Coop. The arrival of Aldi and Lidl offers more choice for budget-conscious visitors to Switzerland, not to mention the Swiss themselves. To find the closest Aldi to where you are or may be, go to the Aldi site and enter the name or postal code (CPA) in the search box near the top of the page. The link I have provided is for French, but one can also select (at top right) German or Italian. No English for now !
-
Hi Peterli,
I’m sure they’re doing well in Switzerland! How do they compare to the Denner shops in your opinion? We tend to go to a Denner as well for budget shopping, although their shops do not look as nice as Coop and Migros.
Hi Arno,
Coop and Migros are in a class by themselves for physical layout, looks, and choice. The few Denners that I have patronized come in all kinds of sizes, sometimes no more than like a small corner store, but sometimes quite large and definitely just as nice as the Aldi and Lidl stores. As you know, Migros does not sell any alchoholic beverages or tobacco products (this goes right back to its inception in 1925) and this may help to explain why Migros owns 70% of Denner, where alcoholic beverage and tobacco products are definitely sold. I went to a new Denner in Boudry (NE) last month and I noticed that it is not offering many non-food items, this in contrast to Aldo and Lidl, which both offer a lot of non-food items in their central sections. It will be interesting to see if Aldi and Lidl try to open newer establishments that have more of the Migros and Coop “look”. From what I have seen so far, they have a long way to go. But let’s not forget that the Swiss are very price-conscious. Another chain I am aware of is Volg, but I have only been in a very small one (in Le Landeron, NE) and I believe there are more of them in the Swiss-German area. Now if you really want to go to a store in Switzerland that has a real mish-mash of products, have you ever been to an Otto’s ? I’ve been to a couple in the canton de Fribourg (Morat and Düdingen) and they are something else.
One thing is sure, shopping choices are getting better every day, and it is the average Swiss consumer and the tourists who will gain from this competition. And gone are the days when the green Migros stores on wheels made their circuits throughout all the small communities. Those were fun to shop in.
Otto’s is a bit of a hidden jem I think. A bit of a mish mash of products (and not the prettiest) but great prices can be found! There was one that I had near my place that I never new existed for over a year (literally a hidden jem)
Hi Lucas,
Great prices for sure ! One of the hidden gems that I have found are Türstoppers (doorstops), which I buy at Otto’s for CHF 3.00 each (I’ve now bought six of them, photo of one attached) and today I looked on eBay.de and found a pair of them selling for EUR 26.62 for a pair, plus EUR 1.99 for shipping ! That’s a wicked difference in price !
Hi Peterli, I have never been to an Otto. I don’t think I ever even saw one, but I will certainly have a look when I encounter one. I love the Volg because they’re often relatively small and located in little villages e.g. in Graubünden. Not cheap but quite a lot of products even in the smaller shops.
The Migros alcohol policy is interesting, and I respect their choice. Not enjoying Swiss beer during the holidays is no option though, so we always go to a second store as well 🙂
Here in the UK Aldi and Lidl are ever present too, in competition price-wise with our other supermarkets. I rarely shop there as I prefer other stores and in Switzerland we nearly always patronise the Co-op though for fresh produce we really love the market in Thun – we have few markets of that quality in UK except in smaller market towns – we live in a big city so part of the fun of our Swiss holiday is shopping in the market for our fresh fruit and veg. and local cheeses etc.
Maggie
Dear All,
i was interestingly reading about Switzerland various food stores and i know that coops and mirgos are switzerland co, wherein aldi and lidl are German chains.Then there are Denner and otto etc.
my question is in Luzern area, if we go for vegetarian food items then which stores are the cheapest?
and being all very famous chains, i am very sure all must be having good quality products, so i am concentrating the cheapest of all lot and area at at Luzern only.
thanks and regards
Hello,
I haven’t been in Lucerne for two years and so I’m hoping that some of those people who recommend Lucerne as a base for their stay in Switzerland will have some suggestions for you. I suspect that the Coop and the Migros will have plenty of fresh vegetables for you at pretty reasonable prices.
I’d stick with Migros for a good cross of quality and price.
Dear Lucas and Peterli ji,
it seems Lucas sir from switzerland and you from German and so diverse opinion and i am confused..hahha
I’m from Canada actually Hansaria 😉
I think Aldi and Lidl are best if you want the absolute cheapest vegetables. Migros won’t be much higher in price though and locations may be more convenient for you.
Thanks Lucas Sir………
Namaste Hansaria ji,
I was looking at a map of Lucerne and found one Lidl but it is somewhat removed from the area near the Kappelbrücke. It seems there are oodles of Migros, and I found one at Bruchstrasse 18, and about 50 metres from there is an Aldi, at Sentipark/Bruchstrasse 2, and there is a Coop between the two of them (see attached image) so why not just pop into all three of them and do some price and quality checking ?
Attachments:Namste Peterli ji…its a pleasant surprised when we get our language unexpectedly… ..i will check all of them for sure….thanks again…
- The thread ‘More Aldi grocery stores opening in Switzerland’ is closed to new replies.
