Lidl Northern Ireland ambassador and author of The Daly Dish Gina Daly.
Lidl Northern Ireland, the region’s fastest growing supermarket is providing a new year boost for shoppers as the retailer confirms it has reduced the price of more than 500 products within its everyday range since October.
With reductions of up to 43% across a wide range of products, from fresh food to frozen favourites, cupboard staples to bakery treats and home essentials, Lidl Northern Ireland’s price drops further underscores the retailer’s commitment to supporting shoppers and mitigating against cost-of-living impacts.
Recent researched commissioned by Lidl Northern Ireland into the changing shopping habits of consumers due to the cost-of-living crisis found that three quarters of Northern Ireland consumers (74%) have changed their shopping behaviour overall in the last 12 months, with more than half of consumers have reduced their monthly grocery shopping budget in the last year.
Items that shoppers are most likely to cut from their baskets include cosmetics (69%), confectionary (67%), alcohol (65%) and readymade meals (58%) from their baskets.
Conversely, more than a third of shoppers (35%) are buying more frozen foods, a quarter are upping their fruit and vegetables (24%) and a fifth are stocking up on more cupboard staples (22%).
Consumers were also found to be becoming savvier with their spending, with 80% of those surveyed now seeking more offers and promotions for their weekly shop and two out of three households either spending more time planning their meals to reduce overspend, doing more batch cooking, or buying fresh ingredients to save money and reduce waste.
Ivan Ryan, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland, commented:
“This research highlights the reality for shoppers in Northern Ireland in that every pound spent needs to go so much further and consumers today are more empowered than ever in understanding how best to manage their budget.
"I’m delighted to announce that we have reduced the prices of more than 500 products consistently since October – some with savings of up to 43 per cent. As consumers plan their spend more carefully, this will no doubt provide a welcome boost for shoppers this January, which can be a challenging time for many families.
"Whilst grocery price inflation is slowing, we’re acutely aware that the cost-of-living crisis continues to pose significant challenges for our customers and our suppliers and we’re working harder than ever to continue delivering our quality products at market leading prices.”
Lidl Northern Ireland ambassador and author of The Daly Dish Gina Daly has shared her top tips for saving on the weekly shop this January:
1.Plan your shop: How many times have we bought without thought and ended up throwing away good food? Planning out your shop before you go to the supermarket is the most effective way to ensure you get the most out of your meals, with no wastage. Working to a set budget is easier to stick to if you plan what you need. Lidl Northern Ireland’s weekly leaflet is available in store, online and via the Lidl Plus app for you to browse new items or in-store weekly offers in advance.
2. Waste not: Good food that is nearing its expiry date is often reduced for quick sale. If you’ve planned your meals well, you can shop these items with confidence, knowing what you’ll use immediately and what could potentially be frozen for future. Look out for reduced pricing labels on Lidl products in-store or check out Lidl Northern Ireland’s Waste Not Fruit & Veg boxes which offer the best value for money - priced at just £2.50, the boxes contain at least 5kg of mixed fruit and vegetables from multi packs where the items have become slightly damaged and removed from sale – but are still delicious and perfectly good to eat!
3. Harness the Power of Protein: Eating protein can make you feel full longer and it can also reduce cravings for late night snacking which we can all be guilty of! Consider switching to high protein versions of your favourite foods so you’re not as tempted to reach for the snacks. Lidl Northern Ireland’s extensive High Protein range includes granola, yoghurts, milk and oat bars which will keep bellies full until dinner time.
4. Minus the Meat: We all know the benefits of swapping out one weekly dinner for a vegetarian alternative for its health benefits (and it’s kinder to the planet), but this is one of the most effective ways to drastically cut spend. Replacing meat as the star ingredient with a vegetarian alternative will save the pennies. Consider going for meat alternatives such as plant-based burgers or embrace veggies entirely and swap your meat steaks for cauliflower steaks or a veggie curry.
5. Don’t miss out on more ways to save: With everyday low prices, and even further price drops across an extended range of products, you’re already saving by shopping at Lidl Northern Ireland, but don’t miss out on those added bonuses. Make sure you download the Lidl Plus app to avail of weekly Lidl Treats which offers money off, multi-buy discounts or buy one get one free, not to mention the lucky scratch cards.