cash and carry / wholesale grocery shopping/Aligro

Food & Drink, Events and Entertainment
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I've copied this from a post I wrote in a thread about savings that can be made by going to Germany and grocery shopping.

I thought it worth starting a post here in case it is useful to anyone looking under 'food and drink'.

Its about Aligro - the wholesale / cash and carry stores in Switzerland......

They are some things that are significantly cheaper than Coop and Migros for many of the everyday things that I go shopping for. Especially meat.

I personally like that I can get things in Aligro that I can't get easily anywhere else. beef cheeks, whole duck, some asian spices and fresh and frozen fish.

It is BIG and not everyone likes this... and of course things are in bulk so you need a freezer and space.... or a friend to go halves with. I regularly buy a whole fillet and we will do a family BBQ or I buy the chunks of beef and make my own minced meet then have a day where I make a big pot of bolognese, assemble lasagna, assemble beefburgers and also make a beef chunk curry.... then I have loads of nice things in the freezer....so you also need time... but if you are a housewife and have both a family and some time I'd definitely suggest having a look.

The membership is free and even though there are only 2 of us I find it better than giving up half a day to go to Germany...

In case anyone is interested I took photos of some of the prices in Aligro today and can tell you that....

American spare ribs were 21.40 per kilo,

Irish beef filet was 67 per kilo,

Irish rib eye beef was 43.90 per kilo,

USA black Angus filet was 78.80 per kilo,

Swiss Beef entrecote was 24.50 per kilo,

beef chunks were 13.30 per kilo

beef shoulder was 16.10 per kilo

Persil colour liquid 100 wash bottle was 22.80

Persil duo caps x 60 were 19.90

Persil powder 100 washes was 22.80

and then some prices from my till receipt...

Diet Coke x 24 33cl cans - 12.00

Beef cheeks - 1.65kg - 16.53

parma ham 250g - 16.53

goose fat jar - 7.60

1kg Gran Padano - finely grated - 14.00

Woolite washing liquid 25 washes - 8.90

Here is a link to their 'specials' this week

https://www.aligro.ch/actions/

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But do bear in mind that those prices do not include the VAT

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I thought about that and so yes they do...

The ones I've written from the prices instore and incl tax BUT are the profi prices.... there are diff disc depending on membership level - ie restaurants and personal customers...

BUT

I've written the incl tax prices / the final price from my receipt.

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And how do you get Profi membership without working in the gastro trade?

VAT on a lot of food is only 2.2%, so not really worth worrying about.

Two things I like about Aligro are the decent selection of fish at reasonable prices and for some spirits and higher end wines eg Gaja Barbaresco, Barolo and Sito Moresco or Zaya rum their prices are better than I’ve found anywhere in Switzerland in stores or on Wine-Searcher

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Are the prices better there than in Aldi, Lidl or Otto's ??

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2.5%

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I just have the 'regular' membership. Im happy with that. its saves me a lot and as you said the selection is much better then elsewhere...

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Maybe click on the link I added on the original post and see if some of the things you buy are included in their 'specials' This will give you an indication of price.

I usually go to Coop as I drive to the one at Silbern as its the closest to my home so I can't comment on Aldi or Lidl or Ottos...

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Have a look: https://www.aligro.ch/de/aktionen/

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I have a Gastro card for TopCC / Aligro (the 2 companies merged last year I think). I get stuff there for my business - sandwich bags etc but in many cases I find food items cheaper in Denner and Lidl, I think for most restaurants it's just easy as at the cash and carry you can buy in bulk.

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I ordered the "gourmet card", cause that's what I am.

The bulk thing is a problem for single households but they offer things not so easy to get in other shops as OP mentioned. So when it seemed only available in Schlieren it was not worth driving there but with one close by it definitely can be.

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I agree about the bulk buying issue. Its not a problem for me because thats a benefit of living in the sticks - I have space BUT I go often with a friend and we split things like beef filet or the frozen jumbo prawns and even the multi buy stuff like washing liquid.

It doesn't work for everyone, thats for sure, but I just thought I'd throw some prices and the link out there in case someone finds it useful.

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Go ahead. Keep listing! When I looked through their website last night I realized it would take a lot of research/comparing to make the absolute most of Aligro. I actually do that with my basic stuff - but only after I shopped all places.

As to little shops, they do have their advantages: When I put on my jeans today, I spontaniously decided to bypass the idea of the big Migros and go to the tiny one with limited offer instead.

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When we first moved here i did a whole spreadsheet (I had a LOT of time on my hands ) to compare between Coop and Migros as all my husbands family told me coop was 20% more expensive..... when I compared all the everyday things I bought it really was very similar. Some odd things like Rice and coconut milk were strangely much more expensive at Migros. It didn't always make sense... But I might do it again out of interest...

Of course it REALLY depends on what you buy but in my case it wasn't significant. I don't really have anywhere I can walk by so its always a car ride for me.

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I agree with GrumpyG

Aligro have some good deals but sometimes you will get a better price at Denner / Coop depending on the actions they have at the moment.

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If Coop was really 20% more expensive than their direct competition, do you really think Coop would still exist now ?

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In Switzerland, yes.

I wonder how many of their less popular supermarkets are propped-up by other retailers in their group?

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I find Migros to be more expensive than Coop and always have done, probably its down to the things I buy. Also Migros has a far more limited selection of goods, so you end up paying more for the little they offer.

As for any supermarket being 20% more expensive and still surviving. I think they would survive as many people don't check prices and can afford not to i.e. they can afford to pay more and generally do so.

Prices will remain as high as they are in Migros and Coop for as long as people keep shopping there and paying the often ridiculous prices.

In the end it is down to the consumer to shop elsewhere, but consistently. If not prices will never come down.

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Probably. It's been known for years that COOP is more expensive than Migros on an average basket of goods.

Shop Basket price difference Lidl 53.77 Fr. -- Aldi 55.80 Fr. + 3,8% Denner 67.71 Fr. + 25,9% Migros 85.37 Fr. + 58,8% Coop 87.22 Fr. + 62,2% Quelle: K-Tipp (1/19)

From here

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Coop sells branded articles. Some people appreciate that.

Migros did not at all in the old days and even now only very limited. Migros is the copy cat here and officially so.