Aldi and Lidl are interesting stores. They hardly ever market themselves; they do not need to. This means peoples’ reactions to the names says a lot about those people. I’m always amused at those who sneer (“Lidl and Aldi sell cheap crap to poor people”): it tells me such people haven’t been there, that they put marketing ahead of quality, class ahead of value. I find myself wondering if I can also convince them of something silly that’s to my advantage: perhaps I should offer them a good deal on some high quality scrap iron awaiting collection from the middle of Paris.

But, of course, marketing is invidious. No one is immune to its lies. There will be areas where these propagandists have snuck their lies into me, and I don’t realise it. So I shouldn’t gloat at people who sneer at Lidl and Aldi—but I do. What a bunch of suckers! Which reminds me, did someone mention some scrap iron for sale in the middle of Brooklyn … .