Regarding quality of meat, recently I bought a F&P

fridge and as part of a promotion received a meat pack from 'foodbox'
I had ben told by someone else who got one that the meat was really good. I have to agree, my family thought my cooking had greatly improved. The meat is expensive from them but way better than what I can buy at either paknsave or new world. Why would this meat be so much nicer than even the expensive cuts from a supermarket?

It may have been properly aged/hung and cut. I have found supermarket meat to be underaged and, if I buy any, it goes in the freezer. It also could be better quality animals, maybe the supermarkets don't buy top beasts.

I find supermarket meat varies allot depending on where they are getting it from. Specials are often oversupplied or cancelled export orders so the cheapest is often the best yet other times its the export reject which can be average at best. Whereas the day to day meat is usually lower grade carcases cut in the cheapest way for maximum return so not trimmed allot and best side showing in the packet. Allot of prime cuts are not fully trimmed like the sirloins with the chain still attached and sinews left in. Bandsawn shoulder chops etc are covered in bone dust (you can scrape this off but a real butcher would have done that everytime).

Kay is correct they usually don't age the meat enough and theres not allot you can do about that apart from leave it in the fridge for a few days before using (beef and sheep meat) it really needs to be aged before its cut up too much. You can age large pieces in the fridge though like whole rumps.

I buy allot of supermarket meat but usually specials and I buy one meal at first then if its good go back to buy in bulk. Great thing about supermarkets is if its on special the meat will be consistent through the special as they buy big batches.

I buy from butchers and shop around them.
But then budget is important for me.

I grow my own, so I know what I'm getting.
Will hang in a friends chiller before taking to the butcher.

Agree with aging the meat in the fridge, which we do on the odd occasion that we buy it, we grow our own meat and it is always hung for a minimum of 10 days. Always lovely and tender.