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Original poster

Is Aldi really all that?

153 replies

LOALM · 09/12/2019 13:39

New Aldi has quite recently opened up in town. DH wants us to switch to doing our weekly shop there. I'm reluctant. I find the whole till set up stressful - I'm used to the scan and shop and I don't really want to triple handle my food in and out of the trolley like the blooming hokey cokey (especially with young child with me)! I've also had some fresh produce from there that did not last well. He says we can do two smaller shops and would still save money, I just don't know if I can be bothered with the extra hassle/till stress/food going off. Is it worth it?

OP posts:
Goldenchildsmum · 09/12/2019 14:09

I find the till and packing my trolley at Aldi really stressful. It's like supermarket sweep BlushHmm

Their prices are good but I don't buy fresh food from there as it doesn't keep imo

rushingriver · 09/12/2019 14:11

DH says I'm being a snob but I'm not - I much prefer to buy own brands in Tesco/Sains and when I'm able to I use the local grocers on the high street etc. I just can't really be arsed.

Your DH should go alone. It means you don't have to stress regarding different till systems, you can do something nice with the D.C. and your DH gets to satisfy his curiosityGrin. Compile a list though so you can compare like with like!

Tbh I love Aldi, although my DH is the one that gets the shopping in. We've had years of compiling lists etc so know it was comparing like with like. It was a lot cheaper for us. We save thousands every year compared to other stores.

rushingriver · 09/12/2019 14:12

PS The chocolate and the wine is very good.

userxx · 09/12/2019 14:13

The gin is also very good, their own brand Oliver Cromwell.

hellsbells99 · 09/12/2019 14:24

My shopping is a lot cheaper at Aldi’s - but it is next door to Home Bargains so I can easily buy Heinz baked beans and ketchup and the cat food my cats like

Pepperwand · 09/12/2019 14:24

I swapped to Aldi when I was on maternity leave due to necessity but I absolutely love it now and have continued shopping there. It is significantly cheaper, I am always pleasantly surprised at the till. I have never had any issues with their produce, in fact the place I usually have fruit go off quickly when I buy it is Tesco. You may not be able to get everything you need if you want specific things so I do occasionally do a top up shop elsewhere but I really don't mind. Our Aldi is quite a new store and I find it clean with friendly, helpful staff.

mynameiscalypso · 09/12/2019 14:27

My main problem with Aldi is that it's always chaos there with too many people and things just stacked up in the aisles. Since I've had a child, I don't go there anymore because I just can't navigate round it with a pram and the whole thing is too stressful.

Singsongbird · 09/12/2019 14:31

Love a weekday 9.10am Aldi shop. Fully stocked shelves and no queues. Tried going at the weekend and its a completely different experience!

Original poster
LOALM · 09/12/2019 14:37

rushing I would send DH but he hates doing the food shop while I quite like it - seemingly just when I'm in my comfort zone though Grin he also has a habit of buying brands when he goes (and then moans about the cost of shopping Hmm

I might just have to try it on a weekday when I get a chance to (not often this is possible though).

Nice wine is definitely a plus point though Wine

OP posts:
TanselleTooTall · 09/12/2019 14:46

I prefer shopping in Aldi or Lidl when my toddler is with me as opposed to them being with me in the large, main supermarkets.
No blaring music (I can concentrate!), more compact store footprint and fewer choices of the same products means I zoom around in half the time.

Most of my groceries are from Aldi or Lidl and then I get the particulars from Waitrose/greengrocer's/wholesalers etc.
I love it.

Wild123 · 09/12/2019 14:46

I love Aldi just past 9 on a weekday morning (they do their 1/2 price reductions at this time and love picking up a bargain).

Like many others i can't do a full shop there and usually have to pop into B&M next door or Sainsbury's up the road after for a few bits.

Definitely saved me lots of money since it opened. I've not have too much of an issue with fruit and veg but i usually pick up on the day and use it.

BloodyCats · 09/12/2019 14:48

The meat is is not good imo, neither is the fresh fruit and veg.

BuildBuildings · 09/12/2019 14:50

People rave about it and lidl. I've read on here many times if yih don't like it you're not doing it properly! But I can't stand it. The products are poor quality. (I've had a good range as my family shop there) I'm vegetarian and don't each much dairy so they just don't do the range of food I like to buy. I also don't think they are super cheap for everything. I don't think it's a snobby thing not to want to go there.

xJune88 · 09/12/2019 14:52

I used to love aldi and save alot of money but now it's pretty much in line with Tesco so I've gone back to tesco!

EssentialHummus · 09/12/2019 14:53

I love it. Enormous Ikea style bags in trolley for after you pay, toddler in trolley seat with a snack and crack on.

ChristmasSpirtsOnTheRocksPleas · 09/12/2019 14:56

They don’t have enough variety/stuff that’s not basic for me to do a full shop there. It can also be very unpleasant at busy times.

SarahTancredi · 09/12/2019 14:56

Aldi is massively overrated imo. We tried it at one point and seemed ok I grew to tolerate the food and the full truly fir less was fab.

But then slowly but surely it got dire. Every thing we bought seemed to just disappear . Our local store started to get gross. Trays if green meat dumped in massive cardboard bins in the aisle. The fruit and veg barely seemed to survive the journey home, we ended up spending more in top up shops than one trip to tesco or morrisons would cost us, after being unable to get what we needed in aldi. And it wasnt til I was late home one day and didnt have time to go as it shut at 8 so I.had to go to morrisons, that I realised just how different the food tasted. After that I could not go back. The meat just tastes weird. There may be the odd hidden gem but nothing that justifies making a special trip.

Never again

Dandelion1993 · 09/12/2019 14:59

I swapped my whole shop to aldi while on mat leave and saved so much money. I can always get everything I need in there.

JoyceJames · 09/12/2019 15:04

Good for some stuff but prices going up, so less interesting than it was.

DefinatelyAWeeGobshite · 09/12/2019 15:05

We do a full weekly shop in Aldi or Lidl, never had bother getting what I need there. Occasionally we’ll go to Morrisons or Asda and the cost difference is ridiculous. I also quite like the till in Aldi/Lidl as they just whack it through, you put it in your trolley and then pack it at your own pace on the shelves.

BooksAreMyOnlyFriends · 09/12/2019 15:05

It's difficult to exclusively shop at Aldi/Lidl if you like a few branded things (and have fussy kids/pets!). Once you've worked out a routine it works well and you do save money.

I go to Aldi and do a toiletries and cleaning stuff shop once a month. I get enough for the month.
I then alternate Lidl/Aldi/Sainsbury's weekly for the food shop. It's so much easier if you split it that way.

rushingriver · 09/12/2019 15:08

rushing I would send DH but he hates doing the food shop while I quite like it - seemingly just when I'm in my comfort zone though  he also has a habit of buying brands when he goes (and then moans about the cost of shopping 

But it's completely fair for him to go since he seems so particular regarding where you get your shopping at. He really shouldn't be getting out of it because he says he doesn't enjoy it. You are stressing about going to Aldi, yourself. Why shouldn't he go? You don't really have to worry about brands at Aldi, it's mainly their own cheap and cheaper brands!Grin

rushingriver · 09/12/2019 15:10

And it's a winner for you if he decides he doesn't like it since you don't want to go anyway.

Floralnomad · 09/12/2019 15:14

I’m a weird person who likes grocery shopping and I’ve tried both Aldi and Lidl t they don’t suit me at all . In Tesco , Sainsbury and Marks I can scan and shop so I find the till queues in Aldi etc very annoying . I also don’t think the quality is any better for most things than own brand in the other supermarkets and that makes it just as expensive without the wide variety . My ds eats a lot of chicken and he didn’t like the Aldi chicken as he said it was tasteless . The only thing I go there for now are some chewy sweets that ds likes and jelly beans .

msmith501 · 09/12/2019 15:18

We have largely switched to Aldi. You are right about having to repack into the trolley and pack separately BUT at least you can pack on your way you want without any pressure from the checkout person AND the whole process of going through the checkout is soooo much quicker (even large queues disappear in a matter of small minutes) and you can guarantee that the quality is as good as Tescos or similar AND the price will be approx 50 - 60% max of Tesco's (where I have been a life long shopper). We still go to Tesco's for artisanal sourdough bread (!) and Encore cat food (!!!).

Overall verdict... considerably less stress at Aldi's and the quality is in a par for the majority of items.