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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:
AnnaMagnani · 09/12/2019 21:16

I can do practically a whole weekly shop there. Most weeks we will need 2-3 items at nearest supermarket which for us is Waitrose but otherwise the whole shop is Lidl.

However we do get all pet food delivered from Zooplus so don't get any of that at Lidl.

Never had a problem with food going off, the more you shop there the more you realise when things will be in store (when it will be Spanish week for example), and most of their Christmas offering is way better than Waitrose.

redeyetonowheregood · 09/12/2019 21:21

I love their fake Jo Malone candles and reed diffusers...just picked up a couple of lime, basil and mandarin candles this evening.

I find their fruit and veg goes off quickly and is pretty tasteless overall so I don't buy there.

Ragwort · 09/12/2019 21:24

I can’t imagine my DH having an opinion on where I shop if he is not prepared to do the shopping himself ...I doubt my DH even knows where I shop. I genuinely like grocery shopping but I rarely go to Aldi, I don’t like the ‘experience’ although certain things are worth getting and I appreciate it is cheaper. It’s got better in recent years, the staff don’t seem so quick on the tills or throw things at you, but it is not my supermarket of choice ... although one of a limited selection in the town I live in.

PleasantVille · 09/12/2019 21:45

Maybe you are new to MN LOALM, this thread appears literally every week, I know I could ignore it but sometimes the irritation gets the better of me.

I simply don't get it, it's just a shop!

ReginaGeorgeous · 09/12/2019 21:47

I really hate the till set up. Our local store is always pissing about closing tills and then opening the one next door. There is no room at the scanned end.

I do pop in every couple of weeks as I think their baby products are good, I use their nappies, formula and wipes for DS and he loves their fruit pouches that are the Ella's rip offs. I like their chocolate, cheeses and wine. Oh and their pringles rip offs are a huge hit in this house as coeliac DH can eat them, unlike the branded ones.

That's about it that's good. The fresh meat, fruit and veg doesn't keep.

Heymummee · 09/12/2019 21:51

Aldi’s biggest fan here. We save a fortune there.
The packing situation is fine. I have my bags open in the trolley and pack as they scan, they never complain about it and it’s easily done, they’re not too fast.
Fruit, veg and other produce is delivered fresh every day so I’ve never had a problem.
Cleaning products are great, nappies are the best we’ve used and the wine is excellent.
I can’t say a bad word about it other than the fact I can’t get Heinz tomato ketchup there or Bertolli for DP, I have to get those elsewhere.

Alyic · 09/12/2019 21:53

I'll be going to Aldi for my annual visit, I like some of the Christmas food, mince pies, florentine's, cheeses, prawns etc

ShortHairSuitsYou · 09/12/2019 21:53

It very much depends on the individual shop, I go to the Aldi where I used to live as it is well laid out, very clean and restocked sensibly.
There is one much nearer me now but so hit and miss it's not worth planning to do a proper shop there as you can't rely on everything being in stock.

theneverendinglaundry · 09/12/2019 22:11

I agree @shorthairsuitsyou . The one near my old house was never busy, the staff were lovely, and it was always well stocked. The one nearest to my new house is always busy and laid out weirdly too. They don't have a lot of stuff that I used to get.

theneverendinglaundry · 09/12/2019 22:15

But oh God their booze selection is awesome.

BettyJean · 09/12/2019 22:20

Mmm, Topaz gin.

Axl1977 · 10/12/2019 00:27

Fuccck
That's exactly what I was thinking. Everyone seems to find everything stressful these days! It's just food shopping!

DecemberSnow · 10/12/2019 00:29

Not for a full shop....

Aycharow · 10/12/2019 01:08

If you don't much like it then don't go. Hopefully then it won't be quite so crowded in our Aldi, which is brilliant.

Tillygetsit · 10/12/2019 01:59

I much prefer Lidl. Their fresh produce is great.

JigsawsAreInPieces · 10/12/2019 07:14

Aldi wine is delicious. And they deliver it free if you buy 6 bottles!

I love their hazelnut chocolate, the one with whole nuts in. We have a list of items to get if we’re going to Aldi and/or Lidl which we've tried, tested and decided are better than Tesco or Asda. I've bought raspberries from both Tesco and Asda and they've gone mouldy on the way home (30 minute drive!)

In particular we like:
Part cooked baguettes (cheaper)
Cheesy biscuits (tasty)
Greek-style yoghurt
Frikadellen (in Lidl)
Whole nut chocolate
Lidl’s W5 range of cleaning materials
Plus the eclectic array of merchandise in the middle aisles of wonder. Grin

dayswithaY · 10/12/2019 07:47

I hate Aldi and Lidl they both feel like 1980s East Berlin.

Original poster
LOALM · 10/12/2019 08:00

pleasant relatively new maybe, not that it's particularly relevant. However I fully appreciate we can all tire of seeing the same discussion over and over, so fair enough.

Just to clarify though - I'm not stressing about it (well, apart from the till bit) 😂 just debating with myself (and DH) whether to bother. Have a nice day folks!

OP posts:
ChasingRainbows19 · 10/12/2019 08:14

I do my full shop in Aldi. Our Aldi has great fresh fruit and veg and to be honest I've had more problems with other supermarkets freshness. Only two of us and we live near a shop for top up shops.

ChasingRainbows19 · 10/12/2019 08:16

Also we put bags open in the trolley and pack at the till and just throw it straight in the bags as they throw it at us.... but both of us go shopping and only two bags full so it's fine.

Museumland · 10/12/2019 09:13

One thing I find very annoying about Aldi is their goods are over packed and small cans, you can't buy a single lemon, a small can of beans unless you buy a multi pack. You also can't buy unpacked banana by weight but have to buy a plastic wrapped bag. They have great deli items, cleaning products and wine but they need to work on reducing waste and packaging.

dottiedodah · 10/12/2019 09:40

I tend to go to Sainsburys ,and have shopped there for a long time now! I think the whole Aldi/Lidl thing is overblown TBH! Some things may be cheaper but generally about the same price overall. The Lidl near us seems to be not very well laid out and it is difficult to find what you want

GameSetMatch · 10/12/2019 09:42

I don’t rate Aldi at all, it has a strange smell not just the local store all of them! It puts me off.

gamerchick · 10/12/2019 09:44

Side stepping the usual Aldi argument.

If your bloke wants to shop at Aldi and you don't want the hassle then he does the food shop. That's the crux of it.

hsegfiugseskufh · 10/12/2019 09:45

museum you can buy unpacked bananas at ours! maybe they will roll it out to all stores! I wish all fruit and veg was loose!