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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:
thecalmorchid · 10/12/2019 09:47

I swap things out.

I use a combination of Aldi and Waitrose essential range. Between the two I can cover most bases.

A lot cheaper too.

ethelredonagoodday · 10/12/2019 09:53

I think it very much depends on your local store. I rarely have issues with fresh fruit and veg, in fact, I'd go as far as to say it's generally better quality than out local Tesco. We converted to Aldi a couple of years ago from Tesco and Ocado and haven't looked back!

ritzbiscuits · 10/12/2019 10:09

I don't do a full food shop, they don't stock everything I buy. Agree about some of their fresh fruit, but are excellent and much cheaper for some things. Here's a few things off the top of my list to try:

Kidney beans (and other pulses)
Fresh cut herbs, tenderstem broccoli, small kids apples
Cling film/tin foil/white bin bags (can be half the price of Tesco!)
Continental cheese and antipasti meat
Luxury chocolate mousses
Special Selected Baileys

Sainsburys is on the same shopping complex for us, so I pop in Aldi for a few bits then go to Sainsburys for 2/3s of my shop.

catwithflowers · 10/12/2019 10:22

There are some things I always go to Aldi and Lidl for. Flowers (half the price and are lovely), fresh herbs (again 35p v 79p in Morrison’s). I like their loo roll, kitchen roll, fruit and veg, meats and cheeses. Lidl’s bread is great but not fussed on Aldi’s. Some of their frozen pizzas are nice too.

I have the time so am happy to potter between Aldi, Lidl and Morrison’s and look for the best offers in all the shops.

caperplips · 10/12/2019 10:31

I could shop in any of the supermarkets and choose to shop in Aldi. I think the quality is far superior to others. For 12 years we got our Christmas food in M&S and last year we got everything in Aldi and it was fantastic.

I am not in the UK and our store is nicely decorated (revovated last year) with wooden shelves and blackboard style signs on the aisles. a huge amount of the produce is from this country and labelled as such - local jam, cakes, bread, meat, cheese, milk. We have a great organic section and a 'free from' section.

I do our entire shop there every single week and I am an adventurous cook and rarely have issues getting ingredients.

Muminabun · 10/12/2019 11:03

As others have said op you can’t really do a full shop in Aldi and Lidl but I like the no faff checkouts and the low selection as it makes shopping quicker. They are not as cheap as they were and the stores vary a lot by area. The Aldi near me is ‘posh’ and meat, fruit and veg etc are fine and the Lidl in a poorer area is a bit of a dump with some ropey veg. They both have some lovely products and worth a top up shop in once a week.

Beautiful3 · 10/12/2019 11:21

My bil used them but said most of the fruit and veg rotted after a few days. He also had to go straight to morrisons afterwards, as he couldn't get everything the first time. For me I prefer to order an online shop and have it delivered.

LemonPrism · 10/12/2019 13:42

We love the prices but I find Sainsbury's a much nicer experience tbh

penberrh · 10/12/2019 16:16

Do check the BBF dates, I think they tend to be shorter, and fruit/veg for firmness and you should be fine (I have been from when I transitioned to Aldi about 5 years ago)

I do 90% of my shop there. If you have to have certain brands you will need to go to other shops. Eg, I will only have Heinz TK, the kids will only have branded Cheerios, but most of the stuff is as good if not nicer as branded stuff.

I think it’s asda ‘value’ prices, but for a much higher quality of goods.

When I go to one of the Big 4 now (rare) and I’m presented with the total at the end I’m all ‘MADAM YOU APPEAR TO HAVE ADDED THE DATE ONYO THIS BILL!’ and have to lie down with a cold flannel on my forehead for a bit.

NemophilistRebel · 10/12/2019 16:36

I think I must have just broken a record

I went into Aldi, I looked at the middle isles, I also looked at all the festive products and the alcohols selection.

And I came out with nothing!

I amazed myself

JigsawsAreInPieces · 10/12/2019 17:14

@NemophilistRebel take your purse next time 🤣

Zaphodsotherhead · 10/12/2019 17:21

I'm boycotting our local Lidl because - as was pointed out by an elderly friend of mine who has difficulty walking - the trolley park is a VERY long way from the disabled parking bays.

Apart from that, they seem to be a much of a muchness.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 10/12/2019 18:32

For me it is I am on a very tight budget we have a big Aldi close by and I buy nearly everything there have a little more selection than the smaller shops

And we eat well

Apart from cat food the cat likes tescos cat food 🙄

sqirrelfriends · 10/12/2019 19:48

I love ALDI, the fruit and veg has been great in the local one. I went to Morrison's today for a change and there was practically nothing on the shelves. A lot of the meat went out of date today.

FlyingPenguine · 10/12/2019 22:42

I dont rate Aldi tbh, I dont like the lack of choice, imitation products (if they are so proud of their own brand why do they copy branded products?).

I find it much easier to shop in Tesco, scan as you shop, no unloading the trolley at the til and having it thrown back at you. But I'm quite antisocial and grumpy so dont really want to queue or interact with people when shopping 😂

I dont have the time or inclination to do more than one shop, I just want to buy a weeks worth in one shop and head home. Tesco or Sainsbury is great for that.

caperplips · 11/12/2019 11:12

These threads always amaze me! We have shopped in Aldi for the past 8 years and buy our full weekly shopping there. It's really rare that we have to go elsewhere for anything. Perhaps we have a particularly well stocked store in our town? What can people not get there?

I have also NEVER had my shopping thrown at me in all the years of going there. The staff are really pleasant and friendly. There were posters on the wall advertising vacant positions there recently and starting salary was €55,000 - which is a fabulous wage. I am senior in my organisation and on marginally more than that but it did make me stop and think....

userxx · 11/12/2019 11:34

@caperplips I wish out stores were a bit more like that.

mencken · 11/12/2019 11:48

Aldis do vary, it seems. Our is great. Don't need infinite choice, don't want to wait while people go through loads of vouchers and jabber, don't want music, don't want talky auto-tills, just want good prices, decent food and pleasant staff. Who do NOT throw things at you. You are shopping - get it done quick and have your cash or card ready. It's not hard.

Fruit and veg does fine, get real on expectations as to how long it should last. They also do seasonal pricing which might educate people.

our LIDL is great for the themed weeks but really pricey otherwise.

Ragwort · 11/12/2019 16:24

caper their salaries are very good, my DS is at uni and the Aldi/Lidl graduate schemes are very popular.

I do agree they can vary from store to store, I went in for some of the special buys and there none there at all. Still managed to spend £20 on other bits I really didn’t need though Grin.

billy1966 · 11/12/2019 16:33

Pity they can't seem to get the fresh produce right.

Never bought a decent avocado from there. I have to check the package veg and fruit very carefully.
Yet I still get caught.
I do think a lot of their products are of good quality.

caperplips · 11/12/2019 16:37

And I only buy avocados from here - they have 'ready to eat' ones as well as 'ripen at home' and I have never had a problem. Apart from when I forget about them at home and they over-ripen.

I have also never had a problem with any other fruit or vegetable going off abnormally fast...

caperplips · 11/12/2019 16:38

IMO their specially select fruit - grapes / raspberries etc are 100% equal to M&S where I always used to shop for good quality, edible fruit.

I recently bought fruit in tescos and it was awful! Tasteless and pulpy

Vinorosso74 · 11/12/2019 16:39

Our nearest is an Aldi Local with no car park. I do get a few bits and pieces there and have worked out what is cheaper than Sainsburys or Morrisons but couldn't do a full shop there.

billy1966 · 11/12/2019 16:39

I don't have a Lidl particularly close to me, but will stock up on avocados from there....have never been caught. We eat a lot of avocados though so it's a bugbear of mine. M&S were very poor for avocados too.

Peaseblossom22 · 11/12/2019 16:46

We have a new one , I keep trying to do a shop there but it’s hopeless. The fruit and veg is poor and the shelves are never fully stacked. I just find so many things they don’t stick , for example they only have tuna in oil or brine not water and the ham is very high in salt . Also the bread is just inside the door and there are always small children pawing at it , so I don’t Fancy that. The jam is good though