Aldi - I just don't get it and no one agrees with me

[user7654321]

All of my friends, family etc don't have a bad work to say about Aldi and say they do the majority of there shopping there for both cost saving and better quality produce.

My DH and I feel we are missing something, as based on the all recommendations, we have tried Aldi 5 or 6 times in the past 6 months or so, and have found the products not to taste as good as the well-known brands. The fruit/veg doesn't stay fresh for long etc, and we have wasted so much food that we have tried but preferred the branded version (e.g. cereal, jars of sauces). We have tried hundreds of Aldi products, but I'd say only a handful are as good as the branded version or even a mainstream supermarket's own brand. Even their nappies, which are reviewed as amazing gave my poor DS terrible nappy rash.

So, AIBU to say i actually don't think Aldi products are the same or better quality than other brands? I understand they are cheaper but the impression I get from others is that its not cost that's the driving factor for them shopping at Aldi - its there amazing quality. Why don't I feel the same? My DH and I are so confused about this that we've even done 'blind tests' on some products and the Aldi one has always been identified as the 'fake'

[Ski4130]

I buy food cupboard/long life stuff like wine, lunchbox crisps, cereal bars, olives, rice, pasta, part bake bread, toilet/kitchen rolls and cleaning products in Aldi and absolutely rate them as equal to, if not better than Sainsbury’s/Tesco equivalents.

I buy meat from the farm shop and veg from Sainsburys or Waitrose. Buying the longer life/store cupboard stuff in Aldi means I can afford to pay more for meat and veg, which suits me and my shopping habits.

I’ve never been able to do a full shop in Aldi, there are certain branded goods that we eat regularly that they don’t stock, so I usually have to top up a big Aldi shop with a trip to Sainsbury’s or Waitrose.

I absolute will never buy the Aldi Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream knock off again, gutted, it tasted rank and the texture is all wrong!

[k2p2k2tog]

I think anyone who brands any store as "shit" needs to expand their vocabulary. Or is just trying to stick the knife into someone who enjoys shopping there.

Some products at Aldi are great. We like their cereals, cheeses, cold meats and crisps. Always seduced by the centre aisle of things you never knew you needed. Some products at Aldi aren't to our taste. I didn't like their soap much, or their teabags.

Similarly, some stuff at Waitrose is lovely - I like their Indian ready meals and Jackson's Yorkshire bread. I don't think much of their range of toiletries though, and don't like the teabags from there either.

It's not as simple as one store being amazing and one store being "shit". Every store has different products and different pricing and you go to the one which suits you best.

Surely that's just common sense??

[Rebeccaslicker]

Been in one once. That was enough.

Waitrose or m&s all the way, sains or Tesco if there is no Waitrose or m&s!

[TonicAndTonic]

I think there is some local variation, especially with the fresh stuff. My family all rave about Aldi fruit and veg but the stuff in our local one is really not great. Fruit and veg in our Lidl is fab though! As for the non-perishable stuff, I've found it mostly comparable to Tesco or Asda own-brand - we don't buy much named-brand stuff so can't really compare. The main thing that stops me shopping in Aldi/Lidl more us that they don't deliver!

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I do think though you don't realise how bad it is until you are forced for whatever reason to shop somewhere else and discover just how shit what you were eating was.

Makes it very hard to go back after that.

I swear my parents could eat mouldy potatoes from Aldi and still declare it as the best potatoes ever. Even when something's noticibly gone down in it's quality they feign ignorance and say how lovely it is

[TroelsLovesSquinkies]

We shop there but I too have noticed the prices slowly creeping up.
Each week we buy Cereal, milk, butter, meat, sausages, bacon, sandwich meat, bread (they sell Kingsmill) Pasta sauce, Laundry detergent and fabic softener. plus few other bits.
I then go to Iceland for frozen stuff, Home bargains for cleaning supplies and toiletries and Asda for fresh fruits and veg. All close to each other so make a loop then home. All told I still spend less than when I used to go to Asda for the lot.

[PunkAssMoFo]

I’m with you op.

[Collaborate]

I'm quite happy for people who like to chat to the people on the tills and then ever so slowly fill their bags remain in /Tesco and leave Aldi for me and my kind. I can't cope in Tesco. I want to shout at the till assistant who can't seem to chat and scan at the same time - the customer (sorry, but invariably aged) who fusses in their purse as if they never expected to be asked to pay and so takes an age to do so. Aldi have it just right.

[LEMtheoriginal]

Aldi is good for basics so we shop there mist weeks but I garuntee I'll end up in Tesco or even worse m&s because I want something "nice" so it's often a false economy. I agree with the OP but my budget dictates

[dutysuite]

I am with you. I have tried it a good few times and just don't enjoy the quality of the food. I won't go near the fruit or veg.

[Gatehouse77]

I cannot do a full shop in Aldi as there are some things which aren't as good.

I do find their meat is good value, most bread products (their brioche burger/hot dog buns are the best we've found) and some store cupboard items - flour, chopped tomatoes, passata, eggs, etc. Mine also much prefer their orange juice.

Fruit and veg I find no more variable than other supermarkets but not always the choices I'm looking for.

[Bernard46]

I love Aldi - our local one is quiet, clean, well stocked with lovely staff. Fruit and veg last ages and the meat really is second to none.

I love to bake and cook so make everything myself including bread and can't beat it on quality or price.

[LEMtheoriginal]

Cleaning products in home bargains are £££

[Floralnomad]

I agree with you OP , have been a coupe of times and I don’t find the products better for the price , the own brand bran flakes had to be binned as inedible and my dh eats literally anything . Ds also complained about the chicken breasts from there . I also found it to be a very unpleasant shopping experience and no cost savings are worth suffering those checkouts . When the new Lidl opened near my mums I tried that as well and it was much the same , the only time we go in either now is if there is an offer in the middle aisle that we want ( we have had some good bike stuff )

[LightastheBreeze]

I don’t really like Aldi or Lidl or Tesco or Asda come to that, I generally just shop at Waitrose as we have a large store and I can get everything I need. Of the other shops I have always found Iceland the best.

YANBU

[Geekmama]

OP Yanbu, I shopped in there a a few time's and I think the quality is awful. I feel that when people rave about the quality, what they're really raving about is how cheap it is. You get what you pay for, I certainly won't be going back. I'll stick to M&S!

[ginorwine]

I seem to hate supermarkets more and more ! I can't afford to shop in Sainsbury's - the one I prefer for range and taste . Also goes off quick - similar to shopping for veg on some markets - near end of life ? Is that why it's cheaper ?
Gone veggi now but I would never buy meat from there or most supermarkets - it must be cheap for a reason and I'd rather go without even when ate meat .
I think it's bonkers they don't sell lentils in mine . !
Most things taste less good to me and the Satsumas are like little orange bullets ! However if you cook from
Scratch and do things like curries it's fine and the reason we do it is to save cash to support kids thro uni and to be able to have weekends away / maintain our beloved camper . So it's a positive choice .

[Mitzimaybe]

I'm another who has found their fruit & veg goes off really quickly. Not sure that means it has fewer chemicals (preservatives) than other stores, as a pp suggested, perhaps it's just not as fresh or has been transported / stored in less than ideal conditions?

I do shop there occasionally, usually for non-perishable stuff.
I sometimes buy their special buys and love their shoes - dirt cheap and they actually fit me, whereas I can spend a fortune in "proper" shoe shops for something that will hurt my feet for ever afterwards.

[Sparklingbrook]

I thought it was just our local one, but have visited a couple of others and they are all the same.

I don't rate the fruit and veg and some of the bread is a bit odd. All the packaging that looks a bit like the brand label etc. Puffin instead of Penguin biscuits-what's that all about.

But I can only be arsed with shops that do Self Scan these days as the whole conveyor belt malarkey-life's too short.

Oh, but the cat litter is great if that helps.

[MikeUniformMike]

I found Aldi and Lidl fine. I eat lots of veg and it doesn't seem to go off quickly. Generally find things cheaper there, and across a trolleyful it's quite a lot. Have no trouble with the Aldi washing powder - seems to do the job.

Which fruit and veg go off quickly?

[fantasmasgoria1]

Aldi and Lidl are great! Just as good as the other supermarkets! It’s Morrison’s I don’t like! Their pies and pasties are bloody awful! I find them to be really expensive too!

[ProperLavs]

I like it, much better than tescos.

[fleshmarketclose]

I'm with you OP. You get what you pay for be that quality of products or shopping experience. I'd rather pay more to get better products and better customer care but others may well choose differently.

[SingaSong12]

Been there once with someone else. Only got a few things so don't know about quality. Even if I lived next door and was happy with the stock I wouldn't be able shop there as I have disability so wouldn't be able to deal with the tills. I self check at supermarket because I can scan at my speed and the bags sit open so it's easier to pack. I also can see any people in the queue behind getting annoyed at my slowness which happens with the normal till.