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'

I think it depends on your local Aldi. I've read on MN Aldi veg is poor, but in my experience it's better than Sainsbury's (I shop at both).

I started off going to Aldi for one or two things and the rest at Sainsbury's , and now get most things at Aldi, and would do even if money wasn't an issue.

I don’t really get Aldi and I don’t find it much cheaper. But I do like lidl, and shop there on alternate weeks (some things we don’t get at Lidl/can’t get and I don’t like to do two shopping trips!). We do eat a lot of meat and cheese though, and those things are good at Lidl. Their freezer food is a bit hit and miss. I find their fruit/veg excellent. I agree it’s likely dependent on your local store, and also the day/ time you shop. I think Aldi is becoming more ‘mainstream’ and less ‘budget’- they do a lot more things like prepped salads, ready meals etc which probably pull the price up.

Some days I cannot face having my shopping thrown at me, and the sheer energy wastage of having to handle everything twice with a miserable toddler in tow. On those days I go to asda. I usually spend more at asda, but it’s likely because I actually buy more, because there’s more choice.

I've found this thread really interesting, especially the PPs who have suggested Aldi has gone downhill in the last year or so.

A couple of years ago I started going on the recommendation of my NDN. I was amazed at the quality of the food. I found the fruit and veg to be excellent. We don't eat masses of meat but whatever I bought seemed very good. The Wagu burgers were amazing. I honestly didn't know a burger could taste so good! They were an occasional special, rather than a regular line. The chocolate was lovely, the brioche buns and things like Italian or German meat selections and anti pasti. I was a total Aldi convert. DH hated their version of Shreddies. Said they tasted of cardboard. Hard for me to comment. I think Shreddies taste of cardboard anyway .

However, for personal reasons it became difficult to get to Aldi and for about a year I went back to Sainsbury's online. JUst last week I went back to Aldi for the first time in about a year and I was really surprised at some of the fresh produce I bought. The clementines and peppers went mouldy and the blueberries tasted vile. I assumed I'd just been unlucky and have just been again this afternoon. It will be interesting to see how the fruit and veg does this week. Mind you, it wasn't the same branch I used to go to and PPs have said they vary a lot between branches.

Maybe I'll try Lidl next week 🤔

For me aldi is ok just liks anywhere sum things are better some things are not but i have changed to shoppin here as we save so much more pennys!!

I agree i hated Aldi.

Can't remember the in's and out's of why now as it was about 3 years ago, but DH and i were on a bit of an economy drive and went to Aldi a few times. Hated it. Not much choice and the food was not as nice as the own brand stuff in other supermarkets.

I didn't comment and waited for DH - he VERY rarely complains about any food and i was soooo relieved around week 4 when he said ' ... lets not bother with Aldi any more ay love? ...' No probs

i think the fresh isn't great.and I think now the other supermarkets have really tried to up their game to compete where aldi was winning a few years back.
I think with any branded product you cant compare it to own brand you just need to get used to new flavour.your tastes then mostly adjust.

There’s an Aldi and Morrison’s same distance from where I live. Just don’t do my weekly shop at Aldi and I don’t really know why. I thinks it’s due to how they have the tills set up. That I have to pretty much pack at the car or at the back of the shop. Puts me off.

Handling everything twice at the checkout ha ha. You're not doing it right if you're doing that. Aldi checkouts are the best in the business imho, two big IKEA bags are all you need. There's not an Aldi checkout operator in Britain that can beat me at packing.

For a moment there I thought I'd perhaps written this post and forgot about it. I completely agree. Whilst DH and I did find some products that were great, it was a tiny fraction. I like branded and non-branded products alike from my usual supermarket and found that Aldi only saved me £20-£30 in the shopping trip, but because we were short the usual items I spent that £30 in my usual supermarket making it back up. Only that month we found we were throwing out a lot of spoiled veg and fruit too. And some things were completely inedible. Aldi's "Pepperami Hots" were vile. The Chicago Town type pizzas are still sitting in the freezer months later as no one likes them. And I'm not even starting on their beans! Ew.

Now if Aldi was next door to Tesco I would be happy. The few items that Aldi did do that were nicer (and cheaper) aren't worth the 60 mile round trip. I can save money by bargain hunting and bulk buying offers in Tesco.

I hate the way Aldi rip off the brand packaging of mainstream brands...Putting their washing liquid in Fairy lookalikey bottles and the like. Infuriates me! I don’t know if they think I am stupid and can’t tell the difference or are trying to con me into believing “it’s just the same stuff”. It most definitely is not.

You see, the thing about aldi is you know it is good value. There's no bargain hunting involved.

Once you get over the brand associations the vast majority of products are just as good as the branded. The brand is just a habit you have really. You are used to it.

I would say their fruit and veg here is ireland has gone up in price but has also gone up in quality in the last year or so.

I would say the meat can be so so. Mince has varied in quality definitely and I would not buy the basic one.

The only products I don't buy there now are

Stock cubes
Washing powder

It was such a life saver when the recession hit and we'd just had 2 small children. I doubt I'll ever go back to other supermarkets for a main shop.

I know this is not AIBU but YABU.

Aldi is marvellous. Tesco, however, is shit.

I don't get it either!!!

Also my dd is gluten free and the range is very limited so I end up going to Tesco / Waitrose anyway.

Agree with those who don't notice much difference in price to Tesco.

I do but those baby fruit pouches though as my kids love them and Ella's kitchen are almost double the price!

It is AIBU but OP is being totally reasonable.

I 100% agree with you peachypips I now do 99% of all our shopping in Aldi - mostly the 'specially selected' range and have converted from a die-hard M&S fan. I recently bought some things from M&S that we had loved previously and we all agreed we preferred the Aldi range. It has nothing to do with price for us, we have the means to shop weekly in M&S if we wished.

We have a huge range of 'free-from' foods in our store and lots and lots of regional goods too, local specialities

I agree op. Esp regarding fresh fruit & veg.
I don't particularly think it's that much cheaper than my shop in morrissons/tesco but that's because I hardly ever buy the big brand things anyway.

YANBU I always buy branded stuff when its on offer in the major supermarkets so don't notice that much difference price wise and taste wise I think Aldington so worse on the whole.

Aldi is amazing for berries, bread, meat and baby food. I pop in maybe once a month and stock up on those. I also like wandering around and looking at weird stuff and paying very little for my shopping. What I don't like is the tiny baskets and the rushed checkouts and long queues. I'll give it a 6/10.

Aldi always has an odd smell. The food is very hit and miss. Face cream is surprisingly good though.

We buy some things food, alcohol (Prosecco) from Aldi but not our entire shop. We use their nappies, they are the best in my experience apart from pampers, but as we have 2 under 2 we'd be spending a lot on nappies if we used pampers.

I think Aldi has done well to shed it's image of being a cheap, crappy supermarket that it seemed to have years ago. I always remember my parents shopped there for some stuff when I was in high school and I point blank refused to use an Aldi carrier bag to take things to school in the shame!!! My dad now laughs when he finds out we buy things from there, I think he thinks I'm still 14!

It's true you go in for some nappies and come out with a power saw and strimmer though

I will say that Aldi's sweets, crisps and choccies are delicious though. We filled the sweetie box up for a fraction of the cost at our usual Tesco. The fake (and yes I would say fake because they are clearly designed to resemble the well known brands) Snickers, Mars, Bounty and crisps are lovely. And the Hula Hoop style snacks are made by Hula Hoop makers. Give me cheap Not-sits over Wotsits any day.
The rest I'll buy at Tesco.

I stopped going to my nearest one as the manager and some staff were rude. (on one visit the assistant manager who was lovely filled in a complaint form with me. They sent £20 vouchers which I took to a different Aldi to spend).

I find it varies. I have had fruit/veg last well others go really quickly. I also found some don't have dates when other supermarkets would which makes it more difficult to judge. Some veg not much cheaper either.

Some own brand products are not as nice, but there are some that we really like.

Things have changed at my nearest since I stopped going about 2 yes ago, so have been a few times recently. I couldn't do my only shop there though so need to get in a routine of bulk buying a few key things that will last so I only have to go every few weeks. Don't find I save anything doing two shops though.

Oh yes it IS AIBU!!

Unreasonably - I like Aldi for everyday things and then I top up in Waitrose. I quite like Sainsbury’s too, but really dislike Asda and Tesco, mainly because of their ethical stance on things. I have three boys (21, 10, 7) and I can buy a full week’s shop with meat every day for £100.

If it wasn't for aldi/lidls my dd and I would go hungry, I can get a weeks worth of food there for about half the price of what it would cost at any other supermarket. Some people have no choice... fwiw i like the food and find the fruit and veg keeps well.