To think Aldi are shooting themselves in the foot?

[Shell4429]

Most people who shop at Aldi will be aware that a lot of the products have a non identical twin. For example, the sliced turkey I normally buy for my son comes with sliced chicken. The pots of joy desserts come with an alternative banana flavour. The problem is that one of the products is always more popular than the other one. In my local Aldi they are only currently selling the least popular of the two on some of their products. So I don’t buy it. I am pretty sure I am not alone. Which means, surely, that they’re losing sales?

Yogurts - rich and creamy 4 pack. I like the raspberry ones and last few weeks they’ve had all the others but not that one. I’m hoping it’s a blip in supply and they aren’t stopping this variety! Knowing my luck, I have a suspicion which it might be. ☹️

Its not really a stocking issue it's that they order twin packs, where one of the items is less popular.

I like their energy drinks, they order a box - half sugar free half sugar. The sugar free ones are sold out and a shelf full of sugar drinks. They are missing out as I and seemingly many others don't buy the sugar ones. Same with margarita and meat pizza, ordered in the same box.

They should change the way they order from their suppliers.

I want to know what kind of monster buys salted pretzel chocolate bars, and whoever you are, please come to my local Aldi and take some away so that they'll have space restock with human chocolate like caramel and milk. NB possibly not classic stock control strategy.

I think given their profits increase year on year, and their market share has steadily increased, they probably aren't losing out.

They buy mixed cases as it saves money on outer packaging, saves money on warehousing, means stock replenishment on shelves is quick and all of those combined means the price you pay stays low.

It bothers me how much waste there is because of this. For instance the cold cooked chicken comes in boxes with chicken leg packs and chicken thigh packs and there are always tons of chicken legs but no thighs. Same with the cheese twists/chive & onion twists - always tons of chive & onion left over.
Does anyone know what happens to the stuff no-one buys?

@BreconBeBuggered the only reason I don't buy the salted pretzel chocolate is because I'd have no willpower not to scoff the lot!

There's always millions of forest fruit/green tea when I want peppermint. And black pepper crackers when I want rosemary.

OMG, yes, the rosemary crackers. Stupid black pepper.

Many food manufacturers are 'rationalising' ranges. Covid has caused a massive spike in most food sales, but there is also increased levels of sickness/staff absence/isolating at many factories. So, some manufacturers will, for example, stop producing one variant to ensure they can produce more of another flavour - so they can at least keep one variant in supply instead of shorting both. Plus, some products may have been temporarily suspended if the production of them means too much close contact on the production line - e.g products that may have an element of manual fill rather than all automated. Also, many suppliers will be supplying several supermarkets (different recipes, same factories and production lines) so a decision made by one supplier could impact multiple retailers - they may have to prioritise based on the most important customers to them/high volume lines/ most profitable business. Plus, on some items there may be availability issues in the supply chain - e.g fruit being imported from Asia or delays to packaging. There will be many (and often complex) reasons as to why suppliers and supermarkets make these decisions.

Their Prices are going up

@LynetteScavo

Well, it's my lucky day if big pots of honey yogurt are in stock. Who knows if it will be or not?!

Morrison’s sell their own brand of this and it’s even better than Aldi’s.

You don't get this nonsense in Asda.

I know it's cheap and that is why people shop there, but I really don't know how people can shop in places like lidl and Aldi. I find the whole experience so stressful (and I only ever go in there to get milk for work)

They employ very smart people to think about this so you don’t have to!

@Fatted I agree, I much prefer Asda/Tesco to the discounters.

Aldi has gone up so much in price now that the difference is tiny compared to Asda (we have both within half a mile). I noticed the prices going up over the Brexit period, now I just can't be bothered with it, which is a shame as I used to be a huge advocate.

Aldi has put at least 10-£1 on their pricing of some things, especially fish, meat and frozen fish, whereas Asda have brought their prices down and are not only more competitive but more convenient.

Hobbit if you work there can you tell me, is there a national shortage of Maple and Pecan Crisp cereal? Every week my neighbours ask me to get it for them and it's never there - loads of flaming strawberry flavour though.

I’ve been looking for this too. Plenty of chocolate ones too. I wonder if there is a shortage as Home Bargains usually stock it and I can’t get it there either.

The curried cauliflower lattices are going down a storm with my teen vegetarians.

Sorry, it might be my household who loves them so much that its altered the Aldi supply chain!

Everything @drunkenflamingo2 said.

I worked for aldi for a few years.
My favourite pizza is their sweet chilli chicken one, comes in a mixed box with Americano hot and spinach and ricotta. Sweet chilli chicken is always sold out, but that they can't buy more stock until the other 2 varieties sell a bit, because they all have the same shelf in the freezer, so no space for a new full case.
So they just have to wait for the less desirable ones to sell.

Also, all 3 have the same barcode so they won't know by looking at their stock numbers which ones they have a lot of, and which are sold out.
The numbers will just say:
Pizza sweet chilli/americano/spinach- 28

It's probably the suppliers' prices rocketing due to demand. So Aldi don't buy it?

@fitflopqueen

They’ve discontinued them! I eat artichokes by the jar so this was a disaster for me!

HOWEVER if you have a home bargains near you they sell them, and they are both cheaper and much more tender, they absolutely knock spots off Aldi!!

Thankyou I have been buying in Tesco upto now

To the PP, How did Aldi manage Covid better than any other British supermarket?

Ah yes! I went to aldi the for the first time since lockdown last week and was so shocked at how much stock they had! Except the chocolate yogurts they didn't have the mini egg one!

This thread explains a lot, thanks.
My dh has been doing our food shop since lockdown began, I do miss looking through the isle of shite, one of life's small pleasures.

I switched to Aldi and save about a tenner every week from having done so. Tesco are dead to me now, lol. So they have my money :) Can't say I've noticed the products you're talking about.