To feel angry that Aldi is fleecing older folk (and the rest of us)?

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I have been shopping at Aldi for about 18 months and up until now was a loyal customer. Last week I went into my local store after a one month gap. This is what I found (just by way of example).

Nappies increased by 30p per pack
Tinned tomatoes up by 14p
Dark chocolate up 10p
Face cream up 30p per pot
Bread up 20p per loaf
Toothpast up 30p per tube.
I found a number of other significant price increases.

I now do all my shopping in sainsburys as their basics range is as good or better and costs a similar amount. A lot of people using our local Aldi are vulnerable groups on fixed incomes who often don't drive, such as old folk. So driving out of town to sainsburys isn't an option for them.

AIBU to feel angry with Aldi for profiteering, particularly when older folk and folk that don't drive have few alternatives?

Unfortunately, I think prices have gone up everywhere

I shop in ASDA (no Aldi near me) and can't believe how much prices on everything have gone up. Not just food items, but toiletries/ household products too- am now spending at least another third on top for the same shopping I was buying a year ago. It's not exclusively Aldi by any means at all, we're all suffering.

YANBU. They will get their comeuppance when/if the recession ever ends and the masses return to their preferred supermarket.

Aldi aren't profiteering.

Unfortunately the cost of producing food is rocketing - just like the price of everything else.

Sainsbury's and the like are far more able to cushion the price rise for a while as they have more clout with their suppliers.

Thanks Tigerfeet, I hadn't thought of the big supermarkets being able to cushion the rises.

What made me suspicious was that the price increases were across a wide range of goods and were usually a round figure, say 30p. I couldn't see how they reflected genuine increases for individual comodities. Yes the pound is weak at the moment which makes imported goods more expensive, but I would have thought that would be offset by the fall in crude oil price (cheaper transportation of goods).

Yes, these stores are businesses and making money is their purpose, but how on earth can someone on a state pension possibly afford price rises like this? Businesses should have some social responsibility too.

I think we are going to see some real hardship in our community very soon if things don't turn around.

Businesses should have some social responsibility too.

They're keeping people in a job. Anyone who likes to see them fall because they hike prices up - um, yes, shops usually do if their own costs go up, it's called staying in business - want to see even more people unemployed?

It's not their fault if people live on fixed incomes, and their shops are open for anyone to shop in, be they on fixed incomes or people trying to save a few bob.

yes yabu - they are a business not a charity. But i've stopped shopping at lidl recently for this very reason - they're no longer a lot cheaper so I opt for the nice comfortable approach and go to waitrose!

They pay their staff very well. Graduates receive £40k plus company Audi's so I guess they have to claw the costs back somewhere.

I very much doubt they are profiteering. Prices are going to rise. Importing anything is getting more expensive so any goods imported or with imported ingredients are going to get more pricey. Aldi are just the first to pass the rises on I guess.

I work for a company that supplies the supermarkets and unless they accept these price rises, I and my colleagies will be out of a job come the summer. Same with many companies. So personally I really hope prices do rise.

YABU.

Is Aldi a German company?
Could it be to do with the exchange rate?

YABU for all the reasons others have stated

if they went to another supermarket, such as sainsburies, i should think their bill would be even higher

fact is, aldi is still significantly cheaper and does some loss leaders too

but at the end of the day, it is a business, and they need to make a profit and keep staff in jobs

clouded - yes it is German. And it is to do with exchange rate. Everything that we import has been affected by that.

yabu
all shops prices have gone up

Just got the new lakeland catalogue - everything has gone up by quite a bit there too.

YABU. Everything has gone up everywhere. So you will find your food bill will be higher in any supermarket you go to.

I hate to say it but everyone is doing it. We always buy Tesco cola and noticed the other day that they've put the price up by 10p a bottle AND the taste and colour are different (as though watered down) its just cheeky. DP who works there says there's a few things like that where they've knocked the price up and the amount down. IE: Rocky's used to come in packs of 9 now they're in packs of 8 and 20p more expensive

YABU!

I think that you have probably noticed these particular price rises because you buy these items regularly.

I buy different items from Aldi and haven't noticed unreasonable price rises. (rises, yes, unreasonable, no)

fwiw I work in a "posher" town than where I live - they don't have an Aldi where I work. I buy lots of the face creams on behalf of my colleagues. I can't imagine that any of them will mind paying an extra 30p as the cream is renowned for being of a very high quality and was (imo) incredibly good value at £2 and still excellend value at 30p more.

excellent

They are not 'fleecing' anyone.
Food prices have been artificailly low for years. Now they are going up, unfortunately at the worst possible time for many people.
It is shit, but not Aldi's fault.