Good and bad buys from Aldi and Lidl

teddysmum

I've decide not to buy any more of Aldi's rattan stick fragrance diffusers.


I used to buy apple/cinnamon, not liking the over powering pine and odd smelling linen versions. I would prefer just apple, but the scent was enough to travel down from the bathroom to the entrance hall.


Recently I tried green fig and sweet pea. The former, like some other brands, I could only smell from a few centimetres away, despite inverting the sticks and meant to return for refund, but other things got priority.


Two days ago, I opened the sweet pea one, bought at the same time. and can add that whoever invented that 'perfume' has never smelled sweet pea (or any other flower going by the chemical smell). The sticks have had two days to, soak up scent and have been inverted, but the scent is as poor as the fig one. ( Probably good as it is not pleasant). This one will go back.

Alisha2008

Just tried de whole almonds from Aldi, they are delicious! Much nicer than the ones I bought in Tesco a few weeks ago, which tasted a bit stale.

VfM4meplse

teddysmum wrote: »

I've decide not to buy any more of Aldi's rattan stick fragrance diffusers.


I used to buy apple/cinnamon, not liking the over powering pine and odd smelling linen versions. I would prefer just apple, but the scent was enough to travel down from the bathroom to the entrance hall.

In that case I shall give it a go.

One man's warning is another man's joy!

A._Badger

I'm starting to wonder if Aldi's popularity has begun to take its toll. Several times lately I have found the two stores local(ish) to me with nearly bare shelves - which is irritating and expensive if you've driven for over half an hour to get there.

Today, the store that is usually the better of the two was like a vegetarian' s paradise - the meat shelves were hopelessly understocked.

This is in the South East (Kent). Is it a local phenomenon or is this a pattern? Has Aldi's ambition begun to outgrow its infrastructure?

System

A._Badger wrote: »

I'm starting to wonder if Aldi's popularity has begun to take its toll. Several times lately I have found the two stores local(ish) to me with nearly bare shelves - which is irritating and expensive if you've driven for over half an hour to get there.

Today, the store that is usually the better of the two was like a vegetarian' s paradise - the meat shelves were hopelessly understocked.

This is in the South East (Kent). Is it a local phenomenon or is this a pattern? Has Aldi's ambition begun to outgrow its infrastructure?

Well ive learned not to go in there after midday on a Saturday because the refridgerated meat shelves are pretty empty and I'm fussy what meat I buy.

jenniewb

A._Badger wrote: »

I'm starting to wonder if Aldi's popularity has begun to take its toll. Several times lately I have found the two stores local(ish) to me with nearly bare shelves - which is irritating and expensive if you've driven for over half an hour to get there.

Today, the store that is usually the better of the two was like a vegetarian' s paradise - the meat shelves were hopelessly understocked.

This is in the South East (Kent). Is it a local phenomenon or is this a pattern? Has Aldi's ambition begun to outgrow its infrastructure?

I have 3 Aldi's a bus ride or so from me and 5 Lidl's (S/E London) and if I don't shop before lunch time there is no point, the shelves and sometimes even the freezers are empty of all offers and many other non offers will also be gone.

I used to think Tesco were poor at keeping on tabs with stock but Lidl especially make them look like a warehouse for the entire world! Staple products are so often out of stock: milk, fruit, frozen foods- even ketchup... It's to the point now where I just don't bother going.

Wouldn't mind shopping at either but really don't have time to waste going all the way there to find basic things like tomato's or melon or tissues or things on offer are all sold out and then having wasted the time getting there, needing to travel out again to find somewhere else (this is before I discount the half hour long queue's I seem to find myself in each time!).

Love the idea, great in theory, just not enough done to make it easier for customers to shop and get out quickly.

(I'll now sit back and wait for the anti-anti-Lidl/Aldi brigade to shout at me!)

TravellingAbuela

Pleased to report there was lots of porridge oats in our Aldi store yesterday, both bagged and boxed. Hope those of you with porridge-less stores soon find your shelves well stocked.

mcculloch29

I go to Aldi very late in the evening from time to time and have discovered shelves being refilled, ours is busy during the day but rarely heaving.
I know of one Aldi which serves a community of c. 100 000+ which is rammed from dawn to dusk.
Somebody put a warning about the hot and spicy pickled onions on here near Christmas. They weren't joking. Fiery is the word. Aldi's packet chilli mix is very mild so several finely chopped hot & spicy onions went into tonight's chilli. Worked a treat.

teddysmum

VfM4meplse wrote: »

In that case I shall give it a go.

One man's warning is another man's joy!

But I did like it. I meant that though it wasn't my favourite scent, it did it's job well (unlike the more recent purchases), by scenting the hallway.

System

mcculloch29 wrote: »

I go to Aldi very late in the evening from time to time and have discovered shelves being refilled, ours is busy during the day but rarely heaving.
I know of one Aldi which serves a community of c. 100 000+ which is rammed from dawn to dusk.
Somebody put a warning about the hot and spicy pickled onions on here near Christmas. They weren't joking. Fiery is the word. Aldi's packet chilli mix is very mild so several finely chopped hot & spicy onions went into tonight's chilli. Worked a treat.

I never use a chilli packet mix as its never hot enough! Even the hot ones! I use a beef stock cube, crushed chillis, drops of Tabasco sauce and papriks.