Good and Bad Buys from Aldi & Lidl *Do NOT Expire Please*

maman

ljonski wrote: »

can anyone provide a link on Aldis website for rogan josh as i was in today and couldn't find any and nothing is showing on their website! thanks

The website only shows a very limited range of Aldi stock so not surprised you can't find it there.


The Specially Selected Rogan Josh (when they have it) is in the chilled section in boxes alongside (I think) Chicken Jalfrezi. The Rogan Josh is popular because it's healthier than many ready meals.


Aldi have a habit of packing things with different flavours in the same tray/box.


I had the jalfrezi yesterday (no Rogan Josh available) and it was very tasty, quite hot. I added mushrooms as there is rather too much sauce to meat but for (I think) £2.50 I'm not complaining.

mcculloch29

I tried Lidl's decaff coffee for the first time this week and it's really nice. It doesn't taste 'thin' as some does, has a good real coffee flavour. It's the nearest I've tasted to Carte Noire's decaff and at £1.29 for 100g is a fraction of the price.

System

maman wrote: »

Aldi have a habit of packing things with different flavours in the same tray/box.

Mentioned this some time ago that with different flavours/meals/types in the same case - all with the same barcode isn't a good way for Aldi to see which flavours etc are doing well. I have routed through five cases of one line - to find the only flavour I like.

I would be interested if mixed cases cause more waste - esp in the fresh section. As if they knew the sales figures of each flavour etc, they would either drop the poor selling ones or reduce the proportion of the it

mcculloch29

Packing varieties of similar items into the same case is obviously one of the ways in which Aldi can carry a wider variety of lines in limited space, but it can be really frustrating when you spend time looking for something that isn't there.

Yesterday I spent three minutes hunting for a jar of horseradish sauce amongst a forest of tartare (found one).

I had a shorter hunt for the sun dried tomatoes in the antipasto jars, but I think I got one of the last two or three. It's always sun-dried tomatoes that go first and artichokes that are left.

The one fruitless hunt was for reduced fat Belgian pate amongst the selection of 49p pate tubs, I had to make do with standard Ardennes. Again, often a low fat/low sugar version of something sells quicker than the standard version. I've noticed this with the soft drinks, particularly the energy drinks.

My guess is that the staff are only too aware of which lines shift and which lines stick from customer enquiries and shelf-checks.

System

mcculloch29 wrote: »

My guess is that the staff are only too aware of which lines shift and which lines stick from customer enquiries and shelf-checks.

Not really as if you look at your receipt - it lists either all of the things in the same case - horseradish/tartar/whatever else, or the product range name - such as their own Mullerlights. I have bought two different things in the same case before and both come up with the same SKU - the number and the product description.

If Aldi do what I suggested in my previous post - they will do two things 1. Increase sales and 2. reduce waste. Then customers will be happier not to rummage through case after case to find the flavour etc they want. Win, Win, Win.

mcculloch29

ScarletMarble wrote: »

Not really as if you look at your receipt - it lists either all of the things in the same case - horseradish/tartar/whatever else, or the product range name - such as their own Mullerlights. I have bought two different things in the same case before and both come up with the same SKU - the number and the product description.

If Aldi do what I suggested in my previous post - they will do two things 1. Increase sales and 2. reduce waste. Then customers will be happier not to rummage through case after case to find the flavour etc they want. Win, Win, Win.

I've raised this with someone who works for Aldi and she tells me that her customers are very quick to let her know what is low/OOS, even if visual stock checks haven't revealed the fact. The problem is that the stores are designed for high volume sales and quick stock turnover; unpopular products can block shelf space for more popular ones. Her store reduces remarkably little as it is extremely busy, with a very wide demographic. So stock is not wasted.

Limited shelf space is also why so many Aldi lines are seasonal. This can be really annoying, though the logic here has improved slightly - bread flour is no longer seasonal, for example.

sarahj1986

Stratford Upon Avon store had a make over 6-8 weeks ago now. It does look much tidier and almost like they've got more space for products. It's better sign posted where things are too.

Had anybody tried their almat washing range? I usually use a branded one, whichever is on offer plus Waitrose essential conditioner but I find branded even on offer expensive. I tried Morrisons own but that gave me a skin rash so I stuck to what I know and carried on with branded but I wanted too see feedback on almat range?

mcculloch29

sarahj1986 wrote: »

Stratford Upon Avon store had a make over 6-8 weeks ago now. It does look much tidier and almost like they've got more space for products. It's better sign posted where things are too.

Had anybody tried their almat washing range? I usually use a branded one, whichever is on offer plus Waitrose essential conditioner but I find branded even on offer expensive. I tried Morrisons own but that gave me a skin rash so I stuck to what I know and carried on with branded but I wanted too see feedback on almat range?

I've used Almat washing gel for years, the bio and coloured version. It's £1.75 (I think) for a 21 wash bottle. If you can put up with the noise of the bottle top/dispenser clonking around your washing machine, it's great.
I've also tried the Almat laundry liquid wash when the gel was out of stock for a while and that was fine.

I prefer their more expensive range of fabric conditioner, it's not as good as Lenor, but better than Comfort, in my opinion.

TravellingAbuela

I use the Almat liquid washing sachets (either bio or non-bio available) and have for years. I have also used their stain-lift sachets and happy with both.

Livelongandprosper

I have had my first Aldi shopping experience

OMG

You are all so lucky, those that have Aldi I going to have to move countries again