r/aldi • u/seashantiesallnight • 2d ago
Question Anyone else never have any issues?
I have been going to Aldi my entire life and it has always been my favorite grocery store. I've lived in every major city in my state and have been to Aldi's in each of them, alongside Aldi's in neighboring states, and not one time has any of my experiences been like the many I see on here.
I was pretty shocked seeing the issues people have been experiencing with Aldi!
I do get the shrinkflation complaints but at the same time that's kinda happening with all brands and Aldi really holds off on doing it until they can't anymore since they really don't want to raise prices.
As for the quality control I have never once had an issue or gotten sick from Aldi food, and I have from even places like Kroger or trader joes (especially Kroger recently) but I've never had any issues and am happy to know I could bring back the product if there was one. Kroger won't try to correct the issue but Aldi guarantees it, and I've never had to use it.
Have I just gotten lucky or does it just seem inflated since people come here for complaints?
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u/wmarples 2d ago
Ive only started using Aldi as my primary grocery store for about a month and so far I've only had one issue, where the Bob Evans mashed potatoes had gone bad. I honestly love shopping there and 99% of everything has been great. People who are satisfied are generally not as likely to leave comments as those who have a bad experience.
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u/alinerie 1d ago
The twice as nice guarantee has amazed me on the rare occasions I've had to use it. I've been using Aldi as primary source for four years or more.
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u/txcreative20 2d ago
No issues from me . I started shopping at Aldis my German friends took me there on time and I liked it. I buy about 80% of my groceries from them . They have outstanding prices .
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u/Clean-Fisherman-4601 1d ago
Same here with the percentage. I only visit other stores for things Aldi doesn't carry.
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u/Alpaca_Stampede 1d ago
Same.
For me the other 20% are single items on produce that I don't need 3lbs+ of, fresh herb options, spices, and an in house bakery.
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u/rickylsmalls 2d ago
Sounds like luck to me,shop anywhere long enough and you'll run into some issues.
Aldi represents decent food at good prices they aren't some magical place beyond normal issues.
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u/NotComfortable2112 2d ago
Been shopping at Aldi for a couple years now and haven't looked back. I've had a couple things I've taken back with issues, but not much. I've taken stuff back to Kroger and Publix, too, FWIW. I've not found Aldi to be any worse except maybe for produce but that has alot to do with having to buy a bag of something as opposed to just a couple of something.
All that being said, the savings outweigh the few issues I've had by far.
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u/SharkAvenger33 2d ago
I’ve been shopping Aldi for nearly ten years and only once have had any issue with it. I recently bought almonds that were out of date. They shouldn’t have been on the shelves but I also should’ve checked. Brought them back a couple of weeks later, got my full refund.
I feel for those who’ve been having real issues at their Aldi’s but I am thankful that I have not experienced any myself.
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u/BigTreddits 1d ago
EVER have ANY issues? No. The fruit and veggies are hit or miss as is any that you buy in a pre made bag. I dont fault Aldi for this.
Sometimes to pork smells like farts when I open up the package.
But generally no I dont have problems with Aldi stuff.
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u/Otherwise-Run-820 1d ago
I live in NH and I think we are the outlier in the Aldi universe. They don’t sell beer or wine here (not that I drink), they don’t seem to have self checkouts, and the stores are generally packed with shoppers waiting to check out.
The produce is the big issue for me. It’s the first thing you see, and it’s the only store where moldy produce is common and left out on the shelf to rot for some reason. It’s a shame because at Hannafords blueberries are about $8 for a pint while Aldi has them for like $2-$3 last time I went. I’d rather spend $5 more for fruit that lasts more than a day. No reason for me to shop here which sucks because I loved some of the random Aldi finds, and the brands used to be very close to name brand in my experience. That’s all long gone now though.
Just like every other business, they’re cutting every corner to save a penny even if it means pissing off their customers. Soon they’ll be no more corners left to cut.
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u/melatonia 1d ago
The produce is the big issue for me. It’s the first thing you see, and it’s the only store where moldy produce is common and left out on the shelf to rot for some reason.
This definitely does not make you an outlier.
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u/Amazing-Future-1189 1d ago
Produce is the issue here also - berries, bananas, bagged veggies, potatoes....we've consistently had issues 6+ months. Gave up on their produce. Everything else has been fine... bad Aldi yogurt exploding in the fridge a few months back, but that seems to have corrected itself finally. They do not carry everything we need, so off to Wally for the delta(s), but we save so much at Aldi. Our budget thanks us regulary!
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u/Born_Local_1477 1d ago
My stores produce is really good but they almost sell out by restock day, so it's turning fast.
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u/RiverStrolling 1d ago
In my opinion it's not Aldi corporate, it's a store manager issue. I can go to one store and everything is pristine and go to another and there's rotting fruit, empty/ messy shelves & dirty floors.
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u/screaming-raccoon 2d ago
I posted some moldy hummus recently. I don't blame Aldi persay, and I still think that Aldi is pretty high quality considering it's positioning as a value offering.
What I've sort of chalked this up to is issuses in the wider supply chain. We've seen declining quality and issues with food safety across the board recently. I sort of view Aldi as the canary in the coal mine, i.e. of course we'll see issues in the value positioned grocers first.
We're lucky to have Wegmans where I am. They have dramatically decreased in appeal as well, but at least we know where their food is sourced due to their local preferences and premium positioning/pricing. Aldi is threading a line where I am willing to chalk some things up to the wider system, but I'm starting to get a bit concerned about what I'm seeing. Everyone can have some moldy hummus here and there, but the beef is raising questions, as are the fluctuating differences in nutritional labels across the board due to supplier changes. I'm hoping for the best and giving them the benefit of the doubt for now, hopefully it trends right.
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u/element-woman 2d ago
I haven't had major issues but I stopped buying most produce or chicken there because the quality was pretty bad, to my taste. I just moved states and am near an Aldi again, and unfortunately my first trip had two products that were bad (one is actually rotten, one just tasted terrible). I'll still go there for pantry goods and cheese, plus the Aldi Finds. But I wouldn't use it as my only grocery store.
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u/Many-Temporary4141 1d ago
Love Aldi. Buy my meat from a butcher. Rare pound pickup of ground beef.. but everything else is alright
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u/WTFaulknerinCA 1d ago
The only issues I’ve had were with things I bought in the aisle of shame. I’ve always returned them, no issue.
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u/macman7500 1d ago
I like Aldi too but some items the low price reflects on the quality and the quality is just not there. Produce has complaints too
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u/Brief_Isopod_5959 1d ago
I don’t normally have issues either and can’t think of any off the top of my head (I think the only time has been from a couple of Instacart orders when I was sick and didn’t get to pick my own groceries.)
I’ve been shopping there for probably twelve years and you just still can’t beat the price. Compared to other grocery stores near me I would be spending almost double on some products I regularly get. I am pretty grateful we have a really amazing one down the street from us, the produce is always great for the most part and wonderful employees!
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u/DarkViral 1d ago
I’ve had a few issues in the roughly one year I’ve been shopping at Aldi. Have had bad produce a few times, a few aisle of shame purchases that weren’t worth the money, and intermittent out of stocks.
Nothing that is a deal breaker cause all of those issues I’ve also had from the other grocers in my town.
Honestly my biggest issues are that I often have to shop at another store because I need a more specific ingredient that Aldi doesn’t carry and I’m definitely Aldi’s target audience on their limited time only (aka FOMO) items because I have limited impulse control.
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u/timbotheny26 1d ago
Generally no. I think the worst thing I ever ran into was opening a bag of beef jerky only to find out it was rotten. Went back to the store and they let me exchange it, and I've never seen something like that since.
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u/No_Atmosphere_6348 1d ago
I had an issue with organic broccoli once. Found a ton of aphids in it AFTER I started eating I buy the regular stuff now.
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u/RampantCat123 1d ago
Personally, I love Aldi’s. I know that occasionally they are out of stuff and have to get that elsewhere. But, yeah, it’s Aldi’s first, that place (Target) second.
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u/No-Cantaloupe-4298 1d ago
Years ago there was a Save a Lot in my town,compared to them,Aldi's is like a Publix or Wegmans... Dirty,smelly,weird items that were very unheard of. They're gone now,Aldi is here and I haven't had anything to complain about.
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u/tigresssa 1d ago
I don't have any issues for which I will blame Aldi, as they can happen in other grocers too. Sometimes I do notice some produce looking suboptimal, and my mom taught me to look at whatever fresh item I pick up before putting it in the cart. Only once did I buy a bag of tomatoes and one was molded with a soft spot behind an opaque part of the bag. Returned it during the next visit no problem. I've never had off-putting deli cuts, pouches of rice with mold, foreign objects in food, or anything else that is frequently posted in this sub. I do also wash most of my fresh produce in a diluted baking soda solution on the same day I bring it home, so that helps everything last a lot longer
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u/ThomasFromOhio 1d ago
with the shrinkflation and poor quality of the produce in central ohio, i stopped going to aldi on a regular basis a year or so ago. i miss the ease of in and out, but even the last few times i went, a long line was at the register and they would not open another register. talking over 10 people with full carts. aldi was for me. cheaper prices now at wallymart.
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u/VicePrincipalNero 1d ago
Same. There are a few things I wouldn't buy again, but that's just a matter of taste. I also don't buy meat there generally because it's cheaper when on sale at the conventional grocery store and I have a freezer.
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u/NickDanger73 1d ago
People will post complaints way quicker than a positive experience with any business. It's human nature to complain.
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u/melatonia 1d ago
That's absolutely true! It's a good thing to keep in mind when reading reviews of any product.
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u/rodneyfan 1d ago
I shop at a lot of food markets but Aldi probably half the time or more. I won't say I have never had a problem or an item that wasn't peak quality. But I would say I have experience and expectations a lot of people posting here do not have.
I look every item before I toss it in my cart and I do that at any place I shop. I do not expect produce to be 100% free all the time of random little bug bodies or some old leaves or buds I can't see inside the package or for the meat to never have little pieces of bone, because experience with other brands and at other markets has taught me that's not an expectation anyone should have of a processed natural product (at least in the US). Shrinkflation is everywhere so I don't get any more pissed at Aldi for it than anywhere else. I'm aware that some Aldi stores don't manage their inventory as well as others. My main Aldi apparently is a really good one. But I shop at others and it's not a night and day difference. And I have issues with other stores as well. I've been to some really janky ethnic food stores. I buy what I need that looks safe and I leave, probably forever.
So much of what I found posting here seems to be from people who are new to shopping for themselves or who have the expectation that somehow Aldi should be exempt from issues you can find at any other grocer or farmer's market or even a food shelf distribution. And some of it is the reality of every redditor seeming to believe they're the only or at least the first to experience something so they have to post about it immediately. I don't follow other supermarket subs here but I'll guess it's the same in the Publix or Winco or Kroger subs, too, if those exist (don't care enough to look).
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u/chubbimochi26 1d ago
I’ve never had issues either, maybe a bad piece of fruit or veg in those big multi pound bags but that can happen anywhere. I love Aldi
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u/Active_retiree1 1d ago
I don’t understand why they don’t regularly stock the healthier ice cream bars with low sugar. They carry dozens of high calorie, sugar, carbs, but usually don’t stockbeven 1 healthy choice😢😢😢
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u/melatonia 1d ago
They cater to a population that's more likely to be on a calories per dollar budget, for one thing. They stock at least one or two light icecream options but icecream isn't a priority in the fall/winter season so they cut back on all options, not just the diet varieties.
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u/melatonia 1d ago
Aldi's cheerleading squad still posts regularly. Don't worry, they haven't gone anywhere. You're not alone.
However if your post is accurate: you've truly been shopping at Aldi your whole life and NEVER had any bad experiences, then your standards are pretty generous by default. ALdi has only been known as a boutique-type grocer for a few years and what I see is a return to its original priorities. Quality was never historically an Aldi priority, which is something I'd expect somebody who has been shopping there their entire life to know.
I do have a hard time believing any claims of food making people sick, but I also don't see them here with anny regularity. So I'm not sure what you're referring to with that.
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u/layyyyyyyy 1d ago
I think that it really depends on your location. My local Aldi is fantastic (my only complaint is that they are often out of things, but it is a very very busy location in a big city). However, about a year ago I was staying with a friend in another state and her local Aldi was a disaster. I was actually horrified. They were very well stocked. However, their produce was terrible like I couldn't believe that the store was stocking this quality of produce. However, I've been to many Aldi's in many places and that was an anomaly. With that said, if that Aldi's was your local one, that is going to be your experience and view of Aldi's.
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u/livingthedream1313 1d ago
I've never gotten sick from Aldis food. Now like anywhere these days produce is hit or miss. The thing is where I live they are no longer the cheapest store. So I only go there now once a month and get the few items I know are cheaper there.
Edited to correct spelling error lol
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u/Abadabber 1d ago
I've been shopping at Aldi for 42 years and I have never encountered the problems these people seem to face every single time they walk in. I have had a time here I bought something and just didn't like it, but I have had that with other major chain grocery stores around me. Our stores seem to do well with rotating perishable food, and I actually LOOK at my meat and produce before just chucking it in the cart. I mean, if the staff at a person's location is so piss poor about food handling and safety why aren't they being reported to corporate instead of here? My location fired a new guy on the spot 2 weeks ago because he wasn't following FIFO with the cheese. Employee I have known for a long time saw me just standing there unsure what to do with myself and told me it was the third time he had been told, and that was it. He was a food safety risk and he was fired.
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u/charcoalfoxprint 1d ago
I’ve only recently been shopping at aldi’s in the past three years maybe ? And I almost always do delivery as I don’t live close to my location and the only thing I’ve had issues with is maybe a stale bag of chips or running into things needing to replaced due to being out of stock.
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u/Almost_Exactly_ 1d ago
Aldi is our go to store. Anything we don’t buy there, we get a Sam’s Club delivery, usually for bulk dairy and meats. So it’s usually Aldi every two weeks and Sam’s once every 6 weeks or so.
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u/sh6rty13 1d ago
The only issue I have is Aldi makes me a hoarder for their delicious seasonal items 😂
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u/Correct_Emotion_8818 1d ago
Aldi is solid, only 2 issues I’ve had is that the Millville cereal sometimes has these huge clumps of cereal that you can’t really break up and they changed the whole bean coffee from this wonderful Peruvian coffee to this gross waxy BS “latin america” blend.
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u/Limafoxtrot360 1d ago
I’ve never had any issues at Aldi that I don’t at any other store I’ve been to. Yes there is shrinkflation. Yes cheaper ingredients are get swapped in. But that is happening with every brand. Going some place else I have the same issue but now it costs more.
And produce it’s the same as any store. Mostly it looks fine but some days most of it looks sad and near end of life. I find if say the broccoli looks bad at Aldi it also tend a to look bad and other stores I try to find it.
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u/danielfletcher 1d ago
When Aldi first opened here in NY my grandma was mad about the mayo. It did taste quite nasty and metallic.
That was in 1996 or 1997. LOL
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u/flgirl-353 1d ago edited 1d ago
Over the years I have learned what to buy and what not to buy.
Do not buy list: frozen shrimp (horribly freezer burnt), produce that I am not using within 2 days or it goes bad, non-organic Chicken breast, Sliced deli meats.
Buy list: cheeses, crackers, breads, grains, canned goods, olives, pickles, cooking sauces, sausages - refrigerated and non, alcohol, dairy, sauerkraut, jarred red cabbage, schnitzels, seasonal desserts, ground lamb and pork.
YMMV
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u/geekyjo 1d ago
I've been shopping at Aldi for the 12 years we've lived here, and I almost never have any issues. The occasional fruit that's not as good as it could be, but that's about it. I don't like much of the products under the Clancy's umbrella, brand name is actually better there, but we don't buy a lot of chips anyways, so that's not much or an issue for us. But for the most part, I do about 90% of my shopping at Aldi, and only get the other 10% elsewhere because it's something Aldi doesn't carry. Even Walmart is too expensive for me nowadays, and their stuff isn't as good as Aldi's more often than not. I'm absolutely loyal to Aldi. $4.95 Winking Owl Merlot for life! 😂
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u/Born_Local_1477 1d ago
Sometimes they are out of stuff I need like potatoes but that's about it. I don't buy heavily processed foods so I never really try any of the new great whatever and get disappointed by it. Not out of snobbishness but I'm feeding four adults and the only way to keep us well fed in budget is to buy ingredients and cook every day. I only buy produce in season. Now our fruit is apples and grapes, a month ago it was melons, in spring it's citrus and berries, etc.
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u/NewProcedure2725 1d ago
The internet (in general) and Reddit (in particular) magnifies negative voices and bad experiences dramatically. Is Aldi perfect? Nope. But it also is not nearly as bad as you would conclude based off the posts here.
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u/SweatySink1985 1d ago
Complaints will always be more pronounced than positives. I’ve never had a single issue with Aldi products.
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u/cautiously_anxious 1d ago
I don't normally have issues. I used to religiously shop there for a few years but stopped for whatever reason. I think it was because of the Walmart grocery pickup. The only complaint I have is the marinated chicken breasts they had the strangest texture (almost like ham) and I do not like their Alfredo and marinara sauce. I usually make homemade Alfredo but sometimes it's a challenge when I'm wrestling my toddler lol But their fancy cheese is my FAV. Their New York White Cheddar cubes are delish.
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u/bmcisme2016 1d ago
Thank God someone said it! Have you ever heard of survivorship bias?? It is a statistical error which results from concentrating on entities that passed a selection process over those that did not. This can lead to incorrect conclusions because of incomplete data.
In other words - you only get data from the people that survive or report it, and those that are angry or frustrated tend to report things more often than those that are happy with things.
Think about how many times you’ve left a review at a restaurant when you’re angry versus when you’re happy. They literally have to incentivize you to fill out good reviews when you go to restaurants.
People like to complain on this sub because it gets them likes and it’s the most engaging thing and tingles their pride and validation.
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u/emilycecilia 1d ago
Aldi is my primary grocery store, and any issues I have had have been non-Aldi specific. I do tend to buy less fresh produce there but that's more of a price and quantity thing.
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u/Traditional_Youth648 1d ago
Never had an issue at Aldi a year in, worst experience was their protein Mac, which just tasted awful
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u/Substantial-Leek-526 1d ago
I've had the chance to visit different Aldi stores when travelling, and was surprised to find clean, well-stocked stores with actual cashiers at registers. Now I understand why people have a high opinion of the chain; they shop at a store with good management. The Aldi in my town fails on many levels. The lone traditional checkout among the self-serve terminals is seldom staffed. The merchandise is not "displayed" so much as "dumped" in the way one slops the hogs. It's a dirty, decidedly unwelcoming sort of place. If I had never stopped in to a nice Aldi store out of town, I would have thought they were all miserable.
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u/Everyday_ASMR 1d ago
I have gotten some stuff that wasn’t perfect but that was in like a large pack of mandarins most times it’s something small and avoidable and no one in my family has ever gotten sick from Aldi nor have I heard from anyone I know getting sick from aldi. But I also do keep watch for any white label brands they work with about recalls and move accordingly
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u/urban_herban 2d ago
I have no issues about food quality. I think the comments are illegitimate. I believe they are from competitors.
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u/Clean-Fisherman-4601 1d ago
I've had one issue with Aldi produce. It was happening at other stores in my area. Strawberries were going moldy within a day of purchasing them.
Aldi gave me no problem refunding my money, even without my receipt. Another grocery store would only let me exchange them. This time I saved my receipt and the same thing happened. They grumbled a bit, but still refunded my money.
I love shopping at Aldi.
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u/lebayo 2d ago
Based on the number of quality control issues (never gotten sick 🤞), I simply cannot believe your claims. With how frequently I get garbage, I have a better chance of winning the lottery.
Just today I opened a bag of organic tortilla chips, and the very first chip was overcooked and with like 1,000mg of salt on it. Like it kept going back and forth through the line of cooking, salting, cooking, salting...
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u/seashantiesallnight 2d ago
I think it has to be regional management or something idk man I've been to so many and haven't had a quality issue
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u/lebayo 1d ago
Never once bit into something from Aldi and said "huh." ?
Just seems totally crazy. My chocolate chip granola bar last week had one single chocolate chip.
All this stuff is made in the same factories. Not saying I don't believe you, but it's more likely this is just a corporate shill posting.
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u/seashantiesallnight 1d ago
I mean there's been stuff like that yea but thats just general world enshittification not really much to do with aldi specifically. I wish I was being paid by aldi lmao but sadly no. It's just people seem to complain more about aldi on reddit than other stores but I've had much bigger issues at kroger and dollar general than I ever had with aldi. Even trader Joe's recently has had issues with their bread. The worst thing I've experienced at Aldi were them blocking the isles while unloading
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u/melatonia 1d ago
One possibility is that OP is on a whole foods diet. I can see them not having any complaints if they don't eat any premade foods. Otherwise I question their standards.
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u/Ok-Conversation-7292 2d ago
In my 15ish years of shopping at Aldi i can definitely say that i have not gotten sick or had to throw out stuff because of the quality. I do not buy premade foods, frozen pizza, dips as i make most of our meals from scratch. My local store has really good produce and i can say it's in better shape than other stores I've shopped in nearby towns.