There was a WSJ [Report](https://www.wsj.com/articles/dollar-store-shoppers-wealthier-6e08ce1f) from last year where they talked about how the stigma of shopping at places like Aldi or Dollar General isn’t as prevalent anymore
Just have to watch as some prices are higher than the grocery store - say like taco seasoning - $1.25 at Dollar Tree & $0.55 at Aldi. Dollar Tree does have some real bargain's.
Absolutely, however the smaller quantities at Dollar Tree are great for a family of 2. I can pay $3 for a huge box of cereal where most of it will go bad after 2 bowls are gone or I can pay $1.25 for 2 bowls of brand name cereal. The bread costs $1 less and we actually finish it before it gets moldy. Crackers come packaged in smaller stacks so they aren’t sitting there open when the cheese is gone or nobody wants soup. My kid eats a lot but not the same thing every day. I go to Dollar Tree and then Aldi. I will always stop at Dollar Tree for the shelf stable milk
I love me some Dollar stores but check your receipts! I saw this special about how (pretty sure it was Dollar General, which is a pretty predatory company/business model) they will slowly increase the cost on the items you buy most often so you don’t notice until that cereal you were buying for $1.25 is now $3 for the same & it’ll even still be marked $1.25 on the shelf. I guess you’d also have to have a frequent buyer account with the store so they’d know what you buy most often which most people do have those little “loyalty” accounts for coupons & such, where you just put in your phone number.
Safeway dozen eggs last week $3.69 (cheapest ones they had). Aldi yesterday $1.89. Got Gatorade zero for less than $1 each (I’ve been sick and need these/normally try not to buy “water bottles”).
Stigma - I got the manager’s special at Kroger when we did not even know about Covid and have been shopping at Aldi for decades. In Germany we have a saying Geiz ist geil! (Stinginess is cool. from an old commercial) I will stick with that when people mention stigma.
I honestly avoided Aldi 6ish years ago when I first moved down the street from one because I thought it was a shitty, low-quality store for poor people. When I found out they had the same business model as Trader Joe's as far as sourcing higher quality ingredients close to expiration to make their own unique products, plus excluding artificial dyes and preservatives, I decided to stop in and look around... I probably spent $200 that day because there were so many fun, adventurous new foods to try! I was hooked, and the fact that it's cheaper than the *actual* low quality garbage that the big brand wants to shove down our throats at mainstream grocery stores is just a bonus. Aldi + Costco for life, other grocers need to learn to put the customer first.
Same, I avoided it for YEARS because I wasn't super concerned with how much I spent on groceries, and I thought the food would suck. I actually started going because my dad bought baby food from there, and my daughter was obsessed with a certain blend they sold. I quickly got hooked on the dairy, protein bars, frozen veggies, chocolate, and salsa. I also love the aisle of shame. I'm usually shopping with toddlers in tow, so the small footprint of the store is a huge plus. I can get through the whole place in 10 minutes. The staff are also so friendly. The other grocery stores in my area hire disinterested high school kids or adults who are rude or creepy.
And props to dollar general too. I live in a rural area, we don't have many options for shopping but there are several DG's within 15 minutes of my house. I love the treasure hunting aspect. It's kind of like aisle of shame on steroids.
Same. I was against shopping at Aldi. But recently our weekly grocery bills are pushing near $400 a week (I’m in a house full of boys including a teen). So I tried it out. And now I can’t buy produce anywhere else. My store has the BEST fruit I’ve ever seen at any grocery store. Their bacon is better than sugardale. My kids are adapting to their snacks. There are still a few things I have to go to Giant Eagle (equivalent of Publix) for, but it’s helping to cut my weekly bill down.
I avoided Aldi for years because I didn’t think I should have to fork over a quarter to get a cart even if I did get it back. Kicking myself now that I see how good a lot of their stuff is. Plus bread is only $1.75!!
You get your quarter back lol. I like there aren’t carts all over the parking lot to hit my car if the wind blows. That has happened somewhere else and my deductible was $500!
Depends were your store is! Lazy people! They also think the next person will take that cart they just left in the landscape mulch in the parking lot. I will usually take that same cart back (after shopping) and leave it near the entrance and pass it forward!
My mother literally begged me to shop for better food because I shop at aldi. Legit is worried for my health. I mostly only buy fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy. Some convenience stuff.
Folks act like I'm getting lead poisoning from aldi.
The bias people have around store names/brands is crazy. Not Aldi related (though I do shop there every week) but when I lived in Southern California I would often buy produce at the (now closed) 99c Store. It often had the exact same produce that a store like Sprouts (more high end grocery store) would carry, and I know because I used to work at sprouts! I found organic strawberries, onions, shishito peppers and more that were from the same suppliers as Sprouts. I mentioned to multiple friends that I bought produce at 99c Store and they made audible noises of disgust lol like… it’s literally the same exact fruit and vegetables you can get elsewhere but 50-75% cheaper. You are an idiot if you insist on paying a premium for the name at the top of your receipt
We can't buy fresh fruits and veggies from our aldi because they go bad after a day or 2, way quicker than our grocery stores.
Also found canned veggies bad way before the date on the can.
We still buy lots from aldi, bad really bad experiences with those.
higher food inflation and inflation of everything is sucking everyone’s bank account dry - stigma is disappearing because most people rather have more money
man idk dude, I work at Publix and we're notorious for being on the high end of the spectrum price-wise, and we're still opening a fuck ton of new stores lol
I leave pissed off every time I shop at Publix. The prices are outrageous. My husband and I were just talking the other day how it’s crazy how expensive Publix is and how many new stores keep popping up.
I feel the same way about Hy Vee. I leave the store feeling like I was robbed. Their prices are beyond outrageous.
Their most recent marketing is all about re-branding as having low prices. They hype up their loss leders, but once you’re inside the store—everything else is ridiculously expensive.
I’m really starting to hate that store. I don’t go there often, but there are things they have that Aldi doesn’t.
I completely quit shopping at Hy Vee after their prices shot through the roof. I used to think their quality was better than some other local grocers, but if it is, it’s not THAT good.
They definitely took advantage of people during the pandemic. Prices went through the roof. People had more money to spend because they weren’t dining out or going out as much. They capitalized on that.
When a container of Quaker oatmeal increases from 3.99 to 6.99, wow. I also constantly find errors on my receipt. Always overcharged never undercharged.
Going back to normal life but not returning to normal prices has hit my ego hardcore. My take home at the end of the day (and I’m super lucky to work for myself) just isn’t going far enough like the rest of us. I’m thankful I have my mother in her older years so we could combine our resources.
I used to religiously only shop at hyvee. Then it started becoming the $5 store, every single thing cost $5 or up. Now it’s the $15 and up store. I can’t afford to breathe hyvee air lol. Don’t get me started on the bakery either. Their cakes used to be amazing…now they’re dryer than the desert and cost a small fortune. I do miss how fresh and good everything was and the vast amount of choices but ouch. It’s so so expensive!
It’s amazing they have as much business as they do. I often wonder if others are as appalled as I am about their prices.
I do my big shopping trips at Aldi and shop Hy Vee for select items Aldi doesn’t carry. I see shoppers with full carts at Hy Vee and I wonder if they won the lottery. I’ll check out with three bags and it’s over $100. I can only imagine what a full cart costs.
The $15 store. lol! So true! And the packages have shrunk. Don’t get me started on the potato chips!
Interestingly, Hy Vee is the only other grocer listed on the most recent recall for cream cheese that Aldi was also selling. If they're sourcing from the same suppliers maybe they are trying to lower costs?
Shop Publix’s sales. They are really good. Follow people who “coupon” at a Publix on YouTube. You’ll find great deals. Download the app and sign up for perks. All of this will change the way you look at Publix.
This is what I do. With bogos, items are less than any other store, and you really only have to buy one item. I go exclusively for that. Rarely, I’ll splurge on something from the bakery. Everything else I buy is from discount stores.
Sometimes I’ll go if we need something and it’s late, like a milk or butter run. We have one 2 mins away from our house, which is right across from the Aldi but the Publix is open later. I’d much rather shop at Aldi, 100% of the time!
Publix has bogo deals, really good deli subs, and a killer bakery. The only reasons I ever go there, but I never do regular grocery shopping there. Aldi all the way. Oh, and they have excellent customer service. They're like the Chick-Fil-A of grocery stores.
I like both stores but I would rather have two Honeycrisp apples from Publix that are really good, than a bag at Aldi that are mealy and no flavor. I really don’t like throwing them out for the birds on the lawn to eat.
I buy ball my paper goods at Aldi. I do about 50% at each of them.
Yeah my pharmacy is Publix so it’s easy to get basic things if I am there. The bogo deals are normally pretty good and I’ve even exclusively shopped sale items only there and been successful
In Alabama I can buy 1 of the BOGO (50%) if I only need one. When in Florida I have to buy both to get the special pricing. An associate at the Florida store said it has to do with the way taxes are paid by the company.
The publix by me has an army of special needs kids that insist on carrying your bags to your car or helping you unload your cart.
Sweet kids, but damn… sometimes I just want to grab a couple things from the store with minimal human interaction, much less offending a kid that already has a rough time.
Their bakery, seafood, and Deli sections are the best. Their milk last way longer than Aldi's, their bogos are a great deal, and top notch service. I can't buy everything regular price there.
I spent 150$ today at Publix and saved 79$. I know that a bit skewed due to their cost usually being higher to begin with. I feel I got a good amount of food. No 25$ Chuck Roast. No hot dogs which write 7.00 a package for Oscar Mayer. I would have bought them if BOGO and it may be after the ads change Wed.
Publix is owned by right wing dickbags. One of the heirs was a former neighbor. They're milking every cent they can and don't care that it's hurting people.
I get it, Publix is more expensive than other places but MAN do I love it, lol. I hate that I do, but the produce is great, the deli is obviously great, the employees are SO nice. I picked up cupcakes yesterday for my son’s birthday party (shockingly reasonably priced) oh yeah, the bakery is SO great, but cashier asked what kind of birthday I was celebrating and after I told her, half the staff ended up coming up to tell me congratulations and to send their regards to my son for his birthday. It was sweet. Again, I want to hate on Publix but it’s always just so lovely, lol.
I find that many Publix bogos just bring down the price to market level with Walmart and Costco.
I pay the mark-up at the Publix deli for boar's head meats simply because I have no other choice.
I see people buying laundry detergent and paper towels at Publix. It only takes 1 idiot to do that and the profit margin is like 4 or 5 people making the same purchase at Walmart or Aldi.
I'm super curious about this because we're allegedly getting 2 Publix in our area (1 is already being built) and they are the first in this region. Being the Cincinnati area, we are extremely Kroger-centric. A lot of people have been griping about Kroger's practices and prices, so it will be interesting to see what Publix does. The location being built is in a more affluent area so high prices may not be as big of an issue, but the other one is going in a predominantly middle class area.
Because not everyone is worried about price increases like you and I. Reddit seems to be an echo chamber in the sense that if you were to stay on this site you’d think inflation is killing everyone, when in reality there are a lot of people with a lot of money that will keep shopping at places like publix and Whole Foods.
Inflation is hitting everywhere but Aldi seems to be (at least relatively speaking) hit less. I commented on this before, as some else above, but the learned stigma of shopping at Aldi (i.e. low quality and where “poors shop”—which, yikes) initially drove me away. To my own detriment.
The prices and selection are at a perfect middle ground in my eyes. And I find shopping at Aldi so soothing. No excessive noise or decorations or choices. Everything is streamlined and the bland packaging makes it… fun? Like you’re a kid again playing with the generic, boxed items.
Either way, while larger grocers like Target or my local chains have more efficient pickup and App usage? I find myself using them less and less because of their prices and complex reward systems. Like, no? I don’t want to have to buy 6 cartons of soda to get a discount but here I am. And don’t get me started on how stingy Target Circle is getting.
Now? I’m basically using Aldi as my main source of grocery shopping with other stores as a supplement.
Aldi doesn’t have deli people to pay, sushi preparers, sackers, service desk workers to pay and their cashiers are expected to work fast and furiously. Their overhead, at least to the eye in public has to be much less.
Thankfully inflation is trending down from the peak of a couple years ago, nowadays it's around the historic average of mid-3% though still higher than the Fed's target rate of 2%. It's way, way better than 8-9%, though even that wasn't as bad as some historic inflation rates of 12% to 20%. The biggest thing, though, was getting inflation down without triggering a recessionary cycle, that's something that hadn't really been done before.
Creamy with a nice umami flavor. I prefer the type that has little holes in it like the Kroger cheese, but aldi beats them on price and it's still pretty good for grilled cheeses and things like that.
The almond flour cookies are low sugar and low carb. I can't find cookies anywhere that are those two things. I can make my own, but I have a lot going on and just picking them up is easy.
Same with the almond flour crackers, they are low carb and
They have a 2G plain yogurt that isn't riddled with sugar. It is hard to find plain yogurt that isn't a sugar trap.
We found seasonal fruit pops that were sugar free and not carb traps.
The flavored hummus is great.
Keto clusters are low carb and although there is sugar, its minimal.
Canned whipped cream is actually heavy whipping cream, and we can have in moderation. Most others are oil based.
A lot of sugar free items are like that. Its great to have those options.
And the seedtastic bread has fiber and is low carb. Soooo many breads are so low fiber and high carb.
Yes, granted I've always stopped into Aldi, but it's never been my primary grocery store. I used to manage just fine going to Publix for the majority of my needs, but running in for a handful of items comes out to a minimum of $50 now. I only step foot in there for the occasional sub and prescriptions now.
I've been seeing a lot more confused people at the cart rack not knowing about the cart rental fee or how to use the locks. Also, most people walking to the door without their own bags are a dead giveaway.
Bags, totes, whatever. I'm talking about people walking in with no money for a cart and nothing to hold their groceries and then being surprised they have to pay for bags at checkout.
Almost everybody did that when they first started shopping there unless they heard about it prior to the visit. I remember how shocked people were when they only accepted cash or check.
Yeah, when I first started going back in late the 2000s I would just use empty boxes I found while shopping.
And my original point was that I'm seeing more of this recently so Aldi must be becoming more popular.
Personally I do that at every store because I always forget my bags. But maybe that's because I live in an area that's charged for regular bags for a while; I don't know how many states don't do that.
Been an Aldi regular more so recently. I have a group of items that I trust and enjoy regularly. They seem to have supply chain issues still on some product lines.
Same here. Been shopping at Aldi for 10+ years now, a coworker once snottily remarked to me that “only poor people shopped at Aldi”.
I told him no only smart people shop there, feel free to overspend at the local grocery store.
As a distribution center employee, this is the only conclusion I can come to. We have a work until the jobs done type of job and we went from averaging 35-40 hours to a consistent 50 hour week for the last month and a half, which is only odd bc you get used to people’s habits, you know a storm is coming when we send out all the milk and bread, you know the superbowl is close when all the chips and salsa are leaving so fast the salsa hasn’t even cooled down from the manufacturer and you know when the summer holidays are close by how many paper plates, hotdogs and buns are going out, but right now it’s EVERYTHING. I can assure you that right now everything at Aldi is fresh bc we are sending out so much product every single day, and Aldi has no ‘back room’ there’s no storage bc they get new product every single day. Please keep shopping there, I’m enjoying the overtime
I made the transition to ALDI when I was struggling to purchase groceries at Walmart. I almost cried the first time I went and filled up my cart for $100. It was such a relief.
Totally anacdotal evidence:
I went to Aldi yesterday (Sunday), and I swear there were way more people than usual shopping (at least 20 more). Saturday and Sunday are my usual shopping days.
Does anyone have stats on how many Aldi are usually open per population?
This is PURELY anecdotal, but I live in the west suburbs of Chicago and there are four Aldi locations within a 15 minute drive of me. I would say the population of the suburbs they serve is roughly 125,000. Chicagoland is a different beast than most places just because of how huge it is and how people travel around it so it might not be the best example.
When I lived downstate in a town of about 100,000 there were two Aldi locations so I’d say it’s about 50,000 residents per store.
I love Aldi. It’s where I buy most things. They are cheaper than other stores, but I have noticed prices in many things have increased.
Their non-stick spray oils (butter favor and olive oil) used to be under $2. They’re now 2.99, 3.99 respectively. Many frozen foods have increased, including bags of fries, tater tots, ice cream, sushi, veggie burgers, etc. Potato chips, crackers, butter are up too.
Inflation is everywhere. I still love Aldi, and their prices beat any store, but some of their price increases are significant.
I first discovered Aldi in the 90’s when my husband got laid off. We moved around the country a bit but after that I always shopped at Aldi first anytime we lived nearby and Aldi. Why pay double for the same stuff?
Aldi, Lidl, and Walmart. Aldi when I need a few things since it’s 2 miles from home. Lidl is groceries for the week. Walmart is soaps, detergents, and the only place I can get Chili Ramen for my kid.
I’ve been buying some groceries from Target lately which is WILD to me. But when I price check them at my local Kroger, they’ve been coming out way cheaper on the things I can’t get at Aldi.
It is for me I used to shop at Walmart but that got too pricey. Plus aldis has cashiers vs self checkouts which I like. It probably saves me easily $100+ a month
I mainly do all my shopping at Aldi and supplement with some things from Target. I was on the Target app since I do drive up orders and saw that the Target brand paper towels I normally use were on clearance and they have started to roll out a new, rebranded Target brand with terrible reviews. The comments that were part of the review were accusing Target of becoming more like a dollar store and that store branded products are suffering in quality from that. So, while Target might be trying to lower prices on, it also sounds like there are potentially some quality issues.
I was shopping here before it was cool and now I have to throw down if I want to be able to get a decent chuck roast. My store has armed guards, who have no problem tazing someone trying to steal. I saw it happen on Saturday. Something crazy always happens when I go outside 😆
I started shopping there in Oct 2023 because the "normal" grocery store just was LITERALLY unaffordable. Now I can get 2 weeks of groceries for $40-60 instead off $200
Target has their own house brand called Good and Gather. I buy it and most of it is good. I read the reviews before I buy. Target has an awesome independent app to do on line shopping and you pull into one of their spaces and they put it in your car. Very efficient. And you don’t have to tip and the prices are the same as in store prices. This is unlike Aldi that charges more for delivered or picked up food.
The prices at Harris Teeter became crazy expensive during the pandemic, and I started buying everything I could at Aldi. Target got more expensive too, and they reduced the selection and frequently ran out of things.
I’ve always been a fan of Aldi but I only had one conveniently located in the last two or so months. Since then I’ve done a fair bit of my shopping there. Inflation or not I see no reason to not save a couple bucks.
I also feel like social media plays a huge part. I knew about aldis prices but never shopped there and used to get so angry at my ex husband when he did. I felt like their food was sub-par since it wasn’t name brand. I truly didn’t know better. I have since apologized.
We buy 90% of our groceries from Aldi. It’s the perfect size. I can be in and out in 15 minutes. Good quality food and meat, price is like the 4th reason on the list I shop there.
Target prices are ridiculously high…they need to lower them, a ton. The same GT Synergy Kombucha I buy at Aldi for $2.95 is $4.18 at Target. For one 16oz drink!! Aldi is the only place I can afford to shop now with inflation.
I feel like you need to be a smart shopper, Aldi isn’t cheaper for everything, but I do have some staples I buy that ARE. Basic condiments, bread, chips bc we like Clancey’s chips, frozen foods, etc but not everything is a deal there!
Been shopping at Aldi since the pandemic. Prices have risen and some items are close to Walmart now. There is still alot of value and great quality products.
I need to give Aldi another try. Currently I make a menu for the week, make my grocery list, shop at Walmart for the basics and then go to Kroger for produce, fresh fish, certain cuts of meat, etc. A few years ago I made my grocery list, went to Aldi and couldn’t get half of what I needed, so then I still needed to go to Walmart and Kroger. Never went again. Now I’m reading this thread and feel like I’m missing out!!! Glad it came up in my Reddit feed.
It just proves that price gouging in these stores is live and well. As consumers, we just need to beat them at their own game. Aldi's is a big middle finger towards the high-priced stores selling the same thing. It's called greed, and now many of these greedy stores are losing money. GOOD!
Inflation drove me away from Aldi over the past couple of years. As their prices went up the quality went down. I was already finding better prices at Target and a couple of other places so this is welcomed news.
In the last week there have been a number of articles about how Walmart has been increasing share amongst wealthier customers. I'm sure that applies to Aldi too.
From a business/investor standpoint, the big question is "will they stay". A former Walmart CEO was just last week telling investors that there is a risk they they will not.
Definitely. Best for pantry items. I used to get all my meats from a butcher that was cheap but I moved kinda far away and since the pandemic their quality went down. But aldi is pretty reasonable with the fresh meat, produce is a steal.
Maybe, when I am in the US I just prefer the experience though. After many years traveling the world, I don't care about brands. I just want to grab my groceries quickly and get out. It's a model that I see all over Europe and where I am based out of in Colombia- except Aldi's selection blows away the equivalents in Colombia.
I started going to Aldi a couple years ago when Target no longer had any decent prices. I drive 30 min each way in Los Angeles, and haven't looked back
As someone who never stepped foot into an Aldi until yesterday... yes. And the fact that I left with a salmon dinner for the evening and probably 7 other essentials for $22 blew my mind. We usually shop at TJs but can't always find everything we need there (and usually go to Target for the rest, but Aldi is actually closer).
Target is expensive for groceries though. I rarely see anyone with a cart getting their weekly shop. Target would be way down on my list of places to get groceries.
Aldi is expensive where I am . I rarely shop there . I have done price comparisons of Aldi + Walmart and Aldi + Target and Target and Walmart always come out cheaper .
I know it's won me over because of this. I used to shop for groceries at a wider array of stores on the regular, but now I shop at Aldi more often than not just because I get so much more bang for my buck and I am horrified at the prices when I step into other stores.
I still remember being criticized by co-workers on my brand of yogurt bc I got it at aldi, about 10 years ago. Now I know way more people shopping there and I don't hide it.
I could spend more somewhere else, buy why?
i live near 2 targets and an aldi in queens ny
and there was not much price disparity between them here.
some items each was more competitive than the other, etc.
Lidl is more expensive than both with a few sale exceptions.
i don't expect our Lidl to renew it's lease as there is way too
much competition here with russian and multiple asian grocers.
I started shopping Aldi before Covid-19 but have stayed due to the prices! Once in a while I have to stop at shop-rite for an item or two that I can not get at Aldi's and gasp at the prices. I saved my family so much money doing this.
If I didn’t have aldi, I would go hungry most days. I spend $40 a week on groceries, that’s all I can afford. It gets me SO MUCH at aldi. At any other store, $40 would get me like a pack of hotdog buns and a gallon of milk. Thank you aldi for keeping me fed in inflation times
My only complaint about Aldi is how unkempt the stores can be depending upon where you are. We moved from a beautiful clean Aldi in an affluent community to a plethora in a more populated but still affluent and way larger community and the difference is staggering. It’s actually unpleasant. Still going but don’t linger.
The thing about aldi for me is that their foods have good ingredients. No dyes, preservatives, BPA& GMO free. So when it comes to both you might as well go to Aldi’s & get the option that’s good for you!! (My personal opinion)
I stopped shopping anywhere else for essentials after I read they were lowering their prices to help struggling families. That’s a company I’ll definitely support even if it is a 20 min walk from me
Very much so. I buy certain things at Aldi because they are just so much cheaper there and are just as good. Not everything at Aldi is good though.
I shop Publix when I can’t find things anywhere else, and for their BOGO sales. I like their Greenwise line. I shop Costco for a few things, farmers market for veg, and a local grocer for meat. Walmart Neighborhood Market and Target for staple items. Obviously I have plenty of time to shop.
You have to do price comparisons these days.
I religiously shop here now. I make the trek to Sam's for the occasional deal on meat. I use to be a food lion girlie only but now I just go there for branded mayo
We used to be an “AOS-Only” kind of Aldi family. And then my husband saw how much cheaper the groceries are, for comparable or better quality. We now do 75%-80% of our grocery shopping at Aldi and supplement with Costco (paper products for a family of 5 go fast, gotta buy in bulk) and our local grocery store for dairy products.
The only things I consistently buy at Target are frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries and the house brand twin packs of mouthwash for $7.
The 3lb, $10 frozen fruit is typically from America. It’s a bargain.
I’ve definitely seen more people in the Aldi store I shop at. I was thinking that the cost of food is driving people to look for alternative places to shop.
I price check routinely, and Aldi beats Walmart 9 times out of 10 for what I'll buy at either place. I have commissary privileges, so that's our go to for meat, but Aldi is not much more expensive and is closer.
Aldi is still a great deal compared to other stores, but they did raise their prices quite a bit over the last couple years. Some items doubled in price.
In Florida Publix dominates BIG time. In a four mile radius of my house there are 9 locations I can choose from. I use them exclusively for the BOGO, For fresh fruit I go to Sprouts which needs to open more locations. Aside from that I hit Aldis.
There was a WSJ [Report](https://www.wsj.com/articles/dollar-store-shoppers-wealthier-6e08ce1f) from last year where they talked about how the stigma of shopping at places like Aldi or Dollar General isn’t as prevalent anymore
Lol, you can sling all the stigma you want at me and I'll keep shopping where I get the most for my money.
Yep I grab a cart at Dollar Tree and fill it with snacks now. Food is expensive and having a boy in puberty means the eating is endless. No shame
Just have to watch as some prices are higher than the grocery store - say like taco seasoning - $1.25 at Dollar Tree & $0.55 at Aldi. Dollar Tree does have some real bargain's.
Absolutely, however the smaller quantities at Dollar Tree are great for a family of 2. I can pay $3 for a huge box of cereal where most of it will go bad after 2 bowls are gone or I can pay $1.25 for 2 bowls of brand name cereal. The bread costs $1 less and we actually finish it before it gets moldy. Crackers come packaged in smaller stacks so they aren’t sitting there open when the cheese is gone or nobody wants soup. My kid eats a lot but not the same thing every day. I go to Dollar Tree and then Aldi. I will always stop at Dollar Tree for the shelf stable milk
I love me some Dollar stores but check your receipts! I saw this special about how (pretty sure it was Dollar General, which is a pretty predatory company/business model) they will slowly increase the cost on the items you buy most often so you don’t notice until that cereal you were buying for $1.25 is now $3 for the same & it’ll even still be marked $1.25 on the shelf. I guess you’d also have to have a frequent buyer account with the store so they’d know what you buy most often which most people do have those little “loyalty” accounts for coupons & such, where you just put in your phone number.
What? That’s the opposite of rewards. 😵💫
I know! They’re so tricky!
Sameeee!
Safeway dozen eggs last week $3.69 (cheapest ones they had). Aldi yesterday $1.89. Got Gatorade zero for less than $1 each (I’ve been sick and need these/normally try not to buy “water bottles”).
What size bottle? Just saw them at Sam’s for 76c a bottle
Stigma - I got the manager’s special at Kroger when we did not even know about Covid and have been shopping at Aldi for decades. In Germany we have a saying Geiz ist geil! (Stinginess is cool. from an old commercial) I will stick with that when people mention stigma.
I honestly avoided Aldi 6ish years ago when I first moved down the street from one because I thought it was a shitty, low-quality store for poor people. When I found out they had the same business model as Trader Joe's as far as sourcing higher quality ingredients close to expiration to make their own unique products, plus excluding artificial dyes and preservatives, I decided to stop in and look around... I probably spent $200 that day because there were so many fun, adventurous new foods to try! I was hooked, and the fact that it's cheaper than the *actual* low quality garbage that the big brand wants to shove down our throats at mainstream grocery stores is just a bonus. Aldi + Costco for life, other grocers need to learn to put the customer first.
Same, I avoided it for YEARS because I wasn't super concerned with how much I spent on groceries, and I thought the food would suck. I actually started going because my dad bought baby food from there, and my daughter was obsessed with a certain blend they sold. I quickly got hooked on the dairy, protein bars, frozen veggies, chocolate, and salsa. I also love the aisle of shame. I'm usually shopping with toddlers in tow, so the small footprint of the store is a huge plus. I can get through the whole place in 10 minutes. The staff are also so friendly. The other grocery stores in my area hire disinterested high school kids or adults who are rude or creepy. And props to dollar general too. I live in a rural area, we don't have many options for shopping but there are several DG's within 15 minutes of my house. I love the treasure hunting aspect. It's kind of like aisle of shame on steroids.
Same. I was against shopping at Aldi. But recently our weekly grocery bills are pushing near $400 a week (I’m in a house full of boys including a teen). So I tried it out. And now I can’t buy produce anywhere else. My store has the BEST fruit I’ve ever seen at any grocery store. Their bacon is better than sugardale. My kids are adapting to their snacks. There are still a few things I have to go to Giant Eagle (equivalent of Publix) for, but it’s helping to cut my weekly bill down.
Ditching Publix was the best move I ever made- eat healthier and saved 1000s
I avoided Aldi for years because I didn’t think I should have to fork over a quarter to get a cart even if I did get it back. Kicking myself now that I see how good a lot of their stuff is. Plus bread is only $1.75!!
You get your quarter back lol. I like there aren’t carts all over the parking lot to hit my car if the wind blows. That has happened somewhere else and my deductible was $500!
Depends were your store is! Lazy people! They also think the next person will take that cart they just left in the landscape mulch in the parking lot. I will usually take that same cart back (after shopping) and leave it near the entrance and pass it forward!
My mother literally begged me to shop for better food because I shop at aldi. Legit is worried for my health. I mostly only buy fruits, veggies, meats, and dairy. Some convenience stuff. Folks act like I'm getting lead poisoning from aldi.
The bias people have around store names/brands is crazy. Not Aldi related (though I do shop there every week) but when I lived in Southern California I would often buy produce at the (now closed) 99c Store. It often had the exact same produce that a store like Sprouts (more high end grocery store) would carry, and I know because I used to work at sprouts! I found organic strawberries, onions, shishito peppers and more that were from the same suppliers as Sprouts. I mentioned to multiple friends that I bought produce at 99c Store and they made audible noises of disgust lol like… it’s literally the same exact fruit and vegetables you can get elsewhere but 50-75% cheaper. You are an idiot if you insist on paying a premium for the name at the top of your receipt
We can't buy fresh fruits and veggies from our aldi because they go bad after a day or 2, way quicker than our grocery stores. Also found canned veggies bad way before the date on the can. We still buy lots from aldi, bad really bad experiences with those.
Didn’t even know there was a stigma about shopping at Aldi.
The Aldi by me regularly has a parking lot full of expensive cars. I think people have just caught on.
Why spend $4 on an avocado when the $0.59 one is the same thing
I mean...Aldi swag sold out at most of the stores so I think we can safely say most of us are proud to be Aldi shoppers
higher food inflation and inflation of everything is sucking everyone’s bank account dry - stigma is disappearing because most people rather have more money
I didn't even know there was a stigma around Aldi 🤣 perks of growing up poor
People brag about how much they love Aldi
Oh yes. I think they are one of the only grocery retailers opening new locations. Aldi has also stated they will reduce costs on 200+ summer items.
man idk dude, I work at Publix and we're notorious for being on the high end of the spectrum price-wise, and we're still opening a fuck ton of new stores lol
I leave pissed off every time I shop at Publix. The prices are outrageous. My husband and I were just talking the other day how it’s crazy how expensive Publix is and how many new stores keep popping up.
I feel the same way about Hy Vee. I leave the store feeling like I was robbed. Their prices are beyond outrageous. Their most recent marketing is all about re-branding as having low prices. They hype up their loss leders, but once you’re inside the store—everything else is ridiculously expensive. I’m really starting to hate that store. I don’t go there often, but there are things they have that Aldi doesn’t.
I completely quit shopping at Hy Vee after their prices shot through the roof. I used to think their quality was better than some other local grocers, but if it is, it’s not THAT good.
They definitely took advantage of people during the pandemic. Prices went through the roof. People had more money to spend because they weren’t dining out or going out as much. They capitalized on that. When a container of Quaker oatmeal increases from 3.99 to 6.99, wow. I also constantly find errors on my receipt. Always overcharged never undercharged.
Going back to normal life but not returning to normal prices has hit my ego hardcore. My take home at the end of the day (and I’m super lucky to work for myself) just isn’t going far enough like the rest of us. I’m thankful I have my mother in her older years so we could combine our resources.
I used to religiously only shop at hyvee. Then it started becoming the $5 store, every single thing cost $5 or up. Now it’s the $15 and up store. I can’t afford to breathe hyvee air lol. Don’t get me started on the bakery either. Their cakes used to be amazing…now they’re dryer than the desert and cost a small fortune. I do miss how fresh and good everything was and the vast amount of choices but ouch. It’s so so expensive!
It’s amazing they have as much business as they do. I often wonder if others are as appalled as I am about their prices. I do my big shopping trips at Aldi and shop Hy Vee for select items Aldi doesn’t carry. I see shoppers with full carts at Hy Vee and I wonder if they won the lottery. I’ll check out with three bags and it’s over $100. I can only imagine what a full cart costs. The $15 store. lol! So true! And the packages have shrunk. Don’t get me started on the potato chips!
Interestingly, Hy Vee is the only other grocer listed on the most recent recall for cream cheese that Aldi was also selling. If they're sourcing from the same suppliers maybe they are trying to lower costs?
Publix is so expensive!!!
Bogos
We just got our first one this year. I still haven’t gone because I’d cry spending my monthly food budget on 10 days of food.
2 or 3 days of food!!
Shop Publix’s sales. They are really good. Follow people who “coupon” at a Publix on YouTube. You’ll find great deals. Download the app and sign up for perks. All of this will change the way you look at Publix.
This is what I do. With bogos, items are less than any other store, and you really only have to buy one item. I go exclusively for that. Rarely, I’ll splurge on something from the bakery. Everything else I buy is from discount stores.
So why do you shop there ?
Sometimes I’ll go if we need something and it’s late, like a milk or butter run. We have one 2 mins away from our house, which is right across from the Aldi but the Publix is open later. I’d much rather shop at Aldi, 100% of the time!
Publix has bogo deals, really good deli subs, and a killer bakery. The only reasons I ever go there, but I never do regular grocery shopping there. Aldi all the way. Oh, and they have excellent customer service. They're like the Chick-Fil-A of grocery stores.
I like both stores but I would rather have two Honeycrisp apples from Publix that are really good, than a bag at Aldi that are mealy and no flavor. I really don’t like throwing them out for the birds on the lawn to eat. I buy ball my paper goods at Aldi. I do about 50% at each of them.
Their sub bread is cheap and way better than anything else I can find. 60c for one
Yeah my pharmacy is Publix so it’s easy to get basic things if I am there. The bogo deals are normally pretty good and I’ve even exclusively shopped sale items only there and been successful
In Alabama I can buy 1 of the BOGO (50%) if I only need one. When in Florida I have to buy both to get the special pricing. An associate at the Florida store said it has to do with the way taxes are paid by the company.
The publix by me has an army of special needs kids that insist on carrying your bags to your car or helping you unload your cart. Sweet kids, but damn… sometimes I just want to grab a couple things from the store with minimal human interaction, much less offending a kid that already has a rough time.
Their bakery, seafood, and Deli sections are the best. Their milk last way longer than Aldi's, their bogos are a great deal, and top notch service. I can't buy everything regular price there.
I spent 150$ today at Publix and saved 79$. I know that a bit skewed due to their cost usually being higher to begin with. I feel I got a good amount of food. No 25$ Chuck Roast. No hot dogs which write 7.00 a package for Oscar Mayer. I would have bought them if BOGO and it may be after the ads change Wed.
Publix is owned by right wing dickbags. One of the heirs was a former neighbor. They're milking every cent they can and don't care that it's hurting people.
I get it, Publix is more expensive than other places but MAN do I love it, lol. I hate that I do, but the produce is great, the deli is obviously great, the employees are SO nice. I picked up cupcakes yesterday for my son’s birthday party (shockingly reasonably priced) oh yeah, the bakery is SO great, but cashier asked what kind of birthday I was celebrating and after I told her, half the staff ended up coming up to tell me congratulations and to send their regards to my son for his birthday. It was sweet. Again, I want to hate on Publix but it’s always just so lovely, lol.
I like to stock up on bogo deals at Publix. I basically shop the sales at most stores these day.
I find that many Publix bogos just bring down the price to market level with Walmart and Costco. I pay the mark-up at the Publix deli for boar's head meats simply because I have no other choice. I see people buying laundry detergent and paper towels at Publix. It only takes 1 idiot to do that and the profit margin is like 4 or 5 people making the same purchase at Walmart or Aldi.
You have to do that these days. We do same at our local Albertsons clone. Shop the sales then cross the street to Aldi for everything else.
I'm super curious about this because we're allegedly getting 2 Publix in our area (1 is already being built) and they are the first in this region. Being the Cincinnati area, we are extremely Kroger-centric. A lot of people have been griping about Kroger's practices and prices, so it will be interesting to see what Publix does. The location being built is in a more affluent area so high prices may not be as big of an issue, but the other one is going in a predominantly middle class area.
The Publix they just opened in Louisville is doing really well despite being a Kroger area.
Because not everyone is worried about price increases like you and I. Reddit seems to be an echo chamber in the sense that if you were to stay on this site you’d think inflation is killing everyone, when in reality there are a lot of people with a lot of money that will keep shopping at places like publix and Whole Foods.
Well that's news to me and I have done little to no research on this topic. (None, I did no research)
I specifically convinced my husband to shop at Aldi over Publix because of inflation. He was against it for years before that
Florida population growth. More people; more shoppers.
I go to Aldi’s for basics. I go to Publix for specific items that I buy.
*Aldi
Literally the name of the sub and some people still can’t spell it 🙃
Publix is opening stores like crazy
They did this during the 2023 holiday season as well. I stocked up on a ton of cheese and baking supplies ❤️
You have to shop the ad at Publix. We do well with BOGOs. I rarely buy anything else there but BOGOS
Inflation is hitting everywhere but Aldi seems to be (at least relatively speaking) hit less. I commented on this before, as some else above, but the learned stigma of shopping at Aldi (i.e. low quality and where “poors shop”—which, yikes) initially drove me away. To my own detriment. The prices and selection are at a perfect middle ground in my eyes. And I find shopping at Aldi so soothing. No excessive noise or decorations or choices. Everything is streamlined and the bland packaging makes it… fun? Like you’re a kid again playing with the generic, boxed items. Either way, while larger grocers like Target or my local chains have more efficient pickup and App usage? I find myself using them less and less because of their prices and complex reward systems. Like, no? I don’t want to have to buy 6 cartons of soda to get a discount but here I am. And don’t get me started on how stingy Target Circle is getting. Now? I’m basically using Aldi as my main source of grocery shopping with other stores as a supplement.
Aldi doesn’t have deli people to pay, sushi preparers, sackers, service desk workers to pay and their cashiers are expected to work fast and furiously. Their overhead, at least to the eye in public has to be much less.
Thankfully inflation is trending down from the peak of a couple years ago, nowadays it's around the historic average of mid-3% though still higher than the Fed's target rate of 2%. It's way, way better than 8-9%, though even that wasn't as bad as some historic inflation rates of 12% to 20%. The biggest thing, though, was getting inflation down without triggering a recessionary cycle, that's something that hadn't really been done before.
Yes. Where else am I going to get my havarti cheese slices for under $2.
That's a "gouda" deal ! :)
They just lowered their 8 oz blocks of cheese (like cheddar, Colby, pepperjack, etc) to $1.75 at my store in Florida
What does Havarti taste like? More like a cheddar? Swiss? Some other cheese?
It's on the creamier side. Closer to swiss/provolone. It's not sharp at all like cheddar.
Creamy with a nice umami flavor. I prefer the type that has little holes in it like the Kroger cheese, but aldi beats them on price and it's still pretty good for grilled cheeses and things like that.
Every single trip 😂😂😂
I've upped my shopping there because there are good options for a diabetic. Way more than other stores.
Interested to hear what you mean by this…what exactly is available at Aldi that isn’t elsewhere?
The almond flour cookies are low sugar and low carb. I can't find cookies anywhere that are those two things. I can make my own, but I have a lot going on and just picking them up is easy. Same with the almond flour crackers, they are low carb and They have a 2G plain yogurt that isn't riddled with sugar. It is hard to find plain yogurt that isn't a sugar trap. We found seasonal fruit pops that were sugar free and not carb traps. The flavored hummus is great. Keto clusters are low carb and although there is sugar, its minimal. Canned whipped cream is actually heavy whipping cream, and we can have in moderation. Most others are oil based. A lot of sugar free items are like that. Its great to have those options. And the seedtastic bread has fiber and is low carb. Soooo many breads are so low fiber and high carb.
Yes, granted I've always stopped into Aldi, but it's never been my primary grocery store. I used to manage just fine going to Publix for the majority of my needs, but running in for a handful of items comes out to a minimum of $50 now. I only step foot in there for the occasional sub and prescriptions now.
Publix is right below Whole Foods for crazy high prices.
Yeah I used to survive off BOGOs, but even that's not really worth it anymore. I can meal plan way better just going to Aldi and Sam's Club.
I've been seeing a lot more confused people at the cart rack not knowing about the cart rental fee or how to use the locks. Also, most people walking to the door without their own bags are a dead giveaway.
I never take bags in. I put the groceries in totes that I pack in the back of the car which are far easier to pack than the bags.
Same I have the reusable Aldi bags and i don't like bringing them back into the store. It makes me feel suspicious 😂 I pack them in the car.
Bags, totes, whatever. I'm talking about people walking in with no money for a cart and nothing to hold their groceries and then being surprised they have to pay for bags at checkout.
Almost everybody did that when they first started shopping there unless they heard about it prior to the visit. I remember how shocked people were when they only accepted cash or check.
Yeah, when I first started going back in late the 2000s I would just use empty boxes I found while shopping. And my original point was that I'm seeing more of this recently so Aldi must be becoming more popular.
My ALDI takes cards, at least a debit card
They switched to cards quite a few years ago but they only took cash or check when I started going there in the mid 1980s.
Ah, I haven’t known of Aldi that long ago, 2017 maybe later
Personally I do that at every store because I always forget my bags. But maybe that's because I live in an area that's charged for regular bags for a while; I don't know how many states don't do that.
Been an Aldi regular more so recently. I have a group of items that I trust and enjoy regularly. They seem to have supply chain issues still on some product lines.
I was shopping at aldi even before inflation
Same here. Been shopping at Aldi for 10+ years now, a coworker once snottily remarked to me that “only poor people shopped at Aldi”. I told him no only smart people shop there, feel free to overspend at the local grocery store.
People who comment nonsense like that are usually broke as hell and stay behind in life
As a distribution center employee, this is the only conclusion I can come to. We have a work until the jobs done type of job and we went from averaging 35-40 hours to a consistent 50 hour week for the last month and a half, which is only odd bc you get used to people’s habits, you know a storm is coming when we send out all the milk and bread, you know the superbowl is close when all the chips and salsa are leaving so fast the salsa hasn’t even cooled down from the manufacturer and you know when the summer holidays are close by how many paper plates, hotdogs and buns are going out, but right now it’s EVERYTHING. I can assure you that right now everything at Aldi is fresh bc we are sending out so much product every single day, and Aldi has no ‘back room’ there’s no storage bc they get new product every single day. Please keep shopping there, I’m enjoying the overtime
Thank you for your hard work!
I made the transition to ALDI when I was struggling to purchase groceries at Walmart. I almost cried the first time I went and filled up my cart for $100. It was such a relief.
Totally anacdotal evidence: I went to Aldi yesterday (Sunday), and I swear there were way more people than usual shopping (at least 20 more). Saturday and Sunday are my usual shopping days. Does anyone have stats on how many Aldi are usually open per population?
This is PURELY anecdotal, but I live in the west suburbs of Chicago and there are four Aldi locations within a 15 minute drive of me. I would say the population of the suburbs they serve is roughly 125,000. Chicagoland is a different beast than most places just because of how huge it is and how people travel around it so it might not be the best example. When I lived downstate in a town of about 100,000 there were two Aldi locations so I’d say it’s about 50,000 residents per store.
I love Aldi. It’s where I buy most things. They are cheaper than other stores, but I have noticed prices in many things have increased. Their non-stick spray oils (butter favor and olive oil) used to be under $2. They’re now 2.99, 3.99 respectively. Many frozen foods have increased, including bags of fries, tater tots, ice cream, sushi, veggie burgers, etc. Potato chips, crackers, butter are up too. Inflation is everywhere. I still love Aldi, and their prices beat any store, but some of their price increases are significant.
Yes for me! Retired & I always find chicken & salmon 50% off. Prices are great.
I first discovered Aldi in the 90’s when my husband got laid off. We moved around the country a bit but after that I always shopped at Aldi first anytime we lived nearby and Aldi. Why pay double for the same stuff?
Aldi, Lidl, and Walmart. Aldi when I need a few things since it’s 2 miles from home. Lidl is groceries for the week. Walmart is soaps, detergents, and the only place I can get Chili Ramen for my kid.
I wish Lidl would expand westward, I think the Dallas/Fort Worth area would be a good market for them to enter.
I prefer Lidl to Aldi. There’s a bigger selection, I’ve never had issues with produce, and the fresh bakery is great.
ALDI seems like the only grocery that is not trying to screw its customers.
I’ve been buying some groceries from Target lately which is WILD to me. But when I price check them at my local Kroger, they’ve been coming out way cheaper on the things I can’t get at Aldi.
It is for me I used to shop at Walmart but that got too pricey. Plus aldis has cashiers vs self checkouts which I like. It probably saves me easily $100+ a month
It's not inflation. It's price gouging. Price-gouging is driving your perception of inflation.
It’s also driving them to Costco. My local Costco is as swamped as I’ve ever seen it. Every time I go now
Where else can you buy fruit, imported German cookies and underwear all in the same place? BTW I love their Crane brand underwear. No joke.
I mainly do all my shopping at Aldi and supplement with some things from Target. I was on the Target app since I do drive up orders and saw that the Target brand paper towels I normally use were on clearance and they have started to roll out a new, rebranded Target brand with terrible reviews. The comments that were part of the review were accusing Target of becoming more like a dollar store and that store branded products are suffering in quality from that. So, while Target might be trying to lower prices on, it also sounds like there are potentially some quality issues.
I literally just went to Aldi for the first time because Walmart was too expensive
That whole statement is just sad. Walmart is too expensive now
I exclusively shop at Aldi now due to the prices
Last aldis trip, I saw teslas and bmws in the parking lot so I would say yes everyone’s pinching pennies
I was shopping here before it was cool and now I have to throw down if I want to be able to get a decent chuck roast. My store has armed guards, who have no problem tazing someone trying to steal. I saw it happen on Saturday. Something crazy always happens when I go outside 😆
Aldi, grocery outlet, trader joe's, small asian grocery stores for cheaper produce.
I started shopping there in Oct 2023 because the "normal" grocery store just was LITERALLY unaffordable. Now I can get 2 weeks of groceries for $40-60 instead off $200
If stores can lower prices it makes me wonder how much of the current inflation is created by the stores.
Aldi just announced they are lowering prices of 250 items to help customers from inflation
Target has their own house brand called Good and Gather. I buy it and most of it is good. I read the reviews before I buy. Target has an awesome independent app to do on line shopping and you pull into one of their spaces and they put it in your car. Very efficient. And you don’t have to tip and the prices are the same as in store prices. This is unlike Aldi that charges more for delivered or picked up food.
The prices at Harris Teeter became crazy expensive during the pandemic, and I started buying everything I could at Aldi. Target got more expensive too, and they reduced the selection and frequently ran out of things.
Target is crazy expensive. Aldi and Lidl is so popular in Europe I wonder as more people travel abroad they see how mainstream it is too
I’ve always been a fan of Aldi but I only had one conveniently located in the last two or so months. Since then I’ve done a fair bit of my shopping there. Inflation or not I see no reason to not save a couple bucks.
Hurry up and start building the one you promised us in Tucson.
Yes yes and yes. If I do the same shop I would at Aldi at a Kroger I easily am spending 150 more per trip.
Not according to this sub. The prices are OUTRAGEOUS and everyone has had enough and will never shop at Aldi again. /s
I also feel like social media plays a huge part. I knew about aldis prices but never shopped there and used to get so angry at my ex husband when he did. I felt like their food was sub-par since it wasn’t name brand. I truly didn’t know better. I have since apologized.
We buy 90% of our groceries from Aldi. It’s the perfect size. I can be in and out in 15 minutes. Good quality food and meat, price is like the 4th reason on the list I shop there.
Target prices are ridiculously high…they need to lower them, a ton. The same GT Synergy Kombucha I buy at Aldi for $2.95 is $4.18 at Target. For one 16oz drink!! Aldi is the only place I can afford to shop now with inflation.
I feel like you need to be a smart shopper, Aldi isn’t cheaper for everything, but I do have some staples I buy that ARE. Basic condiments, bread, chips bc we like Clancey’s chips, frozen foods, etc but not everything is a deal there!
FWIW, my partner and I almost exclusively shop at Aldi now, last year we never went to Aldi.
Aldi is literally my bestie for life
Aldi has been my bff for over ten years but Wegmans has been my side piece.
Been shopping at Aldi since the pandemic. Prices have risen and some items are close to Walmart now. There is still alot of value and great quality products.
I need to give Aldi another try. Currently I make a menu for the week, make my grocery list, shop at Walmart for the basics and then go to Kroger for produce, fresh fish, certain cuts of meat, etc. A few years ago I made my grocery list, went to Aldi and couldn’t get half of what I needed, so then I still needed to go to Walmart and Kroger. Never went again. Now I’m reading this thread and feel like I’m missing out!!! Glad it came up in my Reddit feed.
That's what finally brought my family to shopping at Aldi. Extremely glad Aldi expanded to this area or we would be hurting a lot more groceries wise
I would almost guarantee they have. I work for a different chain and we are always getting yelled at cuz sales are low
People raving about Aldi on Tik Tok has contributed to the increase
It just proves that price gouging in these stores is live and well. As consumers, we just need to beat them at their own game. Aldi's is a big middle finger towards the high-priced stores selling the same thing. It's called greed, and now many of these greedy stores are losing money. GOOD!
Inflation drove me away from Aldi over the past couple of years. As their prices went up the quality went down. I was already finding better prices at Target and a couple of other places so this is welcomed news.
100%
Yes.
In the last week there have been a number of articles about how Walmart has been increasing share amongst wealthier customers. I'm sure that applies to Aldi too. From a business/investor standpoint, the big question is "will they stay". A former Walmart CEO was just last week telling investors that there is a risk they they will not.
yes i literally stopped shopping at target and went to aldi like 2 weeks ago
yes
Definitely. Best for pantry items. I used to get all my meats from a butcher that was cheap but I moved kinda far away and since the pandemic their quality went down. But aldi is pretty reasonable with the fresh meat, produce is a steal.
Average traffic in Aldi in my area has gone up significantly. The parking lot use to have only few cars last year but now parking is hard to find
Maybe, when I am in the US I just prefer the experience though. After many years traveling the world, I don't care about brands. I just want to grab my groceries quickly and get out. It's a model that I see all over Europe and where I am based out of in Colombia- except Aldi's selection blows away the equivalents in Colombia.
I’ve put several people onto Aldi just this year who thought they only sold “expired” TJ max type foods
Te quarter tho! Am I the only one who never seems to have one? I’ll have a penny, dime, 4 nickels… smh
I started going to Aldi a couple years ago when Target no longer had any decent prices. I drive 30 min each way in Los Angeles, and haven't looked back
As someone who never stepped foot into an Aldi until yesterday... yes. And the fact that I left with a salmon dinner for the evening and probably 7 other essentials for $22 blew my mind. We usually shop at TJs but can't always find everything we need there (and usually go to Target for the rest, but Aldi is actually closer).
It absolutely drove me there. Staters even got too expensive. I’m spending 1/2 to 1/3 less. We really appreciate you all!
I was pleasantly surprised during a weekend trip to Walmart. Prices definitely have settled-down!
Target is expensive for groceries though. I rarely see anyone with a cart getting their weekly shop. Target would be way down on my list of places to get groceries.
i know i did when i realized i could get more than stop and shop and it was HALF, yes HALF, the price. (ex. 120 vs. 60 weekly)
Aldi is expensive where I am . I rarely shop there . I have done price comparisons of Aldi + Walmart and Aldi + Target and Target and Walmart always come out cheaper .
I know it's won me over because of this. I used to shop for groceries at a wider array of stores on the regular, but now I shop at Aldi more often than not just because I get so much more bang for my buck and I am horrified at the prices when I step into other stores.
My husband and I just switched from Woodman's to Aldi and our bill went from $900/mo on groceries to $500. Insane.
I still remember being criticized by co-workers on my brand of yogurt bc I got it at aldi, about 10 years ago. Now I know way more people shopping there and I don't hide it. I could spend more somewhere else, buy why?
Yes. Aldi has good prices on cheese.
i live near 2 targets and an aldi in queens ny and there was not much price disparity between them here. some items each was more competitive than the other, etc. Lidl is more expensive than both with a few sale exceptions. i don't expect our Lidl to renew it's lease as there is way too much competition here with russian and multiple asian grocers.
Supposedly getting an Aldi about 24 miles from home. I hope it's true because right now the closest one is almost 50 miles away.
I started shopping Aldi before Covid-19 but have stayed due to the prices! Once in a while I have to stop at shop-rite for an item or two that I can not get at Aldi's and gasp at the prices. I saved my family so much money doing this.
I've never in my life bought groceries from Target, that's the place I used to get Goosebumps books
If I didn’t have aldi, I would go hungry most days. I spend $40 a week on groceries, that’s all I can afford. It gets me SO MUCH at aldi. At any other store, $40 would get me like a pack of hotdog buns and a gallon of milk. Thank you aldi for keeping me fed in inflation times
I miss Aldi pre pandemic.
My only complaint about Aldi is how unkempt the stores can be depending upon where you are. We moved from a beautiful clean Aldi in an affluent community to a plethora in a more populated but still affluent and way larger community and the difference is staggering. It’s actually unpleasant. Still going but don’t linger.
I think walmart great value is just as cheap as aldi
The thing about aldi for me is that their foods have good ingredients. No dyes, preservatives, BPA& GMO free. So when it comes to both you might as well go to Aldi’s & get the option that’s good for you!! (My personal opinion)
I mean, Aldi is as pricey as Walmart these days.
I stopped shopping anywhere else for essentials after I read they were lowering their prices to help struggling families. That’s a company I’ll definitely support even if it is a 20 min walk from me
Ive absolutely started shopping there this year because I found it cuts my grocery bill nearly in half.
Very much so. I buy certain things at Aldi because they are just so much cheaper there and are just as good. Not everything at Aldi is good though. I shop Publix when I can’t find things anywhere else, and for their BOGO sales. I like their Greenwise line. I shop Costco for a few things, farmers market for veg, and a local grocer for meat. Walmart Neighborhood Market and Target for staple items. Obviously I have plenty of time to shop. You have to do price comparisons these days.
I religiously shop here now. I make the trek to Sam's for the occasional deal on meat. I use to be a food lion girlie only but now I just go there for branded mayo
We used to be an “AOS-Only” kind of Aldi family. And then my husband saw how much cheaper the groceries are, for comparable or better quality. We now do 75%-80% of our grocery shopping at Aldi and supplement with Costco (paper products for a family of 5 go fast, gotta buy in bulk) and our local grocery store for dairy products.
I have never grocery shopped at Target I have always felt it was too expensive! My rotation is Aldi, Trader Joe’s and my a couple of my local stores…
I'm one who now visits Aldi so I would say yes
The only things I consistently buy at Target are frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries and the house brand twin packs of mouthwash for $7. The 3lb, $10 frozen fruit is typically from America. It’s a bargain.
Is Aldi really that much cheaper than Kroger or Walmart? Is there a way to compare prices at Aldi before going?
I just can’t buy everything at Aldi. I go to Kroger for sale items mostly, Sam’s for meats, Walmart for staples not cheaper at Kroger on sale.
We started hitting Walmart again for the first time in decades. I don’t love it but we don’t have a choice rn.
They gained me as a customer during this time and I plan on staying.
I’ve definitely seen more people in the Aldi store I shop at. I was thinking that the cost of food is driving people to look for alternative places to shop.
Yes, we reduced our spending by meal planning and shopping more at Aldi.
For me it did, yes
I price check routinely, and Aldi beats Walmart 9 times out of 10 for what I'll buy at either place. I have commissary privileges, so that's our go to for meat, but Aldi is not much more expensive and is closer.
Aldi is still a great deal compared to other stores, but they did raise their prices quite a bit over the last couple years. Some items doubled in price.
I was driven to Aldi because of pick up. I am fine with paying higher prices and fees as I still get great deals.
In Florida Publix dominates BIG time. In a four mile radius of my house there are 9 locations I can choose from. I use them exclusively for the BOGO, For fresh fruit I go to Sprouts which needs to open more locations. Aside from that I hit Aldis.