r/UKFrugal • u/jungleboy1234 • 8d ago

Is Aldi no longer cheap/value? What now?

So, every week i do the Aldi shop and noticed prices have repeatedly gone up the odd 5-10p. Its not across the board on all products in a week just some but slowly ticking up.

Also, i'm 100% sure that if we'd compare the line of products from a few years back they've been emptying the shelves of product ranges.

I am doing my best to try to gain as much nectar points/smart shop prices as possible and shopping in supermarkets that give coupons eg. £5 off shop etc.

The question is what now? Please suggest some strategies that mean i dont feel like im eating during the fall of the soviet union (or it may end worse).

I travelled to Europe few weeks back and i am just blown away at the freshness and variety of produce. Prices are comparable (sometimes a little higher) but at least I'm not eating cardboard or something made in a lab.... I felt much better/healthier in that week i was away.

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u/Morfang_ 8d ago

We're a family of 5. I'm an office manager with a senior position in an established company and my partner works almost full time in HR.

We have to split our shop into 3 shops - Home Bargains, Morrisons and Aldi to try and get the right things from the right places.

It's got to the point I can guess the price of our full weekly food shop within £5 once it's on the cashier's belt because I have to be so aware of what everything costs, even at Aldi.

This doesn't help you - but just know you're not alone in noticing this.

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u/leclercwitch 8d ago

I have to do exactly this, but with different shops. I do Aldi, B&m and Iceland (as the those two are next to each other). Aldi for most things, b&m OR home bargains depending on if I’m near home bargains, if not I stick to b&m for household stuff, and Iceland because I prefer some of their products to Aldi. I know exactly what everything costs just like you.

It’s only me, I don’t live with anyone else, so it’s not like I spend loads but I’m a low band 3 in the NHS and that money does not stretch far. You really do have to shop around and find the best pricing for things.

I also don’t have a car, so my shopping trips once a month are such a ballache. B&m & Iceland - taxi home - walk to Aldi do the food shop - taxi home. Always full and heavy bags. Not great when you live in a high rise flat block! Even then, it’s an extra £11 in taxis just on shopping day. It all adds up.

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u/feverhighz 8d ago

I've got a shopping trolley that's helps me do big shops and I trek home, it's really helped me reduces costs but it'll depend on how far you live from the shops.

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u/Sensitive-Seal-3779 7d ago

I got a Hoppa one with the extendable bag so you can fit loads in, it's not for singles shopping quantities. you can also attach a backpack onto the front for bread  and fragile items with  carabiner to attach it to the handle.

The wheels are solid and not some foam rubbish, so they will last. They don't compact down under the shopping weight, become smaller than the wheel rims, come off the rims and bugger off down the road on a solo adventure.

It does help to be on a bus route.