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The Wandering Harper

(741 posts)
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 02:01 AM Nov 20

ALDI - how?

recently clued in to this place.
Their version of Little Debbie Nutty Bars,
astonishingly less expensive than the major brand,
and tastes better overall.
$3 for a quart of rich hearty soup,
and very tasty for canned.
Is that how much we're being overcharged for food at the major places,
or, what?
One thing I noticed is how they stock the shelves,
many items they just cut open a case and put it on the shelf,
not each one individually placed like most stores.
That's gotta cut their overhead, but that much?
What's going on here?

16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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ALDI - how? (Original Post) The Wandering Harper Nov 20 OP
I think what you are seeing is the contrast Otto_Harper Nov 20 #1
Here's an example of the price games currently being played - and folks call it "inflation" Otto_Harper Nov 20 #2
illuminating The Wandering Harper Nov 20 #4
Thank you for your in-depth post. I live within a mile of ... dchill Nov 20 #5
I try to buy on sale Old Crank Nov 20 #9
Not only is yours an informative post, True Dough Nov 20 #13
I love Aldi's! I'm a huge cheese fan and they have Phoenix61 Nov 20 #3
Agreed on this Ontheboundry Nov 20 #7
My neighbor is an aldi manager Ontheboundry Nov 20 #6
I've been shopping at ALDI since I lived in Germany. SKKY Nov 20 #8
I shop at Aldi johnnyfins Nov 20 #10
I've been an Aldi shopper since 1999 mama Nov 20 #11
This is important Ontheboundry Nov 20 #15
I live in the home of Aldi. Old Crank Nov 20 #12
Aldi's is a European miracle in the USA. lark Nov 20 #14
Think, SAV aLOt kozar Nov 20 #16

Otto_Harper

(754 posts)
1. I think what you are seeing is the contrast
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 02:26 AM
Nov 20

between Aldi's business model, which is basic, low cost, no frills, versus the more traditional stores which quite literally play games with the prices to help them vacuum out your pocket. I will be back in a few minutes with an example for you, and will post it below as soon as I finish.

Otto_Harper

(754 posts)
2. Here's an example of the price games currently being played - and folks call it "inflation"
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 02:53 AM
Nov 20

I chose one single item to compare between 4 major supermarkets in the area. I went and got their price from this week's advertisement. The item is a can of Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup. Nothing exotic, and a basic staple kind of food.

At Giant, you can see them charging $2.50 per can "On Sale", with a normal price of $4.00. Yes, 4 bucks for a can of soup. But, this week, you can scurry off with it for $2.50.


At Weis, you can get the same item for $2.99, regular price, not on sale. So, Giant normally charges a buck per can more for this product. That really adds up fast.


Then, Redner's will sell you the same can of soup at $2 each, if you buy 2 cans. Normal price is $3.89


Or, try Wally World for the same item. There, it is $1.98 per can. On sale. Normal price is $2.38.


I have to tell you that I am a retired "Rocket Scientist", and tracking and pursuing the best pricing takes a fair amount of time, but, it is necessary to avoid blowing literally tens of dollars overboard every week. They are constantly dancing the prices around,andno single store has the best prices for all items,or even the same items in subsequent weeks.


dchill

(40,647 posts)
5. Thank you for your in-depth post. I live within a mile of ...
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 03:14 AM
Nov 20

...a Weis and a Giant, and they are ALWAYS gaming the prices of everything they stock. Folgers coffee is currently 10.99 at Weis and 14.99 at Giant. I drink Folgers, and it really galls me that the prices vary so greatly.

Old Crank

(4,801 posts)
9. I try to buy on sale
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 05:05 AM
Nov 20

And stock up on stuff that I will use.
Here in Germany most brands cost the same from store to store. They do have sales and can discount. I don't have a car do I don't spend my savings at one store driving to another store.
They do have House brands which are cheaper.
Fun keeping track of what is the best place to buy certain items.

True Dough

(20,603 posts)
13. Not only is yours an informative post,
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 05:36 AM
Nov 20

I'm marvelling at a conversation between "Wandering Harper" and "Otto Harper." Have you two checked your family trees?

Ontheboundry

(296 posts)
6. My neighbor is an aldi manager
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 03:46 AM
Nov 20

They reduce labor :
No cart retrievals
Shelf stocking is simplistic
Usually only one cashier open (mostly self check-out)
Smaller store footprint
No phone answering (nobody answers their phones ever )
No bagging (you do it yourself)

Also, no advertisements
No vendors means no middle man to mark it up
No department heads
The staff is also very small at any single time (3 is usual)

They pay their employees much better also than other stores with better than average benefits here in Tennessee I think the starting rate is 18

Also,.they don't have more than one choice of an item usually. Want kidney beans, you get the choice of dark or light or...none

Their banana suck bad tho. I refuse to buy them there lol.

johnnyfins

(1,443 posts)
10. I shop at Aldi
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 05:05 AM
Nov 20

Most of the time, their meats are great. Reasonably priced, and a great selection.

I usually get a lot of my outside aisle stuff at aldi. Produce, dairy, bakery, meats. The price difference is definitely worth it.

mama

(177 posts)
11. I've been an Aldi shopper since 1999
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 05:07 AM
Nov 20

Wandered in after someone in the parking lot told me i wouldn't be disappointed, it was worth the $.25 cart deposit.
At the time we were a family of four and I saved hundreds of dollars a month.
Now I use a combination of Costco and Aldi for groceries and rarely set foot in a regular grocery chain. The prices shock me when I have to go to a "Giant Eagle", here in Ohio. It helps if you like to cook from scratch, you won't miss the variety of processed name-brand foods.

Ontheboundry

(296 posts)
15. This is important
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 10:00 AM
Nov 20

If you cook your own food, Aldi is absolutely able to cover almost all your needs

My wife makes homemade bread a lot so she has to use Walmart for the whole wheat flour,.and for most spices also but I'd say 70% of our groceries come.from.aldi

Old Crank

(4,801 posts)
12. I live in the home of Aldi.
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 05:12 AM
Nov 20

Not that great a fan. Other than staple items some things are hit and miss. If you see it and want it, buy it now because it might not be there again.
Most of the stores I go to here in Munich stock with the boxes on the shelves. Which can be annoying when they are nearly empty. Not all products are treated that way.
The grocery stores are smaller.
One thing they do is flood the stores with extra workers to restock shelves.
That is fun, dodging the carts and pallets of new product along with the stacks of empty boxes and packaging.

lark

(24,280 posts)
14. Aldi's is a European miracle in the USA.
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 09:04 AM
Nov 20

I just love this store, it is our primary source of groceries these days. We still go to Publix for some brands we can't get there, like Fancy Feast for the cat, but Aldi's is the main store for us these days. Their cheese is so good and so much less as well as all the staples like milk, eggs, bread. Their Simply brand is the best!

kozar

(2,910 posts)
16. Think, SAV aLOt
Wed Nov 20, 2024, 11:12 AM
Nov 20

But more expensive,
They buy old proteins, sell them cheaper. Tag them under their name.
I only buy my protein , at my local butcher shop.



Koz

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