I’m a manager at Aldi – the 5 supermarket secrets every customer is dying to know, including Specialbuys

WHEN you do the food shop there are plenty of questions that run through your head ‘do I need tea bags?’ ‘did the kids eat the last of the crisps?’

But shopping at Aldi is a whole other experience that will leave you with more than a few questions running through your head.

Aldi

Getty

The German retailer keeps excitement buzzing throughout the year, launching new food products every month and stocking up on Specialbuys twice a week, leaving many customers asking just how they do it.

Fortunately, the secrets are no longer kept behind closed doors as Ricardo Sealey, store manager at their Nuneaton store dishes all.

Specialbuys uncovered

“A common question customers ask is about Aldi’s Specialbuys, with many shoppers curious as to whether they can find different Specialbuys by visiting other stores in the area,” says Ricardo.

But the short answer is no, he says.

The manager revealed the middle aisle buys are released every Thursday and Sunday and exclusively available to their stores, everyone can buy the unique products whereever they are in the UK.

But if you missed out and it’s sold out in your local store you might get lucky and find it in another.

Shelf stocking

In some stores, staff wait until after closing time to restock shelves, but in others, they will bring out giant trolleys while we’re all trying to shop.

While it can feel like carnage, there’s a good reason for it.

“To help things run smoothly, all Aldi colleagues are trained to help in roles across the store, from moving stock to scanning groceries,” Ricardo tells Metro .

“This is to ensure the store teams are streamlined, prices remain low for customers, and shoppers can always find their favourite buys in store.”

Lookalike

When heading to Aldi, even if it’s not your usual store, it can feel like déjà vu as they all look strikingly similar.

Just like training all of their staff to do any job -their stores are designed to look the same to keep things running efficiently.

Aldi stores are typically smaller than other supermarkets to reduce running costs and have fewer aisles to make more space available.

Ricardo also says this helps customers find exactly what they want no matter what store they go to.

What's coming up in this week's Aldi Specialbuys events?

GOT a big DIY project or perhaps your house needs a deep clean?

Thursday 15th August sees DIY essentials launched into stores, and on Sunday 18th August you can stock up on the best cleaning products.

DIY

• 4V Stapler – £16.99
• Pivot Handle Screwdriver – £16.99
• Workwear Gloves – £2.49
• Professional Brush Set – £2.99
• Paint – £6.99
• Wall Double Socket With USB – £9.99
• Digital Multimeter – £7.99

Cleaning

• Buddy Bin Freshener – £3.99
• Pet stain and odour remover – £2.99
• Surf Laundry liquid – £4.69
• Comfort fabric conditioner – £2.75
• Minky Scrubbies – £1.49
• Electric cleaning brush – £4.99
• Handheld vacuum – £24.99
• 2-in-1 Cyclonic Cordless vacuum – £49.99
• Wet & Dry vacuum – £39.99
• Multi functional Rug – £12.99

Bargain buys

The supermarket regularly wins ‘cheapest supermarket’ Aldi staff are often told by customers the prices seem too good to be true.

Minus saving costs on store size, they also keep things cheap thanks to its core offering of products.

“Around 95% of the products on our shelves are exclusive own-label brands, meaning Aldi can control everything from production to delivery and pass the savings on to customers,” says Ricardo.

By buying larger quantities, the low cost trickles down for customers to enjoy.

Sticker time

Many supermarkets participate in yellow sticker buys but Aldi has their own way – red stickers and they offer the best discounts in store.

Ricardo explains: “All of our UK stores mark down perishable products by 75% on their last day of life, including bread, meat, and produce, while imperfectly packaged items like rice, cereal, and tinned food are discounted by 30%.”

Unlike other stores who put discount buys together, Aldi doesn’t so you’ll have to go hunting down the aisle to find them.