Some things you may not know about the supermarket giant (Image: UNP)
Aldi is a shopper's paradise, renowned for its no-nonsense approach, affordable prices and top-notch products.
Not to mention the middle aisle that houses an eclectic mix of incredibly cheap and highly desirable items, ranging from high-tech tin openers to leaf blowers. It's the kind of shop where you might pop in for tea bags and walk out with a kayak.
Former Aldi worker has revealed a number of supermarket's secrets Emily Carubia, including the best time of day to get Special Buys and some of the best dupes on offer in store.
Discounts
All perishable food products nearing their sell-by date get reduced throughout the day, up to 75%. These include bread, meat, and produce, while imperfectly packaged items like rice, cereal, and tinned food are discounted by 30%.
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The best time for reduced items is usually towards the end of the day, but you might find some before then, too. Keep a lookout for the red stickers, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Unlike other supermarkets, however, Aldi doesn't gather its red sticker items together, so you'll need to keep your eyes peeled for offers dotted around the store.
Too Good To Go
What about all the reduced items that don't sell?
Aldi offers Too Good to Go - if a food item is nearing its sell-by date and hasn't been bought, it will be scooped up and put into a box full of food items with a value of no less than £10, but you can get it for just £3.30. It's a great way to help stop food wastage and get loads of great food for your money.
Specialbuys
The optimal time to snag Aldi's Specialbuys is right when the store opens at 8am. Due to their limited availability, it's crucial to act fast to avoid missing out.
Aldi's Specialbuys aisles (Image: Aldi/Tim Mossford)
Aldi offers two days of Specialbuys: Thursday and Sunday. The colour of the signage above the aisle indicates which day's Specialbuys are on display - blue for Thursdays and orange for Sundays.
These items are typically located in the middle aisles at the back of the store. Stay updated on upcoming Specialbuys by following Aldi's Instagram page @aldispecialbuysuk or downloading the Aldi app.
Timing and Targets
Not only do Aldi employees have a scanning target of 1500 items per hour, but they're also timed on how quickly they can restock a palette of goods. This frequent replenishment of stock allows the store to employ fewer staff members and maintain low prices.
Dupes
There's nothing quite like discovering a high-quality dupe. It's incredibly satisfying to find a product that performs just as well as your favourite moisturiser, boasts an equally impressive list of ingredients, but costs only a fraction of the price.
Aldi's hair and beauty Specialbuy items are truly top-notch. From Clinique moisturiser dupes to Dior lip oil dupes, the beauty products never fail to impress. Plus, they're always priced at least half of what the original product costs.
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The ELEMIS cleansing balm dupe in Aldi (Image: Liverpool Echo)
However, these items tend to fly off the shelves, so grab them while you can. One Aldi employee praised the "amazing" tangle tee*zer brush dupe, describing it as feeling like a "feels like a head massage".
Flowers
Don't overlook the blooming bargains when you're browsing the aisles! Aldi's floral offerings can give you a petal for your penny, as they are far more budget-friendly compared to other supermarkets and with impressive longevity too. Be sure to check the 'best before' date for peak freshness.
Cigarettes
Curious as to why you won't find cigarettes at Aldi?
This goes all the way back to a 1960s family feud between Aldi's founders, the German Albrecht brothers, Karl and Theo, over tobacco sales. The dispute led to the empire splitting into Aldi North, under Theo's reign, where cigarettes were stocked; and Karl's Aldi South, which shunned them.
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Aldi sells a wide range of flowers in store (Image: Liverpool Echo)
As Aldi ventured beyond German borders, the siblings divvied up the world's territories, and it's Karl's Aldi South that took charge in the UKhence, no cigarettes on the shelves here, unlike traditional supermarket giants.
Best food dupes
Hesitant to stray from known brands? Take a chance on these Aldi finds that could fool even discerning palates. Nutoka spreads joy with its striking similarity to Nutella but at a sliver of the cost.
Fancy a biscuit spread? Belmont's version is a dead-ringer for Lotus Biscoff spread. As a current Aldi employee confided to the ECHO: "I think the Racer bars are better than the real Snickers to be honest."
Best alcohol dupes
Aldi has extended its popular Wine of the Week offers to run throughout the year due to their seasonal success.
Aldi has a number of dupes for top brand alcoholic beverages (Image: Daily Mirror)
Some of the top-rated alcohol alternatives include Aldi's Haysmith's Rhubarb and Ginger gin, priced at £14.99, which has been hailed as one of the world's best gins, earning a Gold Outstanding award at the IWSC Spirits Awards.
The St Germont Vodka, also retailing at £14.99, provides a premium taste that competes with Grey Goose, currently priced at £41.50 in Morrison's.
Pack after you pay
In an effort to keep queues down and prices low, Aldi encourages customers to pack their items after payment due to limited staffing.
Boxes for bags
If you forget your bags, simply grab an empty cardboard box from the produce section. This not only saves plastic but also your change.
Aldi is known for its low prices (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Electric price cards
Most Aldi stores now have electric price cards which update prices automatically. If an item is missing on the shelf, check the price card to see if it has an 'Out of Stock' sign on it.
Magnificent memories
While no longer a requirement, there was a time when all in-store Aldi colleagues had to memorise the prices and codes of 750 products.
Despite the introduction of barcode readers, staff members are still required to memorise codes for certain items, particularly produce.
Always recruiting
Aldi is always looking for new people to join the team, and if you don't mind early starts and a bit of hard work, it's a great job to have. Some perks include paid breaks, a pension plan and chances of career progression.
