Why Does Aldi Keep Changing Their Food Line?

[renegadefm]

As a family we find it incredibly frustrating that Aldi will randomly change their food line. 

 

Best example I can give is we took a special trip to our local Aldi today, as I discovered their Sausage hot pot ready meal, and I thought it was delicious, so we have been regularly buying it for weeks. 

 

But today it's been replaced with something else. When we asked a member of staff why have they discontinued it, they look at you like your an alien. As if we should know that Aldi regularly changes their food line. Of course this doesn't help the customer one bit. 

 

So why does Aldi bring out something that flies off the shelf, only to discontinue it?

 

This isn't the first time this has happened, I was using my example which happened today, but it's so annoying. 

 

Surely what they are doing is to their detriment in the long run, as I walked out empty handed. 

[pastafreak]

I thought all the supermarkets do that. Particularly as the seasons change. You should start seeing bbq meals around now 😀

They want to keep you interested and trying new things. 

[1581960]

Yes, most irritating, they used to do a delicious chicken casserole but same thing happened to that.

It’s not confined to Aldi, we have had similar disappointments at Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

[Old_Geezer]

My guess is that they probably sell on price, and if they don't get a good deal on the hot pot then it likely disappears from their shelves until they do ?

[pastafreak]

Has anybody watched "Aldi: the next big thing"...on C4 I think. Its a competion where small suppliers pitch their innovative foods for a place on aldis shelves. Probably a tarted up version of how it's actually done.

 

[barry1010]

Exactly that, price points.  If an item can no longer be made within specific price points, it's scrapped 

[renegadefm]

pastafreak, 

 

It happens in other stores, but not as frequent as Aldi or Lidls. 

 

We have been noticing this trend particularly at Aldis. Something new will come out that we like, and sometimes within a fortnight it's gone, and it's been replaced. 

 

I'm wondering is this something to do with how they keep prices low?

 

In our experience, it's frustrating as the items they replace our favourites with we don't like or it doesn't appeal to us. 

 

It even puts us off shopping at Aldi for long periods while we go back to Asda or Tesco etc. I would rather pay a bit more for things we like, than cheap prices for things we don't like. 

[gingejbee]

Aldi and Lidl (like some other European retailers- Tchibo springs to mind) have this unusual business model...store items change quickly, new stuff keeps coming in and customers keep returning to find all the new lines...that's the theory.

And, to be fair, it works...otherwise Aldi and Lidl wouldn't have the market share they command, achieved in such a short time.

[DTCwordfan]

they all do it....Coop has changed their Cambazola and seemingly removed a delicious raspberry and peach sorbet...Waitrose does it too...some of it seasonal but also supplier availability and consumer appeal.

[barry1010]

They don't all do it to the degree that Aldi and Lidl do it.

My wife particularly enjoyed a salmon en croute from Lidl. It had a firm salmon in the middle, as shown in the pictorial on the box. The last one she bought was not a fillet, just a sloppy mush of salmon. The picture was the same, the price was the same, no 'new recipe' alert on the box which is the usual practice.

What I find particularly annoying is both Lidl and Aldi launch a shaving system, razor and blades, then drop it so those particular blades are no longer available 

[newmodarmy]

They will buy stuff in bulk at a big discount, maybe from a supplier who has excess stocks or hopes Aldi will buy more in future. When sales slow or stocks run down they'll find another supplier / product to bulk buy from.

[DTCwordfan]

Barry - sharp practice perhaps on the shaving front?

[barry1010]

Razor sharp, DT.  I've invested in an electric shaver

[DTCwordfan]

too thick a stubble for electric, wet for me and I have to use Clinique as shaving cream as cheaper ones bring me out in spots. A bottle goes a long way though....

[gingejbee]

^good move, barry. I've never used anything other than Philips electric razors since my teens.

[barry1010]

Ginge, just because you've got more testosterone there is no need to brag

[Hopkirk]

The member of staff that you spoke to would have no idea what decisions are being taken at Aldi HQ.

That's not the way any retailer works.

[barry1010]

Aldi used to sell the best big wet wipes in a huge tub.  They stayed wet and were strong.  Disappeared.

[barry1010]

Apologies to ginge, it is DTC that is overloaded on testosterone 

[Hopkirk]

It's all about profit 

[pastafreak]

I guess I just don't notice the ready meal type items because I'm not attracted to them. When I did occasionally buy similar items...when I was working...they disappeared after a year or 2...not weeks.

If some are supplied by small producers,  maybe Aldi orders only a certain amount and it's limited availability.