[Closed] Aldi - dispatches.

They could create the same documentary about any of their rivals I'm sure.

I'm sure they could flag up similar issues but I'd be surprised if any others were quite as bad.

Out of date food, products thrown about to meet stocking deadlines, underpaid overtargetted limited staff

Describes every supermarket, everywhere.

Best start avoiding all of them I reckon ?

As glasgowdan said, pretty lazy documentary I thought

Top paying business expects staff to work damn hard to earn it.

Some staff cut corners to do so

Sometimes that affects the product/customer.

Aldi are hardly unique in that sector, let alone across all industries.

My local branch appears to have happy, hardworking staff dealing with some quite challenging customers at times. I can check the products I put in my trolley for quality and dates before I buy them. Hardly going to shop elsewhere on the back of a Daily Wail style "look what we found" TV expose of a couple of their branches.

I did think the one who thought it was a good idea to kneel on a glass freezer top was a prize one.

Wasn't Aldi one of the recent companies to announce they are paying the proper full fat living wage?

Aldi is great in my experience. The fruit and veg is not quite as good or lasts as long as the more pricy supermarkets, but its a quarter of the price and I just purchase less and more often. And for the vast majority of products their own brand is every bit as good as the main brands. Actually as I'm saving so much at Aldi on the weekly staples (average bill is a bit more than a third of the equivalent at Sainsburys) I've started getting meat and veg from a proper butchers and grocers or local farm shop. Far superior to any supermarket and not that much more expensive. So I am supporting the local smaller suppliers/shops more than I was before I made the switch to Aldi.

Wasn't Aldi one of the recent companies to announce they are paying the proper full fat living wage?

Lidl

products thrown about to meet stocking deadlines, underpaid overtargetted limited staff* was reported

Interestingly, that thread about "working at Chain Reaction" has been deleted. Not just closed to replies, but deleted.

Best before dates on fruit and vegetables just cause waste as it means good food is thrown away. If the way they were stacking the shelves was damaging product people would stop buying it. If the stock rotation was that bad Aldi would not be able to cope with the wastage costs.

I wish we had an Aldi or Lidl near us instead of Morrisons which is 500 yards away. Convenience is great, but it's also shit.

You're not wrong ess, BB has the worst Morrisons ever

Apparently some of that programme was filmed in my local Aldi. I shall return tomorrow expecting a renewed atmosphere of unstinting passion for customer service, excellent produce at affordable prices and Unending supplies of Taurus cider.

I've got Tesco and Sainsbury just around the corner but now bike five miles to shop at Aldi.

I was talking to someone last week who had been a manager with Aldi but was glad to have left. He said that they treat staff well in terms of pay but work them pretty hard for it. Likewise though, staff in the stores I visit always seem fairly happy.

I was talking to someone last week who had been a manager with Aldi but was glad to have left. He said that they treat staff well in terms of pay but work them pretty hard for it.

Can't see him having a blindingly bright future if he's put that as his reason for leaving on his CV

Seems like a reasonable plan..... to exchange wages for services.

Pretty normal I would think.

Cheap shot at a supermarket that hasn't been shafting us for years and paying millions to their top shareholders. Our local one in Hednesford is always clean, has polite staff and as someone who always checks sell by dates I have never seen out of stock produce.

Struggled to get parked at two different branches so gave up going. 😐

The Aldi we go to is good, the quality of produce and staff are excellent. I've no complaints.
The Scottish store on the 'show' looked to be run very badly, I doubt the manager there will last long after this.
Earlier I watched Hugh FW's prog about food waste, supermarkets throwing away perfectly good food, then I watched Aldi being lambasted for not throwing food away!
Mmmm

hardly a surprise that a company that thrive on delivering low prices are found to cut corners with staff, stock, training etc.

same people who work all week for low pay and achievable targets designed to deliver their employer fat profits, queue up to benefit from 'at all costs' lowest prices

O teh ironing.

I didn't see the program. Where was the store that was featured?

The stores seem to have rather a lot of variation. My current local store is a mess and staff seem fairly rubbish whereas previously I lived by one which seemed like the very model of efficiency and customer service.

I used to work at a Sainsburys as a student and there was all sorts of bad practice by some staff.

I've always thought the staff in my local Aldi seem to be enjoying their job more than other supermarkets - suppose they might just be good actors but I haven't seen any reason to stop shopping there and if I thought the staff were treated any worse than elsewhere I would.

mitsumonkey - Member
The Aldi we go to is good, the quality of produce and staff are excellent. I've no complaints.
The Scottish store on the 'show' looked to be run very badly, I doubt the manager there will last long after this.
Earlier I watched Hugh FW's prog about food waste, supermarkets throwing away perfectly good food, then I watched Aldi being lambasted for not throwing food away!
Mmmm

POSTED 27 MINUTES AGO #

I too thought this was rather ironic, watched dispatches on catchup, then flicked to BBC1 hughs war on waste, and thought Morrisons came across worse than Aldi did in Dispatches LOL

He then fed an entire street on skip food, hold on wasn't dispatches just saying this was bad in Aldi

Ps. chain reaction post is still on google cache, 😉

(Not seen the programme, but that's never stopped anyone on here.)

Isn't this thing quite old news? Google "Lidl Black Book" for more insight into the business model.

I worked in a supermarket 26 years ago for a few months after I left school. Looking back it was a bloody awful place to work, they bullied me into working longer hours, bullied me if stock got damage to take responsibility for it despite it being the juniour mangers fault. Do I blame the company? No, it was one store run by muppets. Wish I knew then what I know now.

Interestingly, that thread about "working at Chain Reaction" has been deleted. Not just closed to replies, but deleted.

Bit full-on to delete the entire thread given a lot of it was quite sceptical about the truth contained within it and the rest just weren't surprised that a cheap warehouse online retailer wasn't that focused on staff. I personally just found it odd the person kept highlighting the correct spelling of remuneration as a spelling mistake.

I worked in a supermarket 26 years ago for a few months after I left school. Looking back it was a bloody awful place to work, they bullied me into working longer hours, bullied me if stock got damage to take responsibility for it despite it being the juniour mangers fault. Do I blame the company?

I did too but was pretty sure I could get another job like it at the drop of the hat so didn't engage in their behaviour. They told me I was going to be fired if I went to visit my Grandfather in France as he was in hospital. I went. They called me when I got home a week later to ask why I was late for work. I was accused of dropping a pallet of jam in the warehouse and demanded to see the video footage and it went away quietly. Not NEEDING the job made it far more enjoyable but I'd never behave like that now if I was in the same situation despite being 40 and, in theory, more confident in myself.

All that said, I've also seen the other side. The warehouse crews stealing by taping booze and packs of cigs to their bodies to avoid being seen carrying stuff into the staff area or out of the store. Staff smashing goods, and lying about it or saying they'd smashed it and putting it in the bin (or near the bin) and collecting it on the way home. One bloke who had his grandfather die at least 4 times (usually once or twice per manager) or the other shirkers who would do the minimum putting more workload on their colleagues. The processes put in place to "fix" stuff like this took a lot of the ability of managers to actually manage people, they managed reports and processes for the most part which made staff unhappier.

Yup as expected.

As above it was pretty week. a guy deciding climb up racking or an idiot kneeling on a glass freezer top could happen in any store. Personally an regardless of store we check produce before we buy so wouldnt end up with a mouldy cucumber or bruised fruit. Enjoyed 2 bottles of £3 wine last week also. My son and I rugby pass the bread into the shopping trolley bettwen us so whats the issue.

We did check the carrots in the fridge that we bought from Aldi last week. According to the week/day number they were out of date the day after we bought them - last Thursday. They are carrots FFS, and still good to eat today TBH.

Didn't see it but going by the above posts Aldi new a " well done".
Sell by dates are plain stupid, running round like blue added flies should be expected, it is work and climbing racks etc sounds like common sense. I would expect a commercial freezer to hold more than just one person as well in thus bloody stupid nanny state.
My only question about Aldi, and that's only because I don't know, is whether they pay farmers a decent price for milk.

Interesting thread and agree with many of the comments but noyhing has been mentioned about the most disturbing revalation in the programme-blocked fire exits! A direct contravention of the 2005 Reglatory Reform Order and the manager of at least one of the stores admitted it and made light of it,he has some very big bollocks taking that attitude.

the manager of at least one of the stores admitted it and made light of it

Because he was an idiot talking big to the new boy.

It made Aldi look like it is, a terrible place to shop excused by the low prices.

Like Dave Hinde, people will keep going there because they are cheap.

We did check the carrots in the fridge that we bought from Aldi last week. According to the week/day number they were out of date the day after we bought them - last Thursday. They are carrots FFS, and still good to eat today TBH.

Fire exits aside, which is down to management, not company policy, I,wasn't surprised, nor was I upset by it.

As someone else said, lazy journalism - we've been commissioned to make a documentary and this is all we could find kind of thing.

On the few occasions the fresh stuff has looked a bit old, I've not picked it - complaining about the state of produce that you've chosen yourself is not a criticism of the retailer.

Won't stop me saving £15-20 a week.

As someone else said, lazy journalism - we've been commissioned to make a documentary and this is all we could find kind of thing.

call me an old cynic/conspiracy nut but one does wonder whether C4 pension plan is over subscribed to tesco shares. 😉

Your right to a point smudger, it is a management responsibility to see they remain clear and ready for use but it is the companies responsibility to carry out a fire risk assessment and escape routes and exits form part of that- thats laid down in law! As for saying your not upset, I would be knowing I may not be able to get out because the store is to small and exits blocked by stock or the responsible person (manager on duty) is too busy to make sure they remain clear.

Interestingly, that thread about "working at Chain Reaction" has been deleted. Not just closed to replies, but deleted.

Everybody feels ripped off by supermarkets and doubly so because we can't do without them. What would happen if we registered our disgust by all going into the nearest supermarket on a certain day, filling a trolley with non-perishable goods from all corners of the store then walking out and leaving the trolleys? It would give the management a headache if nothing else.

Doesn't sound like my local Aldi, in fact the only complaint I have is that the car park is too small and the spaces in the car park are too narrow for all the sodding great Range Rovers that park there. And the fresh fruit and veg lasts longer than the equivalent from my local Sainsbury's.

Stores will always vary.
I worked in Fine fare at end of school - before I went away from home.
First manager was great, had a great rapport with the staff, allowed to swap shifts to go to gigs. The staff responded by working with and for him. Next manager in a bigger store was much harder and morale suffered.

Our Aldi seems to be well run - quick service - and very helpful staff (always can get fruit boxes for packaging). Depends how big they are and the attitude of the manager seems to count for a lot (no surprise). I know the manager pretty well as it happens and he's a decent lad, must see if he's received a pep talk after the screening 🙂

Interestingly, that thread about "working at Chain Reaction" has been deleted. Not just closed to replies, but deleted

I am sure the powers that be had their [s]financial[/s] reasons.

I am sure the powers that be had their financial reasons.

well last time I was at a Luminati meeting, Chipps was sat to the right of the CEO of CRC.....

Interestingly, that thread about "working at Chain Reaction" has been deleted. Not just closed to replies, but deleted

Wasn't Aldi one of the recent companies to announce they are paying the proper full fat living wage?

Lidl

Lidl did it first, then Aldi joined in. As far as I know they are the only two supermarkets paying the living wage. 😀

I thought it was pretty lazy journalism. At one point they interviewed a disgruntled ex-employee who, funnily enough, wanted to slag off his ex employer, despite working for them for 11 years and not raising complaint during that time.

The only thing that really surprised me was the rule about working for free for 15 minutes before every shift, that was terrible.

From my experience Aldi branded food falls well below the standard of the brands they're trying to copy. As an example compare their cinnamon cereal to the nestle version or their wotsit copies. Blurgh.....

Also cheeses me off when they compare their prices to the branded stuff at other supermarkets. Compare it to the value or better buy range and the price difference is minimal.

Also, they never have everything I need meaning I have to go to another shop and they don't sell much veg/fruit loose meaning I waste food. Oh, and the whole bagging up on the windowsill?

I like to save money but Aldi is too much of a compromise for me. Saying that, they're good for party food and the meat is half decent.

your probably right but then i wouldnt eat wotsits or cinnemon cereal anyway.

i tend to stick to the ingredients to make real food and i then work with the bagged extra fruit and veg - extra stuff and left overs... thatll be soup and smoothies then - or even banana bread. MMMMMMM

I don't shop in Aldi for 2 reasons:

1. their own brands are complete rip offs of other companies' products - simply ripping off a brand that someone else has designed and in most cases heavily invested in the promotion of is unethical.

2. Aldi take up to 120 days to pay suppliers. It's not difficult to run a low cost business when your suppliers (in many case small companies) are effectively providing your working capital.

I was accused of dropping a pallet of jam in the warehouse and demanded to see the video footage and it went away quietly.

Are you me? That sounds very familiar.

1. their own brands are complete rip offs of other companies' products - simply ripping off a brand that someone else has designed and in most cases heavily invested in the promotion of is unethical.

They all do that so where do you shop?

The blocked fire exit was the only major issue in the documentary.

I do sometime get annoyed at some of the very fast checkout operators or the shelf fillers who block the aisles and barge you out of the way. We top up our shop in Sainsburys which is over the road from Aldi and the staff behaviour is markedly different - those on the shop floor are like zombies and don't appear to be doing anything of any purpose. Those on the checkouts are slow and insisting on asking inane hairdresser style questions about my day.
On balance I prefer the Aldi staff although some perhaps the speed targets shout be knocked down a bit.

This programme messed up and got you all confused Aldi are not selling out of date food. The L code is not the best before or use by date but in fact the date it was packed L32 06 for instance means it was packed in the 32nd financial week of the year on Saturday. They only carry over 20% of fresh stock maximum into the next day so In the morning all the stock left will go on top and is usually gone by 10-11am. They are able to deliver such no costs no because the quality is less but because the biggest cost to a business by far is personal cost so they keep this extremely low by understaffing stores and staff do twice as much work as other supermarkets. This is graded in productivity points. For instance an asda taking 100k would probably have around 40 staff to man tills and work delivery. An aldi 10-15 staff. This allows them to give you a high quality product at a low price. Lidl and aldi have pretty much an identically business strategy.

They all do that so where do you shop?

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Can't find the Aldi one but Lidl do the same
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blatantly coppied and intended to deceive ------the hard of sight.

. Tesco, Sainsbury etc have their own branding.

Which copies the higher branding just like Aldi.

For example I bought a bottle of Aldi Anti-Dandruff shampoo as my Sainsbury's one was getting low. They're identical both copying Head and Shoulders.

No They don't. The Aldi own brand stuff copies the branding of higher value products. Tesco, Sainsbury etc have their own branding.

using a cylindrical tin for the bake beans shocking !

i also have a slight issue in that - i couldnt give a shit whats on the packet.....

scribbled on in a sharpie would do me so long as whats in the packet is of decent quality.

i also have a slight issue in that - i couldnt give a shit whats on the packet.....

scribbled on in a sharpie would do me so long as whats in the packet is of decent quality.

Snap!

tesco's and sainsbury's can't do it to the same extent as aldi and lidl, but they probably would if they could, as they stock the branded goods and the own brands side by side, Aldi and lidl don't stock the branded goods.

Which? says and demonstrates different

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your probably right but then i wouldnt eat wotsits or cinnemon cereal anyway.

I don't tend to either but they're useful with us both working full time and Jr needing feeding on the hoof from time to time.

i tend to stick to the ingredients to make real food

As do I and that's the reason I don't shop at Aldi. Anything but the most basic herbs and spices are beyond them, as are a great many other ingredients I tend to use when cooking from scratch. If I wanted to eat meat and potatoes every day then Aldi would be fine but I like to push the boat out a bit further than that.

Out of interest, what does Aldi not sell which you need for cooking from scratch?

He must be a very exotic cook.

"To a greater or lesser degree", also Sainsbury's were famously done a few years ago for copying, almost identically, the Nescafe branding, so are probably treading lightly.
Picking Monster Munch is not conclusive either that they are not doing it. The truth is that they are as you so aptly demonstrate with the Carte d'Or. When rushing around the supermarket I would probably not realise my mistake until I got home.
Don't forget they spend a lot of money on branding, there's a reason why they choose colours, images, packaging materials, styles, etc.
Are you also immune to all marketing too?

Out of interest, what does Aldi not sell which you need for cooking from scratch?

It's not much use for SE Asian cookery, but then neither are the mainstream supermarkets - I go to a Chinese supermarket for stuff like fish sauce, tamarind, etc. For day-to-day cookery it's fine.

[quote=Drac]Are you me? That sounds very familiar.

If you lived in Hessle and worked in Morrisons in Beverley then we may just be the same person. That's quite worrying.

When rushing around the supermarket I would probably not realise my mistake until I got home.

That's what they're counting on. You're not paying attention, you buy own brand by mistake. I guess they hope you like it and buy it next time.

Chainreaction employee reviews on Glassdoor also appear to have been deleted.

If you lived in Hessle and worked in Morrisons in Beverley then we may just be the same person.

Phew! We're not.

Out of interest, what does Aldi not sell which you need for cooking from scratch?

Can't remember exactly (Harissa and Garam Masala spring to mind. Got a feeling I couldn't even get Rosemary?) but I went in a couple of times when ours first opened and came away without quite a few items on my list.

Some people on here seem to get very touchy when it comes to Aldi. If you're happy shopping there then whoopy-doo, go for it. Simple fact is though that it's a compromise over the mainstream and not one I, or many others are willing to make.

He must be a very exotic cook.

If you call not having meat, carrots and potatoes everyday exotic then yes, I probably am. 😉

wrecker - Member

Out of interest, what does Aldi not sell which you need for cooking from scratch?

Fresh curry leaf.

If you call not having meat, carrots and potatoes everyday exotic then yes, I probably am

I must have a different Aldi as ours sells more than that.

Fresh curry leaf.

And you use that every day?

Aldi and lidl don't stock the branded goods.

Fresh curry leaf.

Chipotle paste? non (both of which sainsburys claim to sell but are never in our HUGE Supermarket)

Our small one does. 😀

how are aldi supposed to market their "weetabix" anyway ? they come from the same factory, I know the girl who handles the invoicing. Maybe a plain brown paper bag.

Aldi is one of the things I miss most from the UK.

Straightforward prices, happy staff, quality products, not paying for pointless endless choice.

I'm not sure looking at one supermarket chain gives a balanced view!

Our small one does.

My Local Aldi is further away than the closest Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, and is next to the closest ASDA, yet I will shop in Aldi before I would go to any of the others.

Really depends what your are after I suppose, if you are super particular that your Mars bars and Wotsits must be just so, then yeah dont go to Aldi and buy their versions. My fussy kids don't like it in Aldi because their stuff is "different", but if you are buying ingredients to cook with then it is definitely the place to go. All the stuff I buy from there is as good or better than the from the other supermarkets, but costs maybe 65% as much.

My guily pleasures are Toro Loco, Wiennerschnitzel, Taurus pear cider, and that Mather Ross (sp?) chocolate or is that Lidl, not sure? I also enjoy the "lets check out everything they have in the random lucky dip aisle" distraction from the shopping too.

Costco for the meat, Poundland for all the branded crisps and chocolates for the kids packed lunches

i know right klunk....

i have a packet of tesco wheet biscuits on my desk atm....

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And you use that every day?

Of course not, I have to get it flown in from south west India and they only fly out on Wednesdays.

Bane of my bloody life. 🙁