3 Surprising Drawbacks of Buying Groceries at Aldi

There’s a reason so many people love to shop at Aldi. The store is known for its super low prices, which can make sticking to your budget much easier.

But shopping at Aldi also has the potential to backfire on you. Here are a few surprising pitfalls you might encounter.

The reason Aldi is able to save shoppers so much money is that it stocks its shelves with off brands that are cheaper to purchase than the national brands you commonly see advertised. And if you’re able to find everything you need at Aldi, it could result in nice savings — especially if you check out using the right credit card. Click here for a list of credit cards offering top grocery rewards.

But on the flipside, if Aldi can’t source a given item at a price it’s happy with, it won’t carry it. This means that on a week-to-week basis, Aldi’s inventory can be very inconsistent. And if you’re unable to find all of the items on your list, it’s more than just an annoyance. Rather, it could result in wasted food — and thrown-out money.

Say your kids normally eat carrots and tomatoes as the healthy component of their dinner, but Aldi is out of those items one week. You may have to pivot and substitute broccoli and celery instead. But if your kids refuse to eat broccoli and celery, that food may end up going to waste. And in that case, you aren’t saving money at all.

2. You may not get all of the information on the products you’re buying

Because Aldi stocks off brands, some of its products may not contain the nutritional information you’re used to seeing on food labels. That could be a problem if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

And sure, you could try to call up the manufacturers of those products and inquire about their contents. But do you really have the time to do that on an item-by-item basis? Probably not. The upside of buying national brands is that you’re almost always going to get a complete set of nutritional data and ingredients.

3. You might get suckered into the Aldi Aisle of Shame

Part of the appeal of shopping at Aldi is getting to check out the “Aldi Finds” aisle. That aisle contains seasonal buys that tend to be of the non-food variety. You might spot everything from cat toys to home decor at prices that are hard to resist.

But there’s a reason Aldi fans call that section the “Aisle of Shame.” If you shop at Aldi because you’re on a budget, being tempted by impulse purchases isn’t very helpful. And you’re not going to improve your financial situation by spending $15 less on groceries per week only to bring home $25 worth of Aldi Finds you didn’t need in the first place.

Aldi is a great store for people who have the time and patience to deal with its inconsistent inventory and who aren’t picky about the brands they bring home. But if that’s not you, you may want to avoid shopping there. And if impulse buys have the potential to upend your budget, then you should especially consider staying far away.