Yes, Aldi is consistently and significantly cheaper than Waitrose, with reports showing Aldi's equivalent grocery basket can cost 25-35% less, making Waitrose the UK's most expensive supermarket for everyday essentials, though Waitrose offers a wider premium range and higher-end brands.
It's called the "Aisle of Shame" (or "Aldi Finds") because shoppers often abandon their grocery lists and budgets to impulse buy delightful but unnecessary items like home goods, apparel, and seasonal gadgets found in the middle aisle, leading to a "shameful" amount of extras they didn't plan for, but it's an affectionate term for the store's addictive treasure hunt.
The Aldi £13 rule refers to its significant pay increases for UK store assistants, making it the first supermarket to pay above £13 per hour, with rates rising to £13.35 nationally and £14.71 within the M25 from March 2026, with even higher rates for experience, all part of its pledge to lead on pay and offer paid breaks.
Around seven in 10 UK households now shop with Aldi*. Price comparisons by consumer group Which? have recognised Aldi as the UK's cheapest grocer for four consecutive years, even when loyalty schemes are considered**** demonstrating the retailer's long-standing commitment to provide the lowest prices for its customers.
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What is the Aldi 2 P rule?
The Aldi 2p rule is a policy at the supermarket, which is designed to keep it ahead of the retail pay curve. This was seen at the beginning of September 2025, when the pay for UK store assistants went up to £13.02 an hour, when it was originally expected to be £13.
Aldi's roots date back to 1945, when brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht took over their family's Essen grocery store and rapidly expanded it. Within a decade, their business had grown to over 100 stores, however, a disagreement in 1961 led to the company's division into two separate entities: Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd.
Just like most supermarkets, Aldi has its own brand of products and they're not only high-quality, they're also extremely affordable. If you find yourself in an Aldi, it's a good idea to avoid brand-name products and take advantage of the reasonably priced Aldi items, like frozen pizzas, chips, and baked goods.
While Aldi fans keep going back because they find good stuff at even better prices, not all shoppers are fans. Fresh foods such as meats and produce in particular are an issue with some shoppers. "Their produce section was always small and low quality, their meats were low quality," someone on Reddit complained.
You've guessed it: Lidl. The findings show that based on a shopping list of 70 items, the total spent by standard Lidl shoppers was £120, while Aldi would set you back £121. It's the second time in 22 months that Lidl has taken the top spot after also being branded the cheapest supermarket in July 2025 as well.
The Aldi £13 rule refers to its significant pay increases for UK store assistants, making it the first supermarket to pay above £13 per hour, with rates rising to £13.35 nationally and £14.71 within the M25 from March 2026, with even higher rates for experience, all part of its pledge to lead on pay and offer paid breaks.
Weaknesses: Weakness can be in form of: It is small as compared to the other brands. It does not have ability to impact globally due to the fewer chain stores in market. There is a limited range of services and products.
The location, which boasts around 21,500 square feet of sales space, is in Mülheim, Germany — just six miles from Essen. The store, which opened in October 2020, is actually an expansion of an existing branch that had been in the area since 1993.
Do Aldi staff get a staff discount? You don't get an employee discount but other perks are available including discounted gym membership and cinema tickets.
