Viral Trends
The middle aisle of Aldi, a German discount supermarket chain, has become known as the “aisle of shame” for its low-priced, limited-time novelties.
Christopher Sadowski
Aldi shoppers are finding themselves caught in the middle — the middle aisle of the German discount supermarket chain has become known as the “aisle of shame” for its bevy of low-priced, limited-time novelties.
The kooky collection is usually replenished every Wednesday, drawing fanatics who post their treasures to the ALDI Aisle of Shame Community on Facebook, which boasts 2.7 million members.
“This satin gift set — this might be my favorite find for today,” Florida mom Emily Hilton posted on TikTok last Wednesday as she took her 5,600 followers on a spin through the middle aisle.
“It comes with two pillowcases, an eye mask, a scrunchie, and a headband,” she continued. “I grabbed a bunch of these so for every friend’s birthday, I will already have a gift on hand.”
Aldi officially calls its odds-and-ends row the “Aldi Finds” aisle, describing it to CNN last week as “a rotating assortment of specialty items available for a very limited time.”
“Fans love our ALDI Finds aisle because it takes the average grocery trip from errand to adventure,” the company said in an email to the outlet.
Devoted shopper Kelsey Rankin said she’s spotted seasonal sundries, kitchen gadgets, home decor, toys, organizational tools, exercise equipment, and food items that disappear in the blink of an eye.
“Some of my favorite things to find in the Aldi Finds aisle are pet supplies. They always have the cutest pet sweaters and toys and things like that,” she explained in a January TikTok. “And I also really like the Aldi candles. Aldi’s three-wick candles are so similar to the Bath & Body Works three-wick candles, and they’re usually only $5.”
In last week’s post, Hilton ooh-ed and aah-ed over the selection of 99-cent Mother’s Day cards, stainless steel water bottles with a wide-mouth opening, silky reversible tank tops, $10 wedge shoes, a $30 pizza oven, $10 sheer curtains, and ready-to-eat tamales that she’s “never seen” anywhere.
Atlas Obscura reported in 2021 that the aisle, which often has a theme, is usually split down the middle between edible and non-edible items — with these products comprising an estimated 20% of Aldi’s annual sales.
Aldi opened its first US location in 1976, in Iowa. Now, it operates more than 2,000 stores nationwide and 12,000 stores worldwide, keeping prices low by offering about 1,400 products instead of the 40,000 at traditional supermarkets.
The origins of the playful “aisle of shame” moniker are unclear. One Aldi fan site traces the use of the phrase to Google posts made in the mid-to-late 2000s not about Aldi specifically, but about “the fantasy section of a bookstore, lines of food in a reality weight loss TV show, the aisle in Walgreens that stocks the most embarrassing products, and the long walk to one’s seat after being a late boarder on an airplane.”
Oklahoma dog mom Caitlyn Pratt says that in the South, it’s called the “aisle of s–t.”
“Because on unnecessary things, I probably spend like $150 at Aldi every time that I go there,” Pratt told CNN. “I get so much s–t for $150, half of which are not groceries.”
If you follow in Pratt’s footsteps and decide to partake in the Wednesday frenzies, Rankin has some words of advice.
“An important thing you need to know about the ‘aisle of shame’ is that the items in this aisle change weekly, so if you see something you like, don’t think, ‘Oh, maybe I’ll get it next month,’ because it probably won’t be there,” she recommended.
“And you can’t really go to the Aldi Finds aisle looking for something specific, you let the Aldi Finds aisle tell you what you need,” she concluded.
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Jessica Roberts is a seasoned business writer who deciphers the intricacies of the corporate world. With a focus on finance and entrepreneurship, she provides readers with valuable insights into market trends, startup innovations, and economic developments.
