[jazzyjazzy]

Half way through watching the so called Aldi secrets/ what a load of billocks - no different to to Asda - Tesco - Sainsbury's but the staff do get paid more.
The goods in my local Aldi are great - I speak to staff on the till who have time to say hello and don't shove us away from the till with any more speed than Asda.- infact today I wanted the Morrisons women to shut up talking to the women in front of me and put my goods through the till. They were for my MIL.
They tried it with Iceland and it did not work and this will not work with Aldi.

[postit]

I was just about to say that I don't recognise the Aldi Channel 4 are showing. My local store is clean, I've never had a problem with fresh fruit and veg, and the staff are always helpful.

[davelovesleeds]

An ex colleague of mine left to become a manger at Aldi a few years ago and had to leave as the work rate expectation was unsustainable, sometimes working up to 15 hours in one day.

[mrsgrumpy49]

It had a familiar ring to me. An obviously disabled neighbour who walks with a stick and doesn't have full use of both arms (stroke) has/had a case pending against them claiming humiliation/embarrassment when she stumbled trying to keep up and the response of the cashier was that she should be using both hands.
Plus when they said customers are discouraged from counting out the exact money as it is quicker for the till to give change, it explained what happened to me once. I counted out the money (fairly quickly I might add) and the cashier started sighing in an annoyed fashion!
But as for the coming in 15 minutes early - not much sympathy from me there. In just about every job I've had, there was an expectation that you would put in whatever time it took and it was common to work over.

[barbeler]

I've never noticed the excesses shown on tonight's programme. I think the moral is, don't work for or buy anything from that Aldi in Scotland. What does annoy me though, is that their tills are designed to make things as awkward as possible for people using a hand basket. There simply isn't room to balance one of their big reusable bags at the end of the till without risking breakages. I think that next time, I'll carry the plastic basket through the till and see if they challenge me. It wouldn't bother me too much to carry it over to the shelf near the window for the final packing, although I'm sure any visiting Americans would have a hissy fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsgrumpy49

But as for the coming in 15 minutes early - not much sympathy from me there. In just about every job I've had, there was an expectation that you would put in whatever time it took and it was common to work over.

Too true. I've only had one job where I wasn't expected to be in the place of work before the official start time, although this was often spent in idle chat and coffee making, etc. The exception was a company I worked for which had a strong union, and people working at the far end of the factory were actually given paid walking time (admittedly, it was a massive warehouse).

[sarahj1986]

I've been shopping in Aldi regularly for a couple of months now although my husband has been a regular customer longer than me. We've never had any issues with fruit and vegetable freshness, it lasts just as well as other supermarkets.

As for the general H&S issues, I hope these are addressed. I'm sure that these problems tend to occur in other retailers though not just Aldi, i hope they are rectified.

[Toby LaRhone]

I was totally underwhelmed.
It was just a classic success bashing exercise - but a poor one.

The "15 minutes early" issue was a desperate attempt to add to the "shocking discoveries" they made, The employment expert asked to comment had clearly never managed a business himself.

[degsyhufc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbeler

What does annoy me though, is that their tills are designed to make things as awkward as possible for people using a hand basket. There simply isn't room to balance one of their big reusable bags at the end of the till without risking breakages. I think that next time, I'll carry the plastic basket through the till and see if they challenge me. It wouldn't bother me too much to carry it over to the shelf near the window for the final packing, although I'm sure any visiting Americans would have a hissy fit.

I'd agree with that. I've not tried to take a basket through before but have heard the checkout girl comment to a customer infront that baskets can't be taken beyond the till.
I expect it's some sort of anti-theft rule.
It's annoying though.

I've resorted to putting my bag for life on the floor and packing it at my own pace.
I'm not going to be rushed and I couldn't care less about looks and comments from the checkout girl or the customers in the cue.

[joshua_welby]

I did not think much about the programme, it was good how they uncovered their secrets

At least we know how things get on the shelf now - by them throwing things with fire exits blocked

I did not watch the second half though - the programme after

[Toby LaRhone]

The Aldi's/Lidl's around here have a packing area - a shelf the width of the store - just a few feet behind the till.
Empty your trolley, get it all scanned, fill your trolley, take it to the shelf then pack it in your bags.
No hold ups at checkout.
I assumed they all do that.
I recall being a bit fazed by the speed of my shop piling up the first time I used them but I soon realised its part of the deal.

[degsyhufc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby LaRhone

The Aldi's/Lidl's around here have a packing area - a shelf the width of the store - just a few feet behind the till.
Empty your trolley, get it all scanned, fill your trolley, take it to the shelf then pack it in your bags.
No hold ups at checkout.
I assumed they all do that.
I recall being a bit fazed by the speed of my shop piling up the first time I used them but I soon realised its part of the deal.

We're talking about baskets though. They don't let you take your basket past the checkout so you have to do all your packing on the tiny space available.

[jazzyjazzy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

I'd agree with that. I've not tried to take a basket through before but have heard the checkout girl comment to a customer infront that baskets can't be taken beyond the till.
I expect it's some sort of anti-theft rule.
It's annoying though.

I've resorted to putting my bag for life on the floor and packing it at my own pace.
I'm not going to be rushed and I couldn't care less about looks and comments from the checkout girl or the customers in the cue.

They don't bother in our Aldi if they you take the basket through the till as long as you put it back in the pile by the door. Never knew there was a problem with doing it.

[Toby LaRhone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshua_welby

I did not think much about the programme, it was good how they uncovered their secrets

At least we know how things get on the shelf now - by them throwing things with fire exits blocked

I did not watch the second half though - the programme after

I imagine the major supermarket names all wear gloves and use tongs to delicately place their goods in the display baskets and the managers greet the staff personally with a cup of tea as they stroll in exactly on the minute they're due to start their shift and then usher them off home dead on the last few seconds of their shift.

[TelevisionUser]

Aldi = Scallies

Rotten vegetables, deliberately obscure best buy dates, poor treatment of staff, health and safety issues and so on - it's all there.

One of the worst aspects was the arrogant way that the company was in complete denial about the issues that were raised by the programme. Nevertheless, I hope that they start to make improvements in the way that they do business in the UK.

[Toby LaRhone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

We're talking about baskets though. They don't let you take your basket past the checkout so you have to do all your packing on the tiny space available.

You dump your basket at the start of checkout after offloading the contents and whack your "bag for life" on the till area before they even start scanning surely? A basket can only take a minute or so?
I've even had the assistant bang them straight in the bag as they know it's quicker for them.
(As long as your bread rolls aren't under a few kilo of spuds )

[Toby LaRhone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TelevisionUser

Aldi = Scallies

Rotten vegetables, deliberately obscure best buy dates, poor treatment of staff, health and safety issues and so on - it's all there.

One of the worst aspects was the arrogant way that the company was in complete denial about the issues that were raised by the programme. Nevertheless, I hope that they start to make improvements in the way that they do business in the UK.

And that was your opinion before you saw the documentary "evidence" or were you convinced by what you saw?

[degsyhufc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby LaRhone

You dump your basket at the start of checkout after offloading the contents and whack your "bag for life" on the till area before they even start scanning surely? A basket can only take a minute or so?
I've even had the assistant bang them straight in the bag as they know it's quicker for them.
(As long as your bread rolls aren't under a few kilo of spuds )

But that is the problem. If you have enough shopping to fill your bag for life then it can be quite a bit, even if using a basket. Especially if there are big items like a bag of spuds or bottles which you have to be careful with.

If you stick your bag on one side of the tiny till space while the checkout person is speedily shotting through your other items then it can get very cluttered.

I've never actually had an ALDI staff member ask if I wanted help with packing. Infact AFAIK ASDA is still the only place that asks. Not that the staff are unfriendly or anything.

[TelevisionUser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby LaRhone

And that was your opinion before you saw the documentary "evidence" or were you convinced by what you saw?

They had a very experienced retail executive plus a specialist lawyer commenting on Aldi's practices and that supermarket was found wanting on a number of counts. What is needed is a review of procedures and some relatively modest reforms to improve the situation.

[Toby LaRhone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TelevisionUser

They had a very experienced retail executive plus a specialist lawyer commenting on Aldi's practices and that supermarket was found wanting on a number of counts. What is needed is a review of procedures and some relatively modest reforms to improve the situation.

So you were convinced by what you saw.
It would have been more interesting if they'd sent "undercover" spies into several leading supermarkets and not just targeted a "success story".
We Brits do love to knock success.

[barbeler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

I've never actually had an ALDI staff member ask if I wanted help with packing. Infact AFAIK ASDA is still the only place that asks. Not that the staff are unfriendly or anything.

I don't know what AFAIK is, but till staff at Morrissons always ask if I want any help with packing and I always find it slightly annoying. Not as bad though, as when they have scouts stationed on the bagging area. That's the only time I ever use the self-service check-outs.

I realised yesterday at Aldi, that I never even look for a sell-by date anyway. The bags are always see-through and I pick the one I want purely by sight. I could understand the problem if the bags were completely opaque, but otherwise, what's the problem?

Milk's different though; is there anybody who doesn't always pick a bottle with the longest sell-by date from the back of the racks?

[rumpleteazer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

We're talking about baskets though. They don't let you take your basket past the checkout so you have to do all your packing on the tiny space available.

Some aldi's do, my aldi has a couple of spots to put your basket when you've done packing in the packing area.

I've been an aldi shopper for a few years now and I've never had a problem with the level of service or the freshness/quality of food. In fact I can honestly say I've found a lot of their fresh stuff to be better quality than the other supermarkets I've used.

[Ed R.Marley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

But that is the problem. If you have enough shopping to fill your bag for life then it can be quite a bit, even if using a basket. Especially if there are big items like a bag of spuds or bottles which you have to be careful with.

If you stick your bag on one side of the tiny till space while the checkout person is speedily shotting through your other items then it can get very cluttered.

I've never actually had an ALDI staff member ask if I wanted help with packing. Infact AFAIK ASDA is still the only place that asks. Not that the staff are unfriendly or anything.

Just tell the operator to slow down then. I don't usually have a problem packing, and one of the the pluses of Aldi is getting in and out quickly, but that doesn't mean they can take the pee. There was one bird on the till who start scanning my items before the customer in front had even finished packing theirs and I just told her to wait and she did - no problems.

[earthling13]

Although I didn't see the programme I have to agree with a number of other posters that in 7 or 8 years of shopping in Aldi I have never experienced any problems with the staff and generally find them friendly and helpful for anyone having trouble packing their shopping. Anyone with eyes in their head can see that it's hard work and, IMO, a job for the younger worker - I certainly couldn't do it.

Regarding use by dates, why does anyone need them for fruit and veg? Just use your eyes, nose and fingers ( but please don't sqeeze the avocado too hard like my OH! ) I am interested to know how their coding works though. Can anyone explain please?

[earthling13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby LaRhone

I was totally underwhelmed.
It was just a classic success bashing exercise - but a poor one.

The "15 minutes early" issue was a desperate attempt to add to the "shocking discoveries" they made, The employment expert asked to comment had clearly never managed a business himself.

There's a thread on General Discussion about the John Lewis advert and post #131 suggests all is not rosy in the world of Waitrose.

[Toby LaRhone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earthling13

Regarding use by dates, why does anyone need them for fruit and veg? Just use your eyes, nose and fingers ( but please don't sqeeze the avocado too hard like my OH! ) I am interested to know how their coding works though. Can anyone explain please?

Exactly.
If carrots are packed in a plastic bag we need a date to look at.
If they're loose in the next display we just pick out the chunkiest and firmest.
God forbid some people go to a farmers' market - the carrots have no date on them but they have dirt on them