Can You Really Return Spoiled Meat To Aldi?

Most people know Aldi for its unbeatable prices on a wide variety of food items. Not everyone, however, may be aware of the discount grocery store's generous return policy. Indeed, Aldi shoppers can even return opened, spoiled meat to the store. It's this policy that puts Aldi on the list of grocery store chain's with the best return policies. 

Aldi-exclusive brand meat is backed by the store's Twice as Nice Guarantee, which, according to its website, signifies that, "If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with the quality of any product, we will gladly replace the product AND refund your money." With this double return/refund, in a way, Aldi is paying you for the hassle of having to return to the store. 

Note that this policy is only applicable for Aldi-exclusive food items and does NOT apply to national brands, non-food Aldi Finds items, alcohol, and issues not related to quality (the store's website does indicate that you can receive the Twice as Nice replacement and refund if you bought a product and you "don't like it," thus it appears that "quality" is up for interpretation). For your reference, the main Aldi-exclusive meat brands include Kirkwood, Simply Nature, Never Any!, and Fremont Fish Market. Bear in mind that if you purchase meat from a national brand, you can still return it for a refund or replacement (you just won't receive both). 

If you open a package of Aldi meat and it looks discolored and/or has a funky smell, you can certainly take it back to the store to receive your replacement and/or refund, or both if it's an Aldi-exclusive brand. Just remember to hang on to your receipt since it is required to receive a refund in the form of the original payment. However, without a receipt, you can still receive a store credit for the amount of the current price of the returned item. 

Unlike some stores, such as Costco and Sam's Club, that don't require you to bring the spoiled food item to the store, Aldi asks that you bring in the original packaging and any unused product to receive the Twice as Nice refund and replacement. Thus, if you open a package of ground beef or chicken, for instance, and discover that it has some signs that your meat has gone bad, don't risk it by trying it. Instead, take it back to the store with a receipt and notify an employee or manager that you would like to make a return. 

There's also no need to feel awkward returning spoiled meat to Aldi. Most shoppers are in full support of this type of return, and it probably happens more frequently than you think. If you've heard bad things about Aldi's quality, do yourself a favor and check out a guide on the myths about Aldi meat you probably fell for.