What Actually Happens To Returned Aldi Items?

Aldi, on top of affordable groceries, also has an amazing double back return policy that's a wallet saver. Called "Twice as Nice," the discount grocer's policy allows customers to replace the product they're returning and also get their money back. While this is an ideal situation for customers, it may not be ideal for sustainability. If you're wondering where exactly these returned items go, according to social media, most of it goes into the trash.

It might come as a shock, considering that all products must be returned unused and in their original packaging, according to policy. You understandably might have assumed it would go back on shelves if it weren't refrigerated — but this depends on the local manager and location. A disappointed employee in the TheALDINerd.com Community group stated, "Did you know when Aldi throws away all the returns we literally have to open them, make them inedible completely and dump them so people dumpster digging can't possibly want to eat them." Another user posted in the comments, "I have customers return unopened items and say 'I just bought too many' or 'they wanted name brand instead' they do not realize we have to throw every food item they return out.. I try to make it obvious I'm putting it in the trash that way they ask and I can tell them why we have to do that."

These comments are echoed throughout Reddit groups as well. In the r/DumpsterDiving thread on Reddit, an Aldi employee posted a photo of unopened food products that was returned and then tossed, saying, "Aldi has a policy that any returned food that's left the store has to be thrown out, so I tend to have to throw out otherwise perfectly good food."

Aldi does not officially state what it does with returned food products. It's clear that something like spoiled meat purchased from Aldi or food that has already been opened must be tossed. Refrigerated products, even if they are unopened, would also have to be tossed due to liability concerns, as the store doesn't know if the customers have kept the item refrigerated. Some retailers like Costco may restock unopened nonperishables that have been returned, but this doesn't seem to be the case at Aldi.

On the r/ALDI thread, a customer posted a question asking Aldi employees what they do when food items are returned. One person responded with, "All food should be disposed of by policy. There is no way to know if tampering occurred or if the product was handled properly. At my store, we encourage people returning non-perishable items to donate them as we have to throw them out," and another response confirmed this, "Automatically coded and trashed no matter what it is."

While we haven't been able to confirm that everyone who has responded in these social media posts are current or former Aldi employees, it does appear that there is overwhelming evidence that this is the standard procedure at the retailer. Stick with buying foods you know you like, and avoid low-rated products (like the worst bread at Aldi) to avoid the temptation of returning the unwanted food. Unless the food you've purchased at Aldi has actually spoiled, try to make use of it, give it to someone if you simply aren't a fan, or donate when it makes sense.