Why So Many Aldi Shoppers Won't Buy The Chain's Onions Anymore

Aldi does a lot of things very well. Customers have clearly taken a liking to the German grocer's consistently low prices and streamlined layouts. There are also myriad staple products to love in its freezer section, pantry aisle, wine area, and well-stocked beer shelves. However, produce is not an area where Aldi is known to excel. It's even gotten to the point where some shoppers refuse to pick up certain fruits and veggies at the store, including its bagged onions.

The reasoning for the bagged onion boycott doesn't have to do with the image of an obscene hand gesture that accidentally wound up on 23,000 packs back in 2024. That's a story for a different day. Instead, customers are blacklisting Aldi onions because of consistently poor quality.

Within Reddit threads and other social media conversations, onions pop up often as an item shoppers avoid buying at the store. The main complaints revolve around the onions going bad almost immediately after purchase — or, in some cases, being rotten the very day they're brought home. After several unsavory experiences, many Aldi-goers have resolved that the value isn't worth the risk. Most of these reports seem to center around the bagged red onions in particular, though yellow onions aren't exempt. Some shoppers also note that individually sold onions tend to fare better. However, not all locations offer loose produce as an option.

The problems with Aldi's onions date back several years to 2019. In an Aldi-centric Facebook community, one disgruntled shopper wrote, "Super irritated. Every time I buy red onions, they're rotten inside! They look great in the outside, but cut and and GROSS." The post even came with photo evidence.

Fast forward to 2025, and the issues continue to sprout ... literally. Another Facebook user noted that more recent batches sprout quickly after buying. In other threads from the last few years, it's more of the same. Customers note that the onions always seem old, they're wet, they turn up black on the inside, or that they "just plain suck", according to one Reddit user. And evidently, when they're not rotten, they're either lacking flavor or extra pungent. It seems that Aldi shoppers just can't win with these onions.

With years of compiled complaints, the onion situation does seem bleak. But some shoppers have presented solutions that could help. Storing your Aldi onions in the fridge to make them last a bit longer is a top remedy. Others note the importance of separating them from other produce and keeping them in a sealed container with a paper towel to soak up moisture. Immediately chopping them up to freeze them is another option. And, if all else fails, you can always take advantage of Aldi's Twice as Nice return policy to replace your onions and get a refund. At least the spoiled onion situation then has a silver lining.