The Half-Off Aldi Discount You Might Want To Avoid, According To Shoppers

Aldi is already known for offering good deals compared to its competitors. They carry a limited stock and their own store brand items to keep costs down and reduce overhead. As with any other store, fresh products like meat only last so long on the shelves, so their price is often reduced in an effort to sell them before the expiration date. While this can be a great deal, some warn that you need to be careful when considering that salmon on sale.

When Aldi reduces meat a day or two before the sell-by date, it's sold at a 50% discount. Be aware that sometimes you need to ask about this discount. Considering the price of meat these days, that can be an exceptional bargain. The same quality cut of meat that's still perfectly good to eat but half the price is a deal most wouldn't pass up. 

But comments on Reddit cast a bit of doubt over that "good to eat" part, at least when it comes to fish like salmon. One Redditor tried salmon with a just-applied 50% off sticker but soon regretted it. "We cooked it the next day and it was gross and fishy-tasting," they said. Another user agreed, adding, "I don't do 50% off salmon anymore, I bought some and it was bad, haven't got salmon since then, def not worth the 50%."

Raw salmon can only last a day or two in the fridge. If it's vacuum sealed raw salmon, it can last up to five days if it's unopened. However, those time spans aren't definite. These dates are educated guesses by food manufacturers, based on a wide range of factors, and they are not always accurate.

At some point, that fish could have been handled differently, was exposed to warmer temperatures, or the vacuum seal wasn't perfect. Any number of things could have happened that caused it to start spoiling sooner than expected. When you buy it as a discount because it's a day away from the sell-by date, it could already be too late, even though neither you nor Aldi had any way of knowing at that moment.

Aldi's "Twice as Nice" return policy on the products they sell is worth noting. If you have the receipt, you can return the fish for a refund and a replacement. Since this is a quality issue, it should meet their standards for both a refund and replacement as long as you return it in time to show the problem. Remember, plenty of shoppers have had good experiences with discounted meat from the chain, and it can be a smart way to save money at Aldi for salmon lovers.