‘Carnage’ scenes and queues spotted in Aldi supermarkets around UK as chaos erupts over Special Buy items parents rush to get their hands on ahead of Christmas this year
Shoppers at Aldi have encountered “chaos” as mums and dads have rushed to the Special Buys aisle to snap up a particular type of product. Special Buy items from the discount supermarket are incredibly sought-after, with certain products flying off the shelves within hours of launch, and frequently the restricted stock and bargain prices of these goods spark mayhem amongst customers.
This week, mums and dads have been going mad for a wooden toy collection launched in branches, with numerous families filling their trolleys in preparation for Christmas. The yearly selection, which is larger than previously this year, has established itself as essential for families across the nation and purchases have risen 36% versus last year.
The collection, which debuted on October 9, features an array of timber playthings, costing from just £2.99, encompassing wooden toys, climbing apparatus, train sets and dolls’ houses plus a timber Aldi shop and Cuthbert cake.
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Footage posted online yesterday reveals an Aldi in Ribble Valley, Lancashire, where corridors were crammed with shoppers, fighting to secure the boxed toys.
Trolleys jammed the walkways as people were allegedly forming queues from 6.30am. One shopper revealed their ordeal, saying: “I accidentally walked into the Aldi toy sale today and looked at one of the wooden toy sets and thought it would be good for my daughters birthday, picked it up and then a woman tried to take it off me and told me that she saw it first. It was brutal and I was so unprepared with how aggressive people are at these sales. Never again.”
One TikToker revealed: “People were literally fighting. Absolutely fighting, pushing people out the way. It was absolute carnage.”
Another shopper revealed: “Ours was terrible! No one queued, it was more a crowd at the door. I have never been hit by a trolley until today.”
On Facebook, one person posted: “Was at my local Aldi forgetting its Special Buys Thursday, was mad… so many with trolleys FULL of toys.” Meanwhile another posted: “I’m so glad my local was not like this.”
However, some maintained that there were plenty of products available for everyone, despite this. “I went and there was loads left, this was at like 5pm,” one posted.
Another revealed: “I went at 12pm and there was lots of everything left.”
Also stunned by the chaotic scenes at this Aldi, another posted: “Oh wow. I walked in my local at half 9 and it was so quiet and everything was still stocked.”
One person posted: “Mine was all so lovely and we all help each other out, getting what we needed.”
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, one mum posted a clip of her trolley packed full of toy boxes. “Aldi wooden toy event completed it,” she revealed.
She added: “Will see two happy faces on Christmas morning.”
Another shopper, who was unaware that the event was taking place, posted a video of the hectic scenes at their neighbourhood Aldi yesterday.
She was stunned by the lengthy queues of customers waiting outside the supermarket entrance. The person said: “I only came in for a croissant.”
Some customers reported that their local branches were using a ticketed queuing system.
Meanwhile others have spotted that people who succeeded in grabbing the sought-after toys are already attempting to flog them on Vinted for “triple the price”.
The items are on offer whilst stocks remain. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Aldi says.
Price list
- Soft play – £49.99
- Wooden slide – £49.99
- Wooden climbing equipment large – £34.99
- Wooden mechanic car/light up vanity – £34.99
- Three storey wooden dolls house – £39.99
- Wooden country kitchen – £34.99
- Learning tower – £34.99
- Wooden modern kitchen – £34.99
- Wooden Aldi supermarket – £29.99
- CHS activity table set – £29.99
- Wooden bike and rocker – £29.99
- Wooden market stall/wooden ice cream car – £29.99
- Wooden downhill racetrack – £24.99
- Wooden playworlds – £24.99
- CHS bookshelf – £24.00
- Wooden horsebox/beauty station – £29.99
- Wooden tabletop assortment – £19.99
- Double sided easle – £17.99
- Wooden baby walker – £19.99
- Wooden fridge/washing machine – £19.99
- Wooden fold out playsets – £19.99
- Wooden activity tree – £16.99
- Wooden dollshouse furniture – £14.99
- Wooden railway – £13.49
- Wooden XL appliances – £14.99
- Wooden advent calendar – £12.99
- Wooden doll furniture – £11.99
- Wooden activity board – £9.99
- Wooden ramp rack/hammer set – £9.99
- Wooden roleplay vests – £9.99
- Wooden kitchen appliances – £9.99
- Wooden doll care accessory sets – £9.99
- Wooden animal train – £9.99
- Wooden food roleplay sets – £7.19
- Wooden vehicles – £9.99
- Wooden kitchen sets – £9.99
- Play may set – £9.99
- Wooden grocer set – £7.49
- Wooden pull along vehicles – £8.99
- Wooden musical sets – £8.99
- Wooden characters – £7.99
- Wooden biscuit assortment – £7.99
- Wooden birthday cake – £4.99
- Wooden magnetic box assortment – £6.99
- Wooden vehicles box set – £6.29
- Wooden meal sets – £6.99
- Wooden pan sets – £5.99
- Wooden animal number puzzle – £3.49
- Small wooden vehicles – £3.99
- Wooden teething vehicle – £3.99
- Wooden books – £2.99