Here’s the Insider Term Aldi Uses to Describe Its Everyday Products
When we launched Aldi Reviewer back in 2016, one of the first things we did was to set about creating categories for the three specific kinds of products Aldi sells. First, there were the limited buys that were only in stores for a short time — Aldi US initially called these Special Buys but later shifted to the term Aldi Finds. Then, there were the seasonal items that would stick around for certain parts of the year — Aldi called those Seasonal Items but later evolved them into Seasonal Favorites.
That leaves the everyday stuff. You know, the things that Aldi always has. Milk, eggs, bread, condiments, cheese, toilet paper, all of that. Aldi doesn’t call those things anything in particular, at least not in stores.
That left us in a bit of a pickle. After all, our goal is to use the terminology Aldi uses when we can, even when the words change. But here, there didn’t seem to be an official term.
For that reason, we settled on Regular Buys. It’s a variation on Special Buy, and a term one of our writers vaguely thought they’d heard somewhere else. That’s hardly authoritative, but since we needed a quick and easy term to describe the products Aldi always sells, it’s what we’ve used ever since.
Recently, however, an insider in the grocery industry kindly tipped us off to Aldi’s house term for these everyday buys. And it turns out the answer is hiding in plain sight, right on Aldi’s corporate page.
And that term?
Core range.
Here’s what Aldi US’s site says in its frequently asked questions to potential food and nonfood suppliers:
Q. What is a core range item?
A. A core range item is an item that we sell everyday in our stores.
Core range appears to be an insider term used by stores inside and outside of the grocery industry, including by the companies that supply those stores. While we’ve never seen Aldi US use the term with the public, Aldi UK has, and customers in Aldi Ireland also appear to be familiar with it.
Because it’s an industry term rather than a branded term, Aldi doesn’t treat it as a proper noun. The grocer does not capitalize core range the way it does Aldi Finds (which the company stylizes as “ALDI Finds”) or even Seasonal Favorites.
At the time of this post, we’re on the fence as to whether this is a term we’ll use going forward with our product reviews, since Aldi US doesn’t currently seem predisposed to use it with anyone but its suppliers. Even so, it’s interesting to know what Aldi calls its staple products.
So the next time you go into Aldi and pick up that roll of paper towels or that bag of produce, you can say to yourself, “This is part of the Aldi core range!” Or maybe not.
First, “core range” does seem too “industrial “ for use in this review column. I like “Regular Buys” since that is more easily identifiable for us “regular” folks.
Second, do you know if there is a review site for Lidl? I shop both Aldi and Lidl weekly. Trader Joe’s when I feel like driving over an hour one way.
I really enjoy your reviews for you honest, straightforward approach.
Thank you for doing a great job when most sources of info/media these days is biased and unreliable. You’re refreshing and feel like a trusted friend.
I don’t know if there’s much on Lidl out there right now, especially as the grocer is just getting a foothold on the East Coast. We’d happily write about Lidl, but the nearest one is at least 500 miles from us. So we’re not quite there yet.
I agree with Marilyn, ” core range” is meaningless to normal shoppers, really hideous. Continue using “Regular Buys” or “Everyday low price” for their lower priced, regularly sold items.
why don’t you just simplify it and call is Every Day Prices,instead of the core whatever that means nothing to the consumer.
That’s probably why Aldi doesn’t use the term core range with customers, at least not in the United States. People inside the grocery industry are more familiar with it.
I am looking for a product that is stated as a core product, but the aldi by my town doesn’t carry it, and yes I asked them.
Can I order it and have it sent to me?
Unfortunately, Aldi does not offer online ordering for products that are not in stock at your local store. Here’s more information about how Aldi inventory works: https://www.aldireviewer.com/does-aldi-ship-its-products-online/