How Does Aldi's 5-Day Expiration Policy Work?

Aldi already enjoys the title of the cheapest grocery store in the United States, but what if you found out that there was a way to get certain Aldi perishable foods for even less? The secret lies in the company's typically unpublicized five-day expiration policy, which is subject to a lot of speculation and mystery.

It all appears to have started on Instagram in January 2024, where a blogger from the U.K. boasted about saving big at Aldi by scooping up grocery items that were expiring within the next five days. When she got to the register, she asked the cashier for a discount, citing a little-known policy of Aldi's to mark down foods that need to be sold quickly. The cashier obliged, giving her 30% off. 

The Sun investigated the claim and confirmed with Aldi that perishables could be discounted as much as 75% off, with the biggest savings being authorized on or right before the sell-by date. Other social media accounts passed the exciting idea around, calling it an incredible hack. However, anecdotal reports from commenters indicate that Aldi customers have had mixed results with landing the discount in everyday life.

Amid skyrocketing sticker prices at the supermarket, it's a tempting idea to potentially knock even more off your grocery bill by scooping up items that are nearing expiration. After all, if you're cooking up your groceries the same day or putting them in the freezer, it doesn't matter that they are about to expire. That's on top of the very real fact that most people don't understand the true meaning of expiration dates on food and that most perishables won't magically become inedible once the sticker date passes.

Still, don't bet the farm on crafting a dirt-cheap dinner out of expiring Aldi groceries. First of all, some folks received only a small discount on their products, while some received no discount at all. TikTok posters reported that the discount seems to come at the discretion of store management and may be subject to change. Secondly, be aware that interrogating the cashier for a discount on several items is going to slow the line down and likely irritate your local Aldi employees and fellow shoppers, who are used to checkout clerks scanning groceries at top speed. It may be a useful hack, but one that's best to try during off-hours and with an extra helping of politeness.