The Dos and Don’ts of Aldi’s Famous Return Policy, According to a Superfan

In an ideal world, you’d never need to return anything to the grocery store. Everything would taste great and exceedingly fresh, and practically make all your wildest cooking dreams come true. On the off chance you have to return something to the grocery store, though, it’s the best possible situation if that return takes place at an Aldi.

Why is that? Well, Aldi doesn’t want to leave guest satisfaction up to chance — especially when it comes to the grocer’s return policy. On top of refunding your money at return time, Aldi will do you one better and replace the returned product, too. Aldi’s appropriately named, “Twice as Nice Guarantee” is a key way the company stands behind its products’ quality. 

The grocer clearly feels so confident that the items you bring home will also impress you that it’ll replace and refund almost any item — say, that bag of oranges, box of cereal, or ribeye steak — for any reason you’re not 100% satisfied.

Simply put, anything edible and under Aldi’s own store brand is eligible for returning under the “Twice as Nice Guarantee,” provided you keep the receipt and bring the package and the remaining unused portion.

Now for what isn’t included in this guarantee. 

• Non-edible items: electronics, clothes, decor, etc.
• Alcohol: Do note that in some states, alcohol (opened or unopened) cannot be returned or replaced for a refund
• Name-brand items: Coca-Cola, Reese’s, Rao’s Homemade, etc.
• Items returned not for quality purposes: If you over-bought something or simply didn’t need an item anymore

Of course, you can still bring these items in for a refund or replacement (not both), but you won’t get the full extent of this generous return policy.

In all cases, if you’ve lost your receipt, you can count on getting store credit for the current retail price of the item(s) on a gift card, so not all is lost! 

All you need to do is bring the item(s) in question as well as your receipt (keep it handy!), and find an Aldi store manager (or cashier) to ask for a return and replacement. Aldi stores are notoriously staffed with few employees at a time. It helps the grocer keep costs down and, in turn, prices low for us shoppers; it also means employees are busy, so reminding us shoppers to grab a replacement might not always be so top of mind.

At times, I’ve even forgotten to ask for the replacement and instead just got my refund. So now, I like to do my returns before I shop (and not at check-out time). It helps me remember to ask for both, and then I’m back on my way, weaving through the store’s delightly wide aisles.

If you prefer to make your returns post-shop, enter the check-out lane well-prepared. Checking out at Aldi does go fast (and you have to bag your own items), so bring along the desired replacement item with you as you check out to make sure you get both components of the “Twice as Nice Guarantee.” 

Have you tried returning items at Aldi? Tell us about it in the comments below.