SAVVY SHOPPER
Aldi has made a huge change to discount rules ahead of Christmas and it will be easier to grab bargains
Scroll down to find out what other retailers offer similar schemes
ALDI has made a major change to discount rules ahead of Christmas, meaning shoppers can save money on food easier.
The discounter is making its Too Good to Go "Surprise Bags" available for reservation earlier than usual over the festive period.
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The mystery bags cost just £3.30 but come with £10 or more worth of food approaching its sell-by or use-by date inside.
Shoppers will be able to reserve the bags for collection five days in advance this festive period.
Normally, you can only reserve them 24 hours ahead of collection.
Bags for Christmas Eve will available to order for collection from December 19 while bags to collect on New Year's Eve can be ordered from December 27.
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Shoppers can reserve a bag via the Too Good to Go app which is downloadable off Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Luke Emery, national sustainability director at Aldi UK, said: "We’re making our Too Good To Go bags even more accessible this Christmas and New Year.
"By allowing customers to reserve their bags earlier than ever, we hope to provide even more people with affordable items that also help to reduce food waste."
Aldi first launched Too Good to Go Surprise Bags in February 2023, offering customers discounted prices on a range of food.
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The bags contain anything from fruit and veg, to dairy products, meat and snacks inside.
Savvy savers often brag about their Aldi Too Good To Go bag finds online.
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One previously revealed how she "could hardly lift" hers, while another shared how his came with a juicy steak inside.
It's not just Aldi shoppers who can get discounted produce through the Too Good to Go app either.
Morrisons, Asda and Spar all work with the food waste app offering shoppers food at cheaper prices.
Other retailers offering discounted food
If Aldi's Too Good to Go bags don't take your fancy, plenty of other retailers run similar initiatives.
Lidl shoppers can get Waste Not boxes across all stores in England, Scotland and Wales.
The boxes, which can be picked up in stores, contain 5kg of damaged, discoloured or misshapen fruit and vegetables which is still good to eat for just £1.50.
Shoppers can get hold of all kinds of produce including tomatoes, bananas, courgettes and aubergines.
The items change day-to-day depending on what's on the shelves so you can't pick what goes into each bundle.
Other supermarkets have launched their own wonky veg initiatives to reduce waste and offer customers cheaper produce as well.
For example, Asda sells discounted veg boxes in branches for £3.50.
Sainsbury's shoppers can also buy a £2 box which contains enough fresh veg to feed a family of four for five days.
Other changes at Aldi
The upcoming change to Aldi's Too Good to Go "Surprise Bags" is not the first to be announced by the retailer in recent months.
In August, it confirmed it was axing click and collect across 174 stores after launching the service just four years prior.
The £4.99 service let customers browse grocery items like canned goods and fresh produce online and choose a slot to pick up them up from the nearest branch.
Aldi launched the service at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in September 2020 and by 2021 it was offered across more than 200 stores.
But it started axing the service from dozens of branches, including 12 in July 2023 saying it had only launched the feature on a trial basis.
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Aldi is also expanding its number of operational stores across the UK as well, with a number opening this month.
The supermarket has said it wants to invest £800million into its store network and eventually run 1,500 stores across the UK.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents - buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you're not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead - if you've got the stamina and budget, it's worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you're not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales - some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores - you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.
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