Aldi I love you but this just isn’t OK

I’ve been on the Aldi bandwagon from the start. For me branded food just isn’t worth the price hike. With such quality, why would I traipse around a megamarket to be bombarded with bogofs, 2-4-1s and masses of clothing and household stuff. I don’t need to be tempted by all that every week.

Aldi Special Buys

That being said, I do love the Aldi special buys. Stu complains that it takes twice as long to go down the central aisle when I’m there. With something new every visit, it doesn’t take long before what you need, appears in your trolley. Our bin was looking a bit battered and hey presto there was one. Not a cheap alternative but a high spec bargain.

Everytime I’m in store, I pick up the promotional brochure to peruse what will be in the following week. It never fails to amaze me the stuff they stock from hairdryers to hot tubs, bikes to bread makers. Last week however, as the Christmas goodies started to filter in, I was reminded how the UK’s fifth biggest supermarket is still failing.

I’ll let it slide when gifts are labelled ‘for him/for her’ but when they start telling us which toys are for boys or girls it really pushes my button. Their toy advent calendars come in two options. One has mini figures and a vehical and the other has accessories such as jewellery.

Why oh why?

I understand they are trying to reach as big a market as possible and so producing traditional boy/girl calendars is likely to sell well. However, there is just no need to label them as ‘For boys…’ and ‘For girls…’ In my opinion, whoever is writing in a catalogue with such huge circulation should know better. Just write a description and let the customer decide who they’d want to buy it for.

This is the second time I’ve seen this wording on children’s products in Aldi. The last time it was for fabric wardrobes. The huge boxes had GIRL’S WARDROBE and BOY’S WARDROBE emblazoned in large writing on the front. Girls, don’t even think of buying the space one. That’s not for you and boys, you couldn’t possibly like pink.

Time to stop gender stereotypes

It riled me so much that I almost went to complain. I’m not sure why I stopped myself but in future, I think I will. Enforcing gender stereotypes to this extent is just not acceptable. Come on Aldi, you can do better.

Am I over reacting? Would you have even noticed?

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18 thoughts on “Aldi I love you but this just isn’t OK

  1. I probably wouldn’t have noticed in the catalogue no. I agree that it’s not necessary to label up boy/girl toys. I love the land of plenty isle (as we call it!) always fun to have a look down!! #familyfunlinky

  2. I love Aldi too! To be honest, I’m not sure I would have noticed, but I think you make a very good point. Parents and children don’t need to be told what toy etc is for them, they’ll make a choice based on what they want/like #Familyfunlinky

  3. I agree this isn’t good enough, it’s such a shame that they let themselves down with this. #familyfun

  4. No I agree with what youre saying, whos to say that our daughters wont be the next astronauts of the future. I think the more we talk about it the message will get out there# familyfun

    1. Just let kids play with what they want to

  5. I would have noticed and been annoyed and not bought it. I usually boycott items that tell me it is for boys or girls as it drives me potty. My daughter loves trucks, mud, dinosaurs, princesses, ponies, dollies, cars … she really doesn’t discriminate. Why oh why are we still trying to tell children what they can and can’t play with based on what’s between their legs. #FamilyFun

    1. Ridiculous isn’t it

  6. I love this! You are so right! I was a massive Tomboy so this definitely would not have applied to me!

    Erin
    #TriumphantTuesdays

  7. This is awful! Why can’t girls have tech toys or boys have jewellery? #TriumphantTales

  8. It’s not hard to just label them as toys

  9. I would have noticed and been aggravated. This has been something that I’ve ranted about for a long time. Just seems so unnecessary to add these labels. I don’t see the point #triumphanttales

  10. I hadn’t noticed, but I do think it’s wrong. Just write what’s in them and let the parents buy the one their child would want. I know a few girls that like playing with cars, and why shouldn’t they?
    #FamilyFun

  11. Oooh gosh. It is annoying isn’t it, the whole gender specific toys. I mean it is a shame it still is a thing in this day and age but yet it very much is so. For the time being my children do play with a mix of toys and no doubt if I brought my girl the ‘girl’ one and the boy the ‘boy’ one they would probably just want what each other had. Although I suspect it is a lot to do with age as my daughter is starting to play with with typically more ‘girls’ toys as she get older. Thanks for joining us at #familyfun

  12. I wouldn’t have noticed this to be honest, we usually just get what catches the girls eyes! Thanks so much for sharing with #Blogstravaganza xx

  13. I agree that the customers have the right to decide. #FamilyFunLinky

  14. Popping back! Thanks for joining in at #TriumphantTales 🙂

  15. I love Aldi. My kids are quite traditional in their tastes so I’m not really bothered by gendered labelling but I understand that some children have more diverse likes #triumphanttales

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