The Bonus In Aldi's Return Policy That Makes It Totally Worth The Hassle

Aldi is best known for its lightning-fast cashiers, the so-called "aisle of shame," and no membership or loyalty card programs. But a lesser-known fact is that over 90% of the store's products are actually from its private labels. Yup, Aldi has quite a long list of its own brands, covering everything from cookies to wine — look no further than the sommelier's ranking of 10 private-label Aldi wines if you don't believe us. The store is very serious about expanding and capitalizing on its own products. So serious, in fact, that many of these products come with a special guarantee called "Twice as Nice." If you're unhappy with a product that's covered by this guarantee, Aldi will offer you both a refund and a replacement.

Aldi includes a blue "Twice as Nice" logo on the back of eligible items because there are some limitations to this policy: It only applies to food items from Aldi brands and is exclusive to returns made because of poor quality. That means, if you purchase a certain food item from an Aldi brand and find that its quality has disappointed you, you may ask for the "Twice as Nice" guarantee. Keep in mind, however, that non-food items are not covered by this policy, even if they're from an Aldi brand. Alcohol items aren't covered either, nor are returns unrelated to quality issues.

First, you have to bring the food product that disappointed you back to the store — without it, the policy doesn't apply. Then, specifically ask the cashier for the "Twice as Nice" guarantee so they don't assume you're only making a regular return. Make sure you have the original receipt; otherwise, you can only get the refund on a gift card. The replacement item of your choice should have an equal (or lesser) value to the one you are returning, so knowing how to decipher Aldi's price tags for the best deal can come in handy. In the past, some shoppers have gotten a replacement item with a higher price tag, but that was likely an exception and not something to exploit. The process of claiming this special guarantee will also run much more smoothly if you bring the replacement item with you directly to the checkout.

Returning items not covered by this guarantee is still possible, of course, but you'll have to settle on getting either just the refund or just the replacement, not both. Generally speaking, you can return any product to Aldi that you're unhappy with, except for alcohol — the return of which depends on local regulations.