Yes, It's Okay To Put Items In A Grocery Bag Before Checkout At Aldi

If you've ever shopped at Aldi, you know about the store's non-traditional policies, like charging a (refundable) quarter to rent a cart. Many experienced shoppers carry change with them at all times, so they're always ready. Some even have an Aldi quarter holder keychain so that even if their change purse is quarter-less, their keychain will never be.

But, what if you don't have a designated Aldi quarter, and you have no quarters anywhere in your purse or car? It's not as bad as forgetting your bags since you can always buy them at the store with cash, a card, or a gift card, but the only way to rent a cart is with a shiny quarter. No dollar bills, coins of lesser denomination, or cards are accepted. Nevertheless, you have a few options that don't require leaving the store. You can hope that another shopper will loan you a quarter or give you their cart or that you'll find a detached cart somewhere else.

A new shopper inquired on Reddit about a potential third option: using bags as your shopping cart. "Is it acceptable to shop at Aldi's and put items in a grocery bag before checkout?" the post reads. The short answer is yes. Most respondents agreed, but a few added some caveats and alternatives.

Most of the Aldi shoppers in the Reddit thread said they regularly put their items in bags before checkout without any issues. Some added the reminder to unload your groceries on the belt just as you would if you had a cart. However, the cashier might be kind enough to place the items back in your bags after ringing them up.

Although most respondents who have used the "bags-as-a-shopping-cart" method did so without incident, one claimed that another shopper thought they were stealing and alerted the cashier. Incidentally, it's only considered stealing if you leave the store without paying for your items. There's no law stating that you need to contain your items in a certain receptacle while you're in the store. A follower claiming to be an Aldi employee also chimed in and confirmed that the method is acceptable, but a cart is always preferred. They also offered the alternative of simply asking the cashier to loan you a quarter.

Other respondents shared a couple of caveats. If you don't have a cart, the cashier will use their cart to load your groceries. That means you can't remove it from the store. Also, if you have a lot of items, it could slow down the checkout line. However, if you have only a bag or two, it shouldn't be a problem.