Aldi Is Warning Shoppers About Holiday Food Delays

With the holiday season in sight, the time has come to start planning table spreads and finding the perfect seasonal treats. Many felt the supply chain squeeze last year and couldn't find every single item they wanted to make their winter feel complete. Unfortunately, this year doesn't look much better — most grocers have already predicted limited supplies of holiday products like Rice Krispies, McCormick gourmet spices, and Marie Callender's pot pies due to transportation and labor issues that trace back to the pandemic, per CNN. Some companies have even gone so far as to advise grocers against advertising specific holiday deals this year to avoid leading consumers on.

Aldi couldn't escape the brunt of the shortages, and like many other retailers, had to inform its shoppers that it expects to carry less this year. In a post on Reddit, one user posted an open letter from the company, which explained how certain products might arrive later than expected and warned that its inventory might change on the fly. The post attracted a fair share of attention from astute shoppers who understand the plight of the grocery chain.

Redditors over at r/aldi sympathized with the supply chain issues. Responses like "Love they gave us a heads' up!" and "Yup, it's very much appreciated" rolled in. Another expected some customers might not understand the issue and replied with, "This kind of stuff never works, customers still going to complain to on-the-floor retail workers who can't do one thing about it! I know from working at Starbucks. Listen to this: They aren't hiding it 'in the back.' It's on the high seas in a shipping container. Go shop there." Another shopper already lost hope, saying, "I'll never notice a difference. As I can't get to the store early and wait for them to open, all the really cool seasonal stuff they mention is long gone before I get there."

If you love Aldi's holiday specials, you might have to hunt extra hard for them this year. With any luck, you can snatch up a few of your favorite seasonal products, but mentally prepare yourself to deal with more empty shelves and fewer products.