Originally published at: Discount grocery store chain Aldi sued over "naturally flavored" cereal bars | Boing Boing
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If that class action succeeds, the plaintiffs will presumably receive their compensation in the shape of more cereal bars (only the lawyers will insist on being paid in cash).
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Smooth move. 
I see there’s someone on the floor behind you, picking them up one by one! They are indeed yummy and precious.
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“within ten seconds of entering the store I spilled an entire container of blueberries all over the floor.”
Are you the same person who spills their soda in brand new movie theaters?
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Not quite evil enough. Compensation will be given in either Aldi store credit or coupons valid for $1 off their next purchase of Aldi’s store brand cereal bars.
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I’m willing to bet this happens a lot, but people aren’t going around checking every product. The word “natural” on food packaging has no precise definition and is a siren song to people who think they’re avoiding processed foods by choosing things with that word on the package. They imagine a fruit roll-up that grew from the ground and was lovingly processed by fairies or something, I don’t know.
They happened to violate a specific code around DL Malic Acid in California here but I’m sure every processed food maker who slaps the word “natural” on their package is doing similar things.
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Is it OK if I diss Aldi here?
A lot of the stuff I’ve bought there is just really low-rent garbage, so “fake natural flavor” does not surprise me one bit. I’ve been there a handful of times and gave up: veggie burgers that fall apart, bags of apples where every one is bruised, sausage calzones with salami slices inside, flavorless cheese, etc.
Salami is a kind of sausage, so that one might just be lost in translation. In Germany nobody would be surprised if the “wurst” in a pizza dish was salami.
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I find that it’s much safer to just promise “baryonic flavors”.
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That is way too funny! And in the right proportions of colors, too! I’m impressed
So, did you win the gift card in a random drawing or something, or did they pick you out of the crowd for your outfit?
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Makes sense, but it 100% looked like someone took deli sandwich slices and made a calzone. And ultimately it was just not a very good piece of food.
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It’s trash. I can only associate Aldi with poverty and the predatory companies that worm their way into the wallets of the poor. My parents shopped there because it was significantly cheaper than anywhere else, but the quality is absolutely atrocious. Like, Dollar General grade bad. I’m sure they have some better products, but their store brand stuff is some of the worst crap I’ve ever had to eat. Maybe it’s better now than in the ‘80s-‘90s, but I won’t even set foot inside one.
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Came to say this. My eyes glaze over the word “natural” flavours or colours. I get that the made a specific nono here, it’s probably fine in most of their market and they didn’t do due diligence on códex alimentaria (or USian equivalent).
The servings one is kind of odd to pick up on oats. The servings size on many items, particularly high calorie/sugar/salt items that people might want to limit their intake of, bears no relation to the amount most people eat. So that in their minds they can still be within their goals but in reality not close.
But oats?
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That and, for me, I really like being able to find the European style soft ginger cookies with a little chocolate coating. I don’t know from fancy or generic, but there are some treats I got used to in Europe that just aren’t available at regular grocery stores in my area.
I’m surprised to see all the disparaging comments, but then again, I’ve never viewed Aldi as a proper “grocery store” where I’d get my weekly vittles. That would definitely make me view it differently.
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ha ha, yeah they were like “first spill in the new store” lol. and for the record, I asked five times if I could please help them pick up the spilled berries and they were like no no no no no just please stand there still so you won’t step on any. I tried to help, I promise!
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I went in with an open mind-- I was not familiar with the chain when it first opened here. And I agree there are probably some values if you dig around a bit, but I’m not going out of my way to buy a handful of products there.
I have a Price Rite near me, northeast chain. It’s also a discount supermarket, however it seems to get stuff that is better quality but approaching sell-by date. So decent quality foods, but check the bottom before buying and eat right away.
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So, if you were one of the first 100 people in line (and yes, I got there just before 7:30 for the 8 am ribbon cutting, and was already the 97th person), you got a gift card with an unknown $ amount on it, and when you opened the card’s envelope you found out what you won-- and I got the $100! I think they told me about 3 other people got $100 too, and the rest of the folks won anything from $5 to $50, I think. I was so excited, because they just handed them to us as we walked into the store, so I was jumping up and down and saying omg omg! and then I put the berries in my cart without putting that plastic thing up to block the big hole at the top of the cart where the handles are, and one pack of berries fell through that hole and onto the ground and splattered open, and folks working there rushed over and told me to stand still and not move and they started gathering berries while I apologized profusely and offered to help clean up. from elation to utter embarrassment. oof. so, yeah, it was a bit of a rollercoaster lol
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My wife and I are fans of the Quarter Cut.
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Good job, Jennifer. Did they take the gift card back? 
It would be funny if you stepped in it and left blue spotted footprints everywhere though
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