That was basically their business proposition when Aldi got started as a supermarket chain in Germany in the early 1960s – a restricted range of fast-moving basic-quality groceries, no fresh stuff (which would go bad if unsold), at cheaper-than-normal prices. ISTR that they limited themselves to 400 different articles. Also the stores themselves used to be very basic, like warehouses where the goods would be sold from the delivery cartons on pallets instead of being put on store shelves. Aldi stores used to be very popular mostly with the less well-to-do.
Over the years, “gentrification” has set in and has caused Aldi to be quite acceptable to most of German society. The range of goods on offer is less limited than it used to be, but still smaller than at more upscale supermarkets. As someone else has noted, much of the Aldi stuff is likely to be identical to name-brand stuff available elsewhere, and these days Aldi even sells some name-brand items directly, like Coca-Cola or Haribo. They also offer weekly special bargains which are widely advertised and popular with many people – the first time Aldi sold discount PCs, people would camp out in front of the stores waiting for them to open. I think for me the moment when I definitely realised that Aldi was no longer for people with very low grocery budgets was when in their weekly advertising flyer they offered packages of 12 golf balls.
Between the two chains – “Aldi Nord” and “Aldi Süd”, which split in 1961, have different logos and have divided Germany (or for that matter the world) neatly between them –, Aldi Süd is probably a little bit closer to the original spirit of the Aldi stores than Aldi Nord, which offers a somewhat greater range of goods than its sibling. For example, Aldi Nord used to sell frozen food much earlier than Aldi Süd (nowadays they both do). But today you’re likely to find either of the two in purpose-built, much nicer-looking premises on the outskirts of town, when back in the day they would tend to be in some dingy shack off the main street. Generally they seem to be trying to leave their bottom-of-the range discounter image behind, e.g., by offering more fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as animal-friendly, organic and vegan products.
