There is an ongoing cost of living crisis but Aldi's premium own-label Specially Selected range is seeing growth, a trend that mirrors the wider grocery market. This could be due to easing pressures for some shoppers, or a shift in shopping habits, with some opting for less well-known brands. Others may be choosing to dine at home more often.
According to Aldi UK boss Giles Hurley, customers are more willing to splurge on pricier items and have been 'trading up' to premium own-label products like Wagyu steak, high-end cheese, ready meals, and brioche buns. In fact, this year, Aldi's Specially Selected range will make up over half of its overall Christmas offering for the first time. With this in mind, I decided to compare these products to those offered by Marks and Spencer, sampling some of Aldi's most popular Specially Selected items.
M&S is renowned for its high-quality food and has recently been making waves with its own Remarksable range, which has impressed shoppers with its low prices. However, it remains one of the priciest options for many groceries outside of this range, so I wanted to see how the two compare in terms of price and taste. Despite the unavailability of Wagyu steaks in the Aldi stores I visited, possibly due to their popularity, I chose fillet steaks from both retailers for comparison.
At Aldi, a 28-day matured fillet steak weighing 170g is priced at £4.99, while M&S offers a 10-day matured fillet steak weighing 190g for £8, which equates to £7.16 f.
