Confessions of a middle-aisle junkie: Why I can't keep away from Aldi's Specialbuys

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We've all been there. Every Aldi shopper knows how hard it is to resist the lure of the fabled middle aisle.

For many people, including me if I'm honest, it's a calm oasis of treats and temptation that temporarily lifts you from the drudgery of the weekly shop.

For others it's a target - they run into the store every Thursday or Sunday to be the first to pick up the hot product everyone's been talking about, before it runs out completely.

And some people just like to browse the middle aisle as they fill their trolley with groceries, grabbing anything that takes their fancy, whether they need it or not.

Whatever your relationship is with Aldi's Specialbuys, you just know you can't resist having a look.

You've grabbed all the veg and dairy you need for the week, you're ready for the toiletries and frozen goods, and even though you might have only headed out for your store-cupboard essentials, you're inexplicably heading home with a food processor, a set of screws, a hanging basket, and a heated airer.

Us Brits just can't walk away from a bargain. And the bargains we find in that Specialbuys section often seem irresistible. It is the island of impulse purchases.

Part of the lure of the middle aisle is the element of surprise. You didn't expect to find a new lunch box, did you? That cycling jersey you've always half-promised yourself was just in the right place at the right time. And why shouldn't you gather up more kit for your camping trip while you're out for a bag of frozen peas?

There is a clever way to get your own back on the middle aisle, though. You can reveal all its secrets before you even leave your house by signing up to Aldi's email list.

Each week, before the products reach the stores, Aldi will send you an email with the Specialbuys you can expect to see in that middle aisle when you're next filling up the freezer.

Click here to sign up and stay ahead of the next special events, which are going to include products for the kitchen, for laundry and cleaning, for the garden, and even the beach.

Because, as Aldi always tries to warn us, once they're gone, they're gone.