Overview

• Aldi’s annual wooden-toy event launched on 9 October and continues in UK branches while stock lasts under the Specialbuys ‘once they’re gone’ model.
• To spread availability, stores enforced a two-per-person cap on 10 high-demand items, including the Wooden Doll’s House, Modern Kitchen and the Wooden Aldi Supermarket.
• Shoppers reported early starts, long queues and crowded aisles, with some locations using ticketed entry to manage the rush captured in social-media videos.
• Resale listings appeared within hours on Vinted and eBay, with examples such as the Wooden Aldi Supermarket at about £115 versus Aldi’s £29.99 and a £19.99 washing machine at £85.
• Aldi described “unprecedented demand,” while frustrated parents condemned resellers online and noted rival offers at quieter Lidl stores and other supermarket toy sales.