Aldi in Strife Over New Product Range

A wooden Aldi table and clothes rack has caused outrage among the design community

The Aldi Natural Wood Side Table, retailing for $69.99, was due to be on sale as a Special Buy item on Wednesday.

But the store said it’s had to pull the item “due to production issues”.

The Design Institute of Australia [DIA], which represents Australian design and designers, called for table to be pulled from shelves.

The DIA claims the table is a copy of Australian designer Mark Tuckey’s Egg Cup stool, which sells for more than $550.

aldi range

Another ALDI product, a clothes rack, is a copy of one designed by Siobhan Glass.

Miss Glass House took to Facebook to air her grievances with the Aldi product:

“Hey ALDI Australia remember this catalogue early September last year?

My Clothes Airer #2 was used as a prop to sell your towel set (image 1). Customers went crazy thinking it was part of your range… it appears you have been very inspired judging by your catalogue starting tomorrow with your range of Clothes Airers (image 2). Even the towel placement is exactly the same!!

The tapered ends, the leather strap and the hooks on the side were the details that made this design unique to my brand.

Make your own towel rack but don’t take the unique details away from a small Melbourne furniture designer like me. There’s room for us all to run our businesses without having to step on each other toes.

Spare a thought for us creative small businesses who rely heavily on a small range of products to pay our rent and put food on the table for our families. You know we can’t compete with you and this is exactly why you do it.”

A petition on the DIA’s website calls for Aldi to pull both items from shelves and apologise to the designers.

An Aldi Australia spokesperson told Yahoo7 the reason the table was not sold on Wednesday was due to a “production issue in relation to Australian Quarantine”.

“The product needs to undergo further treatment before it is sold in ALDI stores,” the spokesperson said.

“We can confirm it will be available to purchase on Wednesday, 29th August.”

Australia’s current Intellectual Property laws are grossly inadequate. IP Australia is currently considering if Australia should join The Hague Agreement. This would afford Australian designers protection against replicas in multiple countries or regions with minimal formalities.

Will you still be buying these items from Aldi?

Share your comments below.

21 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 26 Sep 2022
    8:26 am
I would have loved one of those stools for my new bathroom.

- - Blossom said
  - 17 Sep 2018
    8:39 pm
The clothes airer reminds me of the wooden ones that were used in the 1940s, possibly even sooner than that which folded inwards when not being used. The metal brackets at the side were approximately in the middle of each end. I still have the one that was used for at least 3 generations. It is high enough to put folded sheets on to air.

- - ella12 said
  - 18 Jul 2018
    2:43 pm
That was rather shifty from Aldi.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 17 Jul 2018
    12:43 pm
Not good for the local industry- glad they fought it, but still love Aldi.

- - mom111059 said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    8:59 pm
Oops Aldi you’ve been caught out. Bet they sell heaps.

- - rovermum said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    9:27 am
Wow, I don’t need these items. I always felt a while ago that KMart engaged in similar activity, and possibly other outlets too. It’s not cool. It’s not right. Glad this was picked up.

- - tessie said
  - 16 Jul 2018
    9:25 am
I don’t shop at Aldi and this is yet another reason why I won’t.

- - BellaB said
  - 13 Jul 2018
    7:39 pm
I wouldn’t buy these items anyway… I feel bad for the designers, but at the same time, there are a Limited number of ways to design some items.

- - mom176887 said
  - 13 Jul 2018
    3:28 pm
No. Probably wont be buying them.

- - castle said
  - 13 Jul 2018
    8:03 am
Why wouldn’t I buy these from Aldi,I can,t afford an original REMBRANDT but I may be lucky enough to find a copy,Thank,s Aldi,Glenn.

- - mom93821 said
  - 13 Jul 2018
    7:54 am
Items that do not appeal to me.

- - musicmum said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    10:18 pm
China makes millions by copying many designs. You will see Chinese taking photographs at small community markets quite often.

- - mom74005 said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    8:51 pm
Aldi should have reached out to the designer sooner. Such a shame when it’s just been noted Aldi is a highly trusted brand amongst aussies

- - nealsq said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    8:34 pm
or these small designers could approach Aldi to sell certain products, I think it would benefit both of them

- - schnupperle said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    8:10 pm
Aldi’s stool looks more like a cork then an egg cup to me
- mom93821 replied
  
  14 Jul 2018 , 4:16 am
  There is a variation and it does have a cork like shape.
- - mom265671 said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    4:27 pm
Oh wow did not notice this. That’s bad of Aldi!

- - mom90758 said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    3:21 pm
There is quite some similarity there indeed!!

- - mom160421 said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    2:40 pm
I won’t be buying these items only because I don’t need them. Aren’t high end clothes, jewellery, accessories, furniture etc copied all the time? It may not be right, but it’s been around for ages.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    2:22 pm
Musicians get fined thousands of dollars for stealing the tune and/or rhythm of a song – people/companies stealing designs should be punished too!

- - Mum2archer said
  - 12 Jul 2018
    1:18 pm
If they have stolen the design from someone else then yes they should apologise to them!