AN ALLOA store manager has revealed insider tips to help Wee County shoppers scoop the best deals.

Murray Dunsmore, who celebrates his 15th year working at Aldi this year, has shared top tips on how to secure the latest specials along with the best times to enjoy a quiet store experience.

He said: "Prefer a quieter shopping experience?

"The best day to shop is Tuesday, particularly before 10am and after 6pm.

"The 30, 50 or 75 per cent discount stockers are applied to products at various points throughout the day as they approach their best-before or use-by dates to help reduce food waste.

"Products such as rice, pasta, cereal and tinned food are also reduced by 30 per cent if the packaging is imperfect.

"Thursday is when our 'Fresh Weekly Offers' are launched for meat and fish products, allowing you to snap up the best fresh produce deals.

"Aldi's middle aisle is iconic for bargain hunters.

"For the latest offering from the Specialbuys range, make sure to visit stores on Thursday and Sunday when new products are launched.

"Be quick, they don't stay on the shelves for long."

Each Aldi is open until 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8pm on a Sunday, giving plenty of opportunities.

Murray added: "One thing you might have noticed is that Aldi has smaller stores than other supermarkets.

"The average Aldi store size is 16,400 sq ft.

"By comparison, big superstores can be up to 70,000 sq ft.

"Smaller space means far less being spent on both running costs and maintenance, which in turn allows Aldi to offer lower prices at the tills."

Aldi Scotland, which opened its first store in Kilmarnock in 1994, scooped the Scottish Sourcing Award from the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards in September.

Graham Nicolson, group buying director at Aldi Scotland, said: "At Aldi, we want to ensure an enjoyable shopping experience for our customers as well as one that is favourable to the bank balance.

"We provide an extensive range of locally sourced products that our customers now come to expect."