Aldi have been forced to introduce a ticketed system for their viral £150 reformer Pilates machine after customers caused chaos as they battled to get one in the aisles.
Chaos erupted at Aldi locations across the country over the weekend as shoppers tussled over the bargain workout machine which is £1,750 less than the Original Fold Reformer (£1,899.99) and sold out in minutes.
The discount supermarket chain launched its own version of the machine used in exercise routines boasting a celebrity following including the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Margot Robbie and Hailey Bieber.
Classes can exceed £35 a time and instructors advise people to practice three times a week, making it an expensive hobby popular with the middle classes.
Yet the equipment now offered by German retail firm Aldi has tempted many with the promise of a cheaper way to get involved – while also sparking friction in stores.
Shoppers also told of Aldi outlets opening early, with queues around corners and some sales even being ticketed – as TikTokers revealed three-hour waits at stores and 5.30am wake-ups for keen wannabe buyers.
A spokesperson for Aldi said: ‘We’re sorry that some customers were unable to get their hands on this product, however, demand has been extremely high.
‘To manage the expected demand, we operated a ticketing system, where tickets were handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
‘As with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!’
A TikTok video showed customers vying for Aldi’s reformer Pilates products
Meanwhile, shoppers also told of Aldi outlets opening early, with queues around corners and some sales even being ticketed
The reformer pilates exercise routine has celebrity fans but can cost followers hundreds of pounds in weekly sessions
Too add salt to the wound for those who didn’t manage to snap one up, they are now being sold on internet auction site eBay .
Some sellers are charging more than double the in-store cost, with listings of as much as £394.32.
And the demand is there as most listings have at least 10 watchers and other have around 20.
It has enraged those who wanted to buy one for personal use instead of personal gain, with one taking to X to fume: ‘People who got the #Aldi Pilates Reformer and are selling them on Vinted for over double the price are scum, sub-human scum @AldiUK arrest them!’
A TikTok video went viral showing commotion in the aisles of an Aldi store in London as screaming customers fight to get their hands on the pilates machine boxes.
One amused onlooker is heard saying in disbelief, ‘This is not happening’, while another comments on the crowds: ‘This is f***ing ridiculous.’
Shoppers are seen grappling for boxes of the product and even sitting down on the items in disputes over who should get to claim them.
Remarks heard in the exchanges include ‘You were at the back of the queue’, ‘I was holding it before you’ and ‘People have queued up, wasted their morning queuing’.
Aldi‘s machine features five adaptable resistance levels, using resistance bands, as well as adjustable height settings.
The footage was shared from an Aldi supermarket store in London
It can also be folded for storage and has transport wheels that make it easier to move around to the right spots.
Aldi only unveiled their product this month, instantly selling out in many stores in the UK – having previously gone on sale in Australia this year.
Aldi had launched a £150 Reformer Pilates machine on Sunday, offering a cut-price alternative to the luxury studio equipment that usually retails for anywhere between £2,000 to £6,000.
Pilates fans rushed to snap up the budget-friendly reformer, but frustration quickly grew as shoppers claimed some outlets had as few as six units – with stock vanishing within minutes – while others said their local Aldi did not receive any at all.
MailOnline has contacted Aldi for comment.
Customers were heard expressing their disbelief amid the rush to get hold of the products
The commotion came after Aldi launched its news £150 version of exercise equipment
The reformer pilates products have sold out within minutes in some Aldi stores
Shoppers wanting to get hold of the items were filmed arguing over the Aldi wares
One shopper was seen sitting on boxes inside the unidentified Aldi store in London
The firm previously said in a statement promoting the new product: ‘In a UK supermarket first, Aldi is bringing Reformer Pilates to the middle aisle.
‘Taking the internet by storm when it launched in Australia last year, with British TikTokers desperately asking ‘IS THIS THE UK ALDI???’, the £149.99 Reformer Pilates Machine is launching in stores 25th May. Shoppers better limber up, as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone.
‘Reformer Pilates has never been more popular, with searches, sign-ups and studio spaces soaring, and the strength-building exercise is even being hailed as the ultimate workout for 2025.
‘Perfect for those looking to elevate their fitness routines, the NEW Reformer Pilates Machine (£149.99) offers professional-grade workouts without leaving the house.’
