Middle-aisle mayhem: how Aldi and Lidl changed British shoppers | Shops and shopping

I am waiting outside an Aldi in south London at 6.45am. Through the window, I eye my prize. He glints at me from a basket placed tantalisingly close to the entrance. Kevin the Carrot, the limited-edition soft toy released by Aldi once a year, is part of the discount supermarket’s Christmas promotion. Such is the demand for Aldi’s Kevin drop that the toys routinely sell on eBay for triple the retail price. This year, Kevin is golden, his belly straining against the metallic fabric like a wrestler’s bespandexed torso.