ALDI shoppers are being warned about “exploding” Christmas candles that look similar to Yankee’s versions following complaints.
Customer Cathy Lewis-Clugston, 58, said her Black Forest Gateau candle shattered a few days ago, leaving behind hot wax and shards of glass.
The retired police officer had bought the candle at the discounter for £3.99, where it’s said to offer 170 hours of burn time.
Cathy, who lives in Matlock, Derbyshire, had several candles burning when she heard a loud bang, sending her terrified cat running upstairs.
She said: “I noticed the candle had gone out but on closer inspection, I realised that the flame hadn’t just burned out – the glass jar encasing the candle had shattered.
“I went over and there were large chunks of glass scattered about on the coffee table.
“I’d put the candle on a wicker mat, and there was wax all over the place. I thought, ‘It’s exploded’.”
She added: “As somebody who likes scented candles, I’ve burned them for years and years, quite often Yankee ones, but other ones as well.
“Never once has this happened. This is the only time.”
Luckily she wasn’t harmed, nor was her cat Lizzie, though the pet was left frightened by the explosion.
Cathy, who was alone in the house, said: “It’s just lucky I wasn’t sitting next to the candle, and there weren’t kids or anyone else around.
“After I realised what it was, I was really quite angry. It clearly isn’t fit for purpose if it can’t withstand the heat from the flame, and it shouldn’t be sold.”
Following the complaint, Aldi has warned Christmas shoppers to follow the printed safety instructions when lighting the aromatic candles.
A spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear about Ms Lewis-Clugston’s experience.
“Candles should always be used in accordance with the safety instructions provided, including ensuring the correct distance between multiple candles.”
The candles in question are listed as unavailable on Aldi’s website, and the discounter is yet to confirm whether they’re still available in stores.
Either way, it’s not the first time an Aldi shopper complains about the supermarket’s own-brand candles.
In October this year, Emily Redfearn posted images on Twitter of her Aldi Coconut Noir Candle in pieces after it went up in flames and shattered.
In the tweet, she wrote: “Hey @AldiUK , we’ve just had one of your candles set fire and explode in our bedroom.
“We lit the candle around four hours before this. Thankfully we both noticed it, but how has this passed safety tests?
“The outcome could have been a lot worse than the burn marks on our furniture.”
And in July, Maisie Sutton shared a similar experience with the Aldi Summer Sands candle, warning fellow Twitter users not to buy them after one “exploded” just ten minutes after it was lit.
It comes after a Liverpool mum said her son was “nearly blinded” last December when the supermarket candle exploded glass across the room.
Emma Landers said the Aldi Number 3 candle was placed on the bottom of the fireplace before it “became like a bomb”.
