Inside Aldi and M&S' feud - cheeky swipes in full as Kevin the Carrot returns

Aldi have released their annual Christmas advert showing Kevin the Carrot trying to save the Spirit of Christmas from a group of evil villains called 'humbugs'.

Aldi certainly hasn't shied away from conflict in the past, facing the likes of M&S head-on as they take swipes via their famous Kevin the Carrot at the more pricey retailer. Making a comeback for the ninth year in a row, the latest Christmas ad from Aldi sees the cartoon vegetable trying to save the Spirit of Christmas from a group of evil villains called 'humbugs'.

Some Aldi fans have joked the retailer could be referring to their long-standing rivals, M&S, as the 'humbugs' in the ad. The two brands have been at loggerheads since 2021, with a number of legal disputes and savvy social media responses playing their fair part in the row.

Here, we look back at all the times the retailers clashed and how Aldi responded with witty swipes at the brand.

Caterpillar Cake Conflict: Colin vs Cuthbert

The legal saga between M&S and Aldi can be traced all the way back to one famous caterpillar - Colin. M&S' Colin the Caterpillar cake is a household name across the UK, with thousands of Brits opting for the chocolate based treat to celebrate birthdays and other occasions.

But as Aldi does best, the cheaper retailer created a so-called 'dupe' for Colin, named Cuthbert the Caterpillar. M&S filed a lawsuit in 2021, claiming the cake infringed on the intellectual property rights of their beloved Colin.

M&S argued that Aldi had copied the design, and even went as far as to trademark Colin's face, colors, and specific appearance. Aldi responded with a mix of legal rebuttals and social media humour, even launching a "#FreeCuthbert" campaign on X.

Their lighthearted response won them public support, portraying the lawsuit as an overreach by a high-end retailer against a discount chain. After months of social media posts, memes, and even collaborative fundraisers, the two retailers eventually reached a confidential agreement, though the caterpillar cake dispute has left a lasting impression.

Lookalike Gin Bottles

Unfortunately, the caterpillar cake wasn't the end of the dispute between M&S and Aldi. The retailers clashed again in 2022, this time over gin.

M&S accused Aldi of copying the packaging of their light-up gin bottles, which M&S introduced as a festive product with embedded lights and shimmering liquid resembling a Christmas snow globe. M&S argued that Aldi’s gin bore a striking resemblance to theirs, from the decorative details to the bottle shape and design.

Aldi insisted their products were not infringing. M&S eventually agreed to an undisclosed settlement, allowing Aldi to continue selling its bottles.

Aldi's Christmas ad

Aldi's 2022 Christmas ad left customers in hysterics as they appeared to mock their first legal saga with M&S. Eagle-eyed shoppers were quick to spot a nod to the drama among the clip's festive scenes. Stuck home alone, Kevin the Carrot opts to entertain himself by watching a football game.

Viewers would be forgiven for thinking Kevin might be watching a game from the upcoming World Cup, with the teaser for the ad paying homage to the iconic 1998 Nike World Cup Advert. But when people got a glimpse of Kevin's TV screen, they realised he was watching something quite different. Instead, the carrot was enjoying a match between teams 'Cuth' and 'Col', with Cuth winning 1-0.

In response, social media users were quick to praise the cheeky detail, which delighted many. Having spotted the names, one commenter asked: "Hang on is that Cuthburt v Colin?" adding a laughing emoji, and another replied: "OMG - yes it is!! Totally missed that."

Someone else thought the move was "brilliant," and another fan wrote: "Aldi’s Cuthbert 1, (I’m assuming M&S) Colin 0!!! Genius!"

M&S' ad - with Aldi wine

M&S made a big mistake in April when their attempt at a furniture ad ended up bolstering their rival Aldi. The M&S gaffe saw a bottle of Specially Selected Côtes De Provence Blanc - sold by Aldi - placed in the centre of the £699 furniture set alongside glasses and some nibbles.

Aldi highlighted the embarrassing marketing blunder by posting a screenshot of the garden table advert on X, saying: “Drink Aldi wine pass it on.” The wine, which sells for £7.49 at Aldi, is currently out of stock as shoppers flew to their website to have taste.

The savvy social media post has garnered over 14,000 likes and 1.2 million views on X since it was posted on Tuesday morning.