Aldi has taken aim at glossy designer fragrance adverts with a new tongue-in-cheek campaign to mark the launch of its latest Lacura men’s scent range.

The discounter has released the “Aldi Fragrance Advert”, a short film inspired by the moody, high-drama style of luxury perfume campaigns, but set in a much more recognisable Aldi store environment.

The advert features easily distracted store worker Dave and has been created to support the launch of three new limited-edition Lacura men’s fragrances, which hit stores nationwide from today, 11 June.

The new Lacura Solar Drift, Lacura Classic Edge and Lacura Urban Dusk Eau de Parfum will be priced at £5.99 for 50ml, with Aldi claiming shoppers can save up to 92 per cent compared with high-end brands including Dior, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss.

The campaign lands as new Aldi research reveals just how seriously Brits take fragrance.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults found two in five Brits would consider refusing a second date because of someone’s perfume or aftershave, while nearly one in 10 said they had ended a relationship because of their partner’s scent.

Overspraying topped the list of the nation’s biggest fragrance “icks”, cited by 37 per cent of Brits, followed by someone smelling “like an air freshener”, also at 37 per cent.

Using deodorant instead of showering after exercise came next at 36 per cent, while 34 per cent said they were put off by cologne that smells too chemical-heavy.

Other turn-offs included wearing a scent that reminds someone of an ex or family member, layering too many fragrances at once, mixing clashing scents, wearing perfume that smells like food and repeatedly reapplying fragrance throughout the day.

TikTok-inspired fragrances are also dividing shoppers, with 19 per cent naming overhyped “TikTok made me buy it” perfumes among their biggest fragrance red flags.

However, social media is still shaping how shoppers discover new scents. Aldi’s research found 21 per cent of Brits discover perfumes and aftershaves online, while 19 per cent have bought a fragrance after seeing content about it on social platforms.

The supermarket said shoppers are also becoming more open to lower-priced alternatives as fragrance prices remain under pressure.

Two thirds of Brits said affordable perfumes and aftershaves can smell better than luxury originals, while 57 per cent said they had received more compliments when wearing affordable fragrances than designer scents.

Fragrance advertising still appears to have a strong influence, with almost a third of Brits saying they had bought a fragrance after seeing an advert before smelling it in person.

Aldi UK chief commercial officer Julie Ashfield said: “It’s official, we’re a nation of fragrance fans. Our new research shows shoppers are becoming savvier and are increasingly turning to affordable options that still deliver on quality and scent.

“That’s why we’re excited to launch our latest range of fragrances, offering customers luxury without the premium price tag.”

The Lacura men’s fragrance range is available in Aldi stores nationwide from 11 June.

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