That is so cute! It looks like a mini hot water bottle.
We have Aldi too - I think they've taken over the world. Years ago I used to work on a magazine called Scottish Grocer, and we had a visit from some Aldi representatives. They told us exactly the points that you have listed, as to how they keep their costs low. They also said that each Aldi store had exactly the same layout, so that their stock delivery people knew exactly where everything should go, and that apparently saves them a fortune on logistics.
I think there is another cost-saver that they didn't mention. Their stores are almost always on inexpensive real estate, unlike their competitors, who tend to site their stores in the most expensive city centres. That gives them a huge advantage in the UK, though I'm not sure if it's the same in the US.