Grey or purple? The $9.99 ALDI bath mat set dividing the internet

A $9.99 bath mat set from ALDI has shoppers baffled after a woman questioned whether it’s grey or purple.

Posting in a Facebook mums group, the woman began: “I swear I purchased a light grey bath mat set from ALDI today.”

She explains that the set still looked grey when she put the set in her bathroom, but when her husband came home he asked why on earth she had bought purple bath mats.

“I checked it out and the damn things are now purple!!!”

Confused, the woman put it out to the group “Can anyone clarify if I’m completely crazy or if these mats change colour in natural light?!?”

In a discussion reminiscent of the dress that broke the internet, her post sparked a barrage of comments, with users falling on both sides of the colour chart.

The colour purple

Barracking for Team Purple, one user wrote: “Yeah I saw them in-store and thought they looked purple so I didn’t buy them as I wanted grey.”

“I got the same set, and yes it was definitely light grey in the store,” said another. “But here it is against my light grey tiles.”

Posting the following photos, she explained that the photo on the left shows the bath mats in natural daylight, while the photo to its right shows them under house lights. In both, the mats are clearly purple.

Thrifty shades of grey

On the other team, many women pitched tents on a grey hill and dug in their heels.

“Still look grey to me, but more a darker grey,” said one commenter.

“I see grey, no purple in sight,” wrote another.

While yet another chimed in with “They looks (sic) grey to me,” with many more commenting the same.

However, when you see the larger mat in pure daylight as in a group member’s photo below, it’s hard to argue it’s anything but purple. Or maybe that’s just me.

A trick of the eye?

One commenter suggested that the mat created an optical illusion “where the eyes and brain ultimately perceive one colour and then we see a different colour moments later.”

This was certainly the case with The Dress (pictured) but we’re not sure it’s the answer here.

From the grey or purple horse’s mouth

In a statement to news.com.au, ALDI confirmed they offer the set in six different colours, including two very similar shades.

“Our Microfibre 2 Piece Bath Mat Set was available in six different colours. Two of these colours were lilac grey and silver grey,” said a spokesperson.

And while this provides some clarity, it doesn’t explain why the bathmats purchased by the original poster looked grey in the store and purple at home.

But like many of life’s great mysteries, I guess we’ll never know.

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