Aldi says it will withdraw a controversial Australia Day T-shirt from sale after an outcry on social media.

The German discount supermarket chain had offered the T-shirt, emblazoned with the slogan "Australia Est. 1788", as part of a range of Australia Day items which are due to go on sale this weekend.

But it says complaints from "a limited number of concerned customers" prompted it to withdraw it from sale.

The "Est 1788" slogan apparently referred to the date of first European settlement in Australia.

Aldi also apologised directly to several Twitter users with a message that said:

We apologise for any offense taken in regards to our Australia Day T-shirts. We have passed your feedback on to the team. — ALDI Australia (@ALDIAustralia) January 7, 2014

Here is how some social media users responded to the release of the T-shirts: