Aldi becomes Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket

[Fab Foodie]

The middle aisle is the dangerous one in Aldi

...the aisle of dreams....

 

[potsy]

We have an M&S food, Aldi, Asda & Sainsburys all within a 5 minute walk.
Probably use Aldi most of the time, Sainsburys occasionally, and Asda once in a while.
Not even tried the M&S.

I was always a Tesco boy for pretty much everything, now the cost has overshadowed the convenience of getting it all in one place.

 

[PK99]

The middle aisle is the dangerous one in Aldi

Read an interesting article on the psychology of Lidl/Aldi/IKEA the other day. Especially the "random" centre aisle displays. They are far from random.

The £1.35 extension lead stacks in IKEA implant "This is GREAT value!" and the halo effect transfers that feeling to the £800 sofa standing next to the stack of leads. "The sofa must be great value too!"

Ditto the Lidl/Aldi centre Aisle displays.

The other supermarket brands use similar techniques using different triggers and levers.

 

[Fab Foodie]

The didn't 'lose' the business in as much as it was Waitrose that ended the partnership with Ocado, not the other way around.

Correct.
Part of the original scheme for Waitrose with Ocado was to extend it's geographical reach without necessarily having to build stores. The whole concept of its fulfillment and delivery system was very forward thinking for its time. Am guessing that expansion northwards is no longer such a key part of their strategy except for a very few locations.

 

[Reynard]

My observation (several supermarkets in different regions) is that brands have pretty-much taken-over the aisles (there are reasons for this), own-label has shrunk significantly, choice is much more limited as Supermarkets reduce their number of SKU's (as are all businesses as times tighten). Also volumes held of many products in stock are also very low.
Supermarkets have (as a result of the Aldi Lidl onslaught which continues unabated), released 'discount brands' in order to compete. The likes of 'Finest' and 'Taste the Difference' products are now fairly minimal in shelf-space.

Waitrose is a different player, like M&S food, which tend to be better insulated against economic swing by virtue of its customer base, but even they have had to respond due to the wide-reaching cost of living increases.

Hmmm... There are aisles into which I don't venture and products I don't buy, so I can't comment so much about big brands, but I do agree with your assessment about stock levels. The big one in my local Tesco at the moment is the breakfast cereal, where it is a challenge to get own brand, and I regularly have to think sideways on other products as well. I've always been an own brand shopper, btw, except for the things there aren't really an alternative for.

Having said that, my local Tesco has expanded their range of own brand cheeses and deli of late, among which are a fair few "Finest" products. I'm not complaining in that respect, as they *are* very good, and I'll buy them to scratch the itch, because it's still way cheaper than Waitrose. And since we have a fairly big Waitrose in Ely, I'd imagine that's part of the direct competition for trade.

One thing I will add to my observation, is that there is a lot less coming into final reductions of late, but the stuff that does has been decidedly skewed towards the more expensive products. The yellow sticker cabinets have always been a good litmus test of how flush people are feeling, and what they are (or are not) buying.

 

[Mike_P]

Covid seemed to be used as an excuse. A supplier to Asda got closed due to a covid outbreak and I assume that has not gone on for the length of time the products they supplied have been absent.

 

[LarryDuff]

No Aldi in NI

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

No Aldi in NI

Why did I read that in Ian Paisley's voice?

 

[DRM]

Yes, and you had to sign a disclaimer that you were trained to use PPT (Powered Pallet Truck). If you didn't, they gave you a pump truck to lug 750kg pallets up the ramp!
The names on the disclaimer form read like the cast from a Disney film: M. Mouse, D. Duck etc.

Yep that’s their get out of jail free card, but if push came to shove, I think they may find themselves in deep doo doo in the event of an accident, but there are more haulage companies now who are buying small (1300kg capacity) PPT’s to go in the back of the HGV’s, rather than a pump truck, as some firms have decided that a pump truck isn’t that safe anymore, especially when used on a tail lift.

 

[stephec]

The middle aisle is the dangerous one in Aldi

Definitely, although at £3.99 for the last one of these I couldn't leave it there.

 

[AndyRM]

Definitely, although at £3.99 for the last one of these I couldn't leave it there.

View attachment 661262

Did you make a bee line for it?

 

[stephec]

Did you make a bee line for it?

Did you used to be a scriptwriter for Les Dawson?

 

[Moon bunny]

The only supermarket to use in Kendal is:
https://www.booths.co.uk/store/kendal/

Pretentious and over-priced. Small chain that does not have the buying power of the biggest players in the market.

Back when I volunteered at a food bank not fifty miles from Kendal, opening the donations box from Booths was always a delight, expensive foreign cheese and biscuits were regular, but the prize went to whoever donated a dozen quail’s eggs.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Observations plus the proverbial devil's advocate.

I think since the entry of discount supermarkets such as Lidl in the 1990s there has been serious market pressure on supermarkets. Let's remove Waitrose as they are not in competition with any other. Their 300 over stores are location specific to their target customers.

One of the effects of entry of discount supermarkets is quality of products. When you compete on price, something has to give and that is quality. None of them are engaged in charity in mind so there is no benevolence involved. Bear in mind they are all meet statutory food standards. The bigger the player there are bulk buying and gate price setting influence and there is also the opportunity to shave off operations cost but these are incidental.

We go into confirmation bias when we avoid the quality issue.

I for one shop where it is convenient location wise. I don't avoid any as there are bargains and good buys to be had. You have to look out for these as these promotions rotate among the players.

I also shop at Waitrose when there is a family potluck or something similar and I need to impress. (Yep, I am vulnerable as well in terms of ego).

The bigger challenge is fighting cost which never seems to end.

 

[Reynard]

Hmmm, numbers without any other details are a useless piece of information. There is a certain amount of comparing apples with pears, pizza and chocolate here.

My experience of shopping in Sainsbury's is that it's more expensive than Tesco. Not by much, but it's noticeable.