Does Aldi's Low Prices Also Mean Low Quality?

The ALDI grocer has been present in the United States dating back to 1976. The grocery chain has since rapidly expanded to over 1000 locations with many located in my home state of Illinois. There is a ALDIs located in my current city of St. Charles, Illinois. I have visited about six different ALDI's and one thing remains the same regardless of location, consistency. No matter which ALDI you walk into you usually find a similar set up with all locations keeping costs much lower than the nearest competition. The quality is hit or miss depending upon which item you purchase

Are ALDI's prices the lowest?

Part of the allure of shopping at ALDIs is the generally lower prices on all products. The store sells dry goods, produce, dairy, meats, frozen foods and even beer and wine at some locations. The store also sells promotional merchandise on occasion such as toys, umbrellas, and seasonal or holiday items. The store's secret to keeping prices is lower than the superstores is due to two factors, lower labor costs and lower overhead.

ALDI's Employee Count

The typical ALDI location usually operates with a staff size of between two to five workers. The store does not employ the use of baggers as that job is the responsibility of the shopper. Shopping in the evening it is not uncommon to find only one checkout lane open while another individual roams the store or works in back. This can be really frustrating when stopping at an ALDI on the way home to pick up just a few items only to be caught in line behind ten other shoppers ahead of you. The trades off to the lower labor costs are passed on to significantly lower food prices and I do like that.

ALDI's Overhead Costs

The ALDI stores are generally considered very efficient with a smaller store size and ability to move product very quickly. The smaller stores allow for less energy costs, waste, and general fixed costs that would be passed on to the buyer. The other significant savings is the quarter cart system. If you visit any ALDI store location, bring a quarter if you want to use a cart. The quarter goes into the chained and secured cart which breaks free when inserted. When done shopping and unloading your groceries into your car, you bring the cart back to the chained carts and the quarter is released. This clever concept keeps carts protected and even more importantly, protects consumers cars from dent damage attributed to roaming carts. I have never seen an abandoned cart in my trips to the St. Charles ALDI store.

Adding to lower overhead costs is the bring your own bag philosophy. They will sell you bags for about a nickel should you really want one. I usually contain my groceries in leftover cardboard boxes that can be found in the store aisles which come free at no charge.

ALDI's Food Quality

The dramatically low prices generally do pay off when shopping for basic home staples such as sugar, flour, and generally most baking ingredients. I also recommend ALDI's for purchasing many frozen items such as Pizzas, Chicken, and several frozen desserts. The company currently carries a Fit and Active brand that has some really tasty items such as granola bars and microwave popcorn that is out of this world.

Then there are those items that I have had poor luck when it comes to taste and overall quality. I discourage purchasing produce from this store as I have received navel oranges that were dried up after peeling open and celery that was rubbery. Keep your fruits and vegetable trips to a name brand grocer or farm stand.

Sources: http://www.aldifoods.com/us/html/company/about_aldi_ENU_HTML.htm?WT.z_src=main