Aldi has been named Britain's best supermarket at a prestigious awards ceremony, beating competitors like Lidl and the 'big four' supermarkets. The discounter, known for its low-cost wines and fresh produce, recently overtook the Co-Op to become the fifth largest supermarket by market share, following a major expansion programme that began four years ago.
To understand how Aldi keeps prices so low, the Coventry Telegraph visited its headquarters in Atherstone. Communications director Mary Dunn, who has worked for Aldi for 15 years, explained that the supermarket stocks only one brand per product type, with a maximum of 2,000 carefully curated items per store, compared to 40,000 at other supermarkets. This allows Aldi to buy in bulk and maintain strong supplier relationships.
Efficiency is key at Aldi. Products have multiple barcodes to speed up checkout times, and staff are trained to handle all areas of the store, with only 30 to 40 employees per location. Items arrive in shelf-ready packaging, so they can go directly from lorry to shelf, saving time and reducing the need for extra staff. Larger products like dog food and toilet roll are placed on the shop floor on pallets, which can be changed in 30 seconds.
