Aldi has finally launched a trial home delivery service in partnership with Deliveroo, offering around 2,000 items including fruit and vegetables, meat, bread, dairy, and Specialbuys. The service is currently available at nine UK stores from October 6, with plans to roll out nationwide early next year if successful.
Trial locations and ordering details
The trial is taking place at the following stores: Victoria Road, Ashford; Cherry Tree Avenue, Dover; William Frost Way, Norwich; Hines Road, Ipswich; Avenue One, Letchworth Garden City; Zion Place, Margate; Friary Place, Strood; and Glascote Road, Tamworth.
Shoppers can either select a specific time slot or order on-demand to receive their items. Customers have long requested this service, with one user on the r/CasualUK Subreddit previously asking: 'Why the f*** don't Aldi and Lidl do home delivery?'
CEO comments and international experience
Giles Hurley, Aldi UK's chief executive officer, said the brand has 'always been committed' to bringing its low prices to as many people as possible. The new collaboration with Deliveroo means it can do exactly that.
In the US and Australia, Aldi has already offered delivery through DoorDash. Hurley said: 'The DoorDash model has been incredibly popular with Aldi customers in Australia and the United States, and we know from our previous trial there is clear demand for more affordable groceries on a rapid delivery platform in the UK.'
'By working with Deliveroo, we can give more people access to Aldi quality and value, however they choose to shop with us.'
Rider concerns and Tesco's experience
However, Deliveroo staff have concerns about the new service. Riders will be asked to pack the items themselves, as a customer would when going through the supermarket aisles.
A statement from Deliveroo says: 'Participating riders are guided through each order via the rider app, which lists items in the most efficient order to help riders locate them with ease. Riders scan each product using their phones and can flag any unavailable items before paying with a prepaid Rider Card.'
On the r/deliveroos Subreddit, @Big_Menu_3996 said: 'There's no way I'm doing the picking. We're delivery drivers. Not pickers.' Another Deliveroo driver described the system as a 'menace.'
Deliveroo has said the new system will be optional for riders, and merely 'offers an additional way to earn.'
Tesco also recently launched an on-demand service with both UberEats and Deliveroo, and staff have claimed it's a 'nightmare.' On the r/Tesco Subreddit, one employee claimed their store's introduction to delivery services has 'literally affected every single area of the store.'
They wrote: 'Some shifts we get an order every 10 minutes, with three orders at once each time. We also average 30+ items on our orders, with many orders going over 50 items.'
They added that because in-store staff now have to come off the tills to help pack the orders, customers are left without assistance. They said: 'They're shouting at us because there's no one to go on tills, because every single member of staff will [be] doing the Whoosh orders and they need help. Customers are also taking things out of the basket as we're working.'
