cost cutting (Aldi)

Member Name: wyvern9lb

Product:	Aldi
Date:	11/06/09 (122 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: competative prices

Disadvantages: don't sell everything you want

*About the store*

As we all have noticed that Aldi's image and popularity is vastly increasing. I have recently read a newpaper article that even Tescos are finding them a threat. Walking into the store, you can see a huge change compared to 10 years ago. They are looking more like a supermarket now, rather than a junk shop. When I was younger, I was ashamed of even being seen walking past Aldi, never mind actually going into the store. Lately I have seen an increase in school children actually going into the store without having been forced. The new image has included adverts from the TV chef Phil Vickery, shown us useless cooks how to create great food using only Aldi product. Inside the weekly specials magazine you will find a pulll out section of these recipes. I have tried a few and believe me they were out of this world. They have promised to increase the amount of new stores within the UK , so if you don't have one close by, you soon will have. My local store has just recently had an extension, which as made it a much better store.

The store originally was set up as a corner store in Germany and has grown from these humble beginnings to a major worldwide business. The store is owned by two brothers who both decided to split the company in two seperate stores. Contrary to rumuor, none of them are responsible for Lidl, this is a totally seperate company. The two stores are called Adli north and Adli south. The Aldi found in the UK is Adli North. There isn't a vast difference between them, just the colours of the Aldi logo.

*The layout*

Everything in the store is relatively easy to find, apart from the odd few products. The great thing about Aldi's layout is they are the same all over the country (apart from the smaller stores). This means that if you are away from home and pop into an Adli somewhere else, you will still know where to find your favourite items. As with most supermarkets you will find the bread at one end of the store and milk at the other end. What a clever ploy to get us to walk round the shop and buy more stuff than we went in for. A word of advice, you will find the eggs at the end of the chiller, took me a while to find these. In the middle of the shop you will see all the special items, just be careful if you see something you want, you need to get it to avoid disappointment, as once its gone its gone. High priced specials you need to ask at the till as they lock it away to avoid tea leaves (thieves). It is a very clean store, athough as they run by a small amount of staff, there can be a few empty boxes found all over the shop. The aisle are quite easy to navigate and are spacious, you can fit two trolley down easily. There are huge banners above the shop showing you where certain products can be found.

Here is a general layout (saves time hunting, as every store, apart for the smaller stores, have the same layout.):

Aisle 1:
Flowers, bread, cakes, chocolate, cererals, biscuits, coffee, tea, household products, Uht milk, soya milk, sugar, flour.
Aisle 2:
Crisp, pasta and sauces, rice, cooking oils, fruit and veg.
Aisle 3:
Frozen foods, fizzy pop, juices.
Aisle 4:
Spirits, wine, beer, cider, pet food, eggs, chiller (fridge), milk, eggs

*customer service*

The staff at Adli work really hard, as there only seems to be 3 in at one time. They are always friendly and very helpful. If you are unsure of where a product is they will tell you and in some case show you. At the checkout, you are always greeted with a smile (not like the grumps in other store). They are very polite, trust me Please and thank you go a long way in my books. The only downfall is the speed at which the staff scan your shopping, lightning quick they are. You need to put your shopping directly back into your trolley and use a packing bench. A word of advice, make sure you bring bags with you as you have to pay for bags. I have also found the queueing time reasonable, although somet times during the day they can get quite busy. To avoid this it is better to shop Monday - Wednesday, as they as usual quiet then. Avoid friday and saturday afternoon, extremely busy times. Later on Saturday after 6 is usually dead, so you can casually walk round at your lesuire.

*Products*

They do sell most of your everyday item, but with their brands. You will not expect to find Kellogs in here. I have found that their own brands are very similar taste to the well known, and in some case better. I especially like their crunchy nut flake, they are much tastier and not a stickly sweet like kellogs. The price of their milk as very cheap, 1ltr of milk for 49p, other shops are about 79p and more. they do sell unusual items aswell. Not tried them all yet, but I adore their Lamb shanks and beef ribs. I have noticed that they are beginning to sell more variety, for example they have just recently started the sell tinned meats such as spam, chopped pork. Most of their product are of quality standard, their specially selected lines are the most appealing in the black box. The packaging of their items is getting more appealing, no longer the boring bland one colour boxes like 10 years ago. Then we come to the super six. Great priced fruit and veg that change every month.

This month great bargain super six (correct for June 2009)
kiwi's 49p
peaches 49p
plums 49p
pineapples 49p
cherries 49p
galia melons 49p

*specials*

Every week they have a new specials leaflet for you to take away. The specilas are displayed on two days, Thursday and Sunday. It is worth having a look as sometimes they have great bargain, But you must be there early as they sell out fast. I have seen queues forming half an hour before they are open. If you don't want to pick up a leaflet you can find the specials on their website www.aldi.co.uk and you can locate the nearest Adli from you on this site also.

*opening times*

Mon-Fri 9:00 til 8:00
Sat 8:30 til 8:00
Sun 10:00 til 4:00

*returns policy*

Aldi do offer a long returns policy than in most shops, 30 days guarnteed refund compare to only 14 days. Most of their special electrical item come eith a 3 year manufactures warranty, in which case you ring the helpline on the box and the manufacturer will either repair it or send a replacement. Only downfall is that the 3 year warrany is with the manufacturer, not with Aldi. I have found the their electrical item are good quality and have never had to return any. Yet again you wont find big names, their brands are tevion, medion and homestyle.

*My Opinion*

I regularly shop at Adli now and have notice I am saving quite a bit more money. My weekly shop used to come over £70 at Asda, this has dropped to nearly £50 (thanks to their cereal at 99p, 1ltr milk 49p, bread 99p, amoung other great buys). I am well known by the staff, as they recognise all their regulars. I do find most of the food reasonanly priced and the quality good. I am addicted to some of their items such as the Brioche £1.49, Apple cookies 59p and their tiger bread £1.15. This shop is ideal for huge families on a budget, as long as your kids aren't fussy about it not being a major branded product.

Summary: cheaper than Tescos