Aldi Hopes To Win Customers Back By Slashing Prices

If you’ve taken even a passing glance at any Aldi-related social media over the last few months, you’ll likely have gotten the sense that its customers aren’t happy. A summer of apparent recipe changes and a seeming deterioration in quality control have left shoppers feeling as though the supermarket chain has lost its way. It’s not all been doom and gloom – its new ready-to-eat meals were actually seriously impressive – but the mood hasn’t been particularly positive of late. 

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This week, though, Aldi’s announced some changes that seem designed to reinforce their sense of consideration and care for their customers. It’s bringing its prices down, and there’s much to discuss.

Some Prices Go Up; Aldi’s Go Down

Aldi has just revealed that it will be investing in lower prices this fall, bringing down the cost of a large swathe of its in-store goods from September 23 onward. In doing so, it will save customers an estimated $86 million in grocery bills going forward. The store states that with these savings and price adjustments, almost a third of its products will be less costly than they were last year – a pretty significant move, given that prices have been rising in pretty much every other aspect of life, and across grocery goods. 

Aldi wasn’t exactly expensive to begin with – it has, on average, the lowest prices of any national grocery store, according to its press release – but the store hopes these new adjustments reinforce its long-standing sense of value. “Customers trust us to help them make the most of their grocery budget, and we never stop looking for ways to run our business more efficiently so we can pass along savings,” said Scott Patton, Aldi’s chief commercial officer. “As shoppers head into fall routines and healthier habits, we’re making additional investments to lower prices on our better-for-you favorites, building on the value customers already see throughout our stores.”

So What’s Cheaper?

Loads of stuff. Its produce selection has arguably seen the most widespread reduction, with grapes, pears, squash, herbs, garlic, French beans, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and apples all now cheaper. Its Honeycrisp apples, for example, are now $1.99 per pound, more than a third cheaper than last year (and, Aldi says, their lowest price in over five years). Kirkwood chicken breasts are now $1.99 per pound, too, and some of its organic foods have also been reduced.

Price reductions are always good news for people’s wallets, of course. But given that Aldi’s been facing a lot of criticism for the quality of its items, will these be received well by customers? Or will people feel as though it’s cutting costs elsewhere? Only time will tell.