Advertisement

Aldi breaks with tradition to introduce useful shopping tool

Aldi shoppers are all too familiar with the German retailer not offering up baskets for customers - but now it seems this could soon change.

An eagle-eyed Aldi shopper recently spotted baskets in their local store in Queensland and excitedly posted their discovery to an Aldi fans Facebook page alongside the caption: “love it”.

But others warned the new addition to the store “wouldn’t last” because Aldi had already trailed them without success.

Several shoppers said they’d spotted baskets at the store before but were told they had been removed due to theft, costing the retailer “$1000 a month in stolen baskets”.

“They trialed them in our local store and people just took them home. When I asked why it didn't work the manager told me that more than 30 of the baskets were taken in the first few weeks,” one person commented.

Baskets in Aldi store in Queensland.
Some Aldi Australia stores have seen baskets introduced for shoppers. Source: Facebook

“We used to have them at our local Aldi and then they stopped. I asked why and they said it was costing them nearly $1000 a month in stolen baskets. So fingers crossed,” said another.

“They’ll be gone within days,” commented a third.

One person went on to explain that when baskets were introduced to stores in 2013 one store lost 200 baskets in two weeks, with an additional 200 gone in the weeks after.

“People don’t care about others,” the person wrote.

“That’s why we have to take them off at registers.”

Aldi shoppers excited to see baskets in stores

While there are concerns the baskets would just be “stolen again” other shoppers said they hope Aldi would introduce them to all of their stores for a more convenient shop.

The supermarket famously charges customers a gold coin to unlock their shopping trolleys, with customers doing a small shop looking for other options.

Customers going in to an Aldi store (left) and Aldi sign (right).
Aldi customers say baskets which were introduced to stores in 2013 were stolen by customers. Source: Getty

“Yeah having the baskets in the store is convenient. Sometimes I utilise an empty box if they is one lying around,” one person said.

“Been saying Aldi needs baskets for years just hope they implement them in all stores eventually,” said another.

“About time. Hope they all get them,” a third commented.

Aldi responds to customers

When asked about Aldi baskets being stolen at spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia that the introduction of baskets was currently being reviewed.

"We are trialling baskets in select stores to assess the benefit it could bring to our stores and customers,” the spokesperson said.

Robert Eichfeld, Store Operations Director, Aldi Australia explained recently that baskets would be introduced throughout stores which were part of the new Self-Checkout trial.

“To provide our customers with quick and convenient ways to shop and to drive business efficiencies... we commenced a Self-Checkout trial in Darlinghurst,” he said.

Self-serve register in Aldi.
Aldi is trialing self-serve cashless registers in 10 NSW stores. Source: Facebook

“This is the first store to have received the technology and nine other stores in NSW set to follow in the coming months.

“We anticipate the trial will appeal to our regulars as well as attract new customers, who are purchasing only a few items at a time – and we’ll also be introducing Aldi baskets in all trial stores to aid these small and quick shops.”

Aldi started the self-serve checkout trial in June after Aldi stores in the UK introduced self-serve checkout to speed up transactions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the decision came as a shock to Australian shoppers after the store pledged in 2019 to stay away from self-serve options, focussing instead on the customer service of their check-out operators.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.