Is ALDI losing out to LIDL?

[Adrian Caspersz]

I used to enjoy trawling around in our local ALDI (Kingsbury, NW London) for DIY purchases, but have noticed less of those items are being stocked. Very few electrical items for instance.

The non-food offerings now look as messy as the same offered in a wanna-be Poundland style pound-shop.

Baby clothes and accessories mostly, and they have majorly ripped out all the checkouts and replaced them with self-service terminals.

Is this noticeable elsewhere?

The 'Middle of LIDL' is now way out in front for my shopping experience.

[Brian Gaff]

As a matter of interest, if all they have are self checkout systems, how would a blind person shop there? Brian

[Owain Lastname]

Very economically, I would have thought.

Owain

[Fredxx]

Most have a mix, I'm not aware of an "all" self-checkout system. Either way, an assistant is generally willing to carry out the "self-checkout" process for you.

[Richard]

Surely checking out is the least of a blind shopper's obstacles.

OOI, how do blind shoppers browse the shelves in a supermarket?

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

Richard formulated on Monday :

Very carefully?

[Andrew]

Get a very intelligent assistance dog ?. :-)

Andrew

[alan_m]

I guess with those two outlets it's all down to local management. One of my local Lidls is somewhat as you describe but two other stores 5 miles away (in either direction) are much better organised.

I've found that my local Aldi has changed from good to disorganised and then back to good within the past 4 years.

[alan_m]

How does a blind person find the goods on the shelf?

[Dave Plowman (News]

How does a blind person shop in any self service store without help?

[alan_m]

At the self service checkouts there is always a member of staff to help with customers with problems. One staff member for possibly 6 to a dozen checkouts.

[Theo]

I'm a bit surprised they've done that, since I thought the point of Aldi was that the checkouts go a lot faster than self-service. I'd put a trolley through Aldi about 3x faster than I could do at the self-service at Asda (the checkout getting grumpy about weighing things - how dare I use two hands to scan items - and inevitably needing to do proof of age for something and waiting for staff to come over)

Suppose it might make sense if there were 3x as many lanes, but often Aldi had 60%+ of lanes open. And you need a belt if you're managing a trolley on your own, the basket kiosks won't do.

Is yours perhaps in a 'Tesco Metro' kind of environment where people might pop in for a sandwich rather than a monthly shop?

The Aldi Specialbuys online have got quite good of late, although not quite as attractive for picking up small items once postage is included.

Theo

[John J]

Lidl at Goole had a couple of self checkout lanes when it first opened. Within a couple of months these were closed and standard checkouts with operators installed. I asked one of the checkout girls why the conversion and was told they just couldn't run with the level of pilfering. Maybe it's a regional thing? Planning approval has just gone through for an Aldi almost opposite the Lidl store so things could get interesting in about six months.

[RJH]

Yes, my opinion too of the Sheffield and nearby stores.

[Bob Eager]

A lot of it depends on the staff member in charge of getting 'specials' ready on WEdnesdays and Saturdays.

Ours has been mostly good, possibly because the usual member of staff (my son) takes it seriously!

[charles]

how do they see where the terminal is?

[jkn]

Which one of the Brighton Aldi shops is that one actually then, Bob? ;-)

Cheers, Jon N

[Bob Eager]

None of them. I don't live in Brighton.

[Bob Eager]

And it's no good looking in Southampton...

[ARW]

When I helped a Scout Group do a disability awareness activity badge it was decided to blindfold the scout, drop them of in the street outside their own house and ask them to make their way into their own house.

No idea if they made it home