Discount Retail Chain Lidl Germany (owned by the German Schwarz Gruppe) would like to better exploit its market potential in Germany and therefore divides its business into north and south, similar to the discounter king Aldi. This is reported by the "Lebensmittelzeitung" (LZ). Unlike the market leader, the restructuring only affects branch support, expansion and logistics within the German subsidiary. In terms of corporate law, nothing changes at Lidl. Purchasing also remains centrally organized. Lidl would like to make even better use of its market potential in Germany and will in future divide sales within Germany into north and south, similar to competitor Aldi. This is reported by the LZ. Below the top of Germany consisting of CEO Matthias Opitz and vice CEO Julia Kern, the discounter of the Schwarz Group has therefore created a new management level. The regional companies in northern Germany are subordinate to the north CEO Olivia Rabys, the companies in the south to the south CEO Jens Stratmann. According to research by the LZ, the areas of expansion and logistics as well as the support of the stores are affected by the restructuring. In contrast to Aldi, the division takes place exclusively within the German national company. There are no changes under company law and no different logos. Purchasing should also remain centrally organized. Lidl wants to become more competitive locally Klaus Gehrig, head of the Schwarz Group, to which both Lidl and Kaufland belong, years ago wanted to introduce a similar operating structure to that of the discounter market leader Aldi, according to the "LZ". With the division one is closer to the market and can react better locally to the competition. Many managers would have resisted for a long time. According to them, the uniform organization is responsible for Lidl being able to partially slow down its competitor Aldi. In the course of this dispute, the former CEO of Lidl Germany, Marin Dokozic, had to take his hat off in 2018. Dokozic now works for the Saudi discounter Al Dukan, after his adventure at DIA Brazil. With Olivia Raby from Brandenburg, Gehrig has now placed a trusted manager in the north. The 32-year-old worked in close proximity to the Schwarz CEO five years ago, according to the LZ. More growth potential in the north and east Lidl differentiates its management at a point in time when the Aldi conglomerates are cooperating more closely, for example in online food retailing. The numbers would show, however, that Lidl has even greater growth potential in northern Germany than in the south, writes the LZ. Although business development in the north and east of the country has recently been better than at Aldi Nord, it is still significantly weaker than in the south. And this despite the fact that there are 22 regional companies in the north. In the south there are only 17. Nonetheless, Lidl Süd grew by 13 percent in the last financial year, far better than the average growth for discounters, which is 8 percent. In the north, however, the growth rates lagged behind the market development by two percent. Lidl Süd therefore turned over one billion euros more in its core business than Lidl Nord, according to the "LZ". See here for more: https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/handel/lidl-macht-auf-aldi-geschaeft-wird-in-nord-und-sued-aufgeteilt-b/

Discount Retail Chain Biedronka (owned by Portuguese Jeronimo Martins) and even the discounter Netto Poland (owned by Danish Salling Group) have the trend of opening smaller and smaller formats by large discount retail chains. Lidl and Aldi do not have such plans in Poland yet. The first Biedronka in a small format was launched in June 2020, and this format is to be mainly developed by franchisees. Shops of this format have a meat counter and a sales area of ​​500m2. One of the most interesting projects of Netto last year was the opening of the first convenience store. On 380m2 of space, the chain offers the most popular and most frequently purchased food products. It is a response to customer demand, especially in large cities, for stores nearby, which enable quick shopping. Lidl focuses on comfortable shopping A few years ago, the Lidl chain wanted to test the Lidl Express concept in other markets. However, the project was not implemented. Does the network in Poland have plans for a smaller format? - Our sales strategy is a network of free-standing facilities, located on the main communication routes, with their own car parks for customers. It sometimes happens that our stores are also present in shopping malls and parks as well as on the ground floors of office and residential buildings. In addition, we provide spacious shopping aisles, a wide range and the possibility of using self-service checkouts, an attractive offer as well as additional coupons and discounts with the Lidl Plus shopping application. We strive to provide the customers of our stores with comfortable shopping. "Each country individually makes decisions related to the development of its chain of stores and testing various concepts", says Aleksandra Robaszkiewicz from Lidl Polska. See here for more: https://www.dlahandlu.pl/wiadomosci/,104809.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dlahandlu.pl

German sourdough bread, pretzels, wheat yeast, typical German specialties are well received in the USA. In New York, the discount retail chains Lidl and Aldi are benefiting from this. How does the German discounter Lidl pronounce itself? The US customers don't care. "I only knew Aldi," says one customer, "I think these are brothers who then broke up." Well, something like that. No matter if it's true: The New Yorker from Queens has lost her heart to the "German Supermarket". She is completely obsessed with shopping in the bright new store that, apart from most US products, could be anywhere in Germany and has just opened in her Astoria neighborhood. The queue then moved around two blocks. "I am here for the third time this week," says the customer. Fish and meat and German bread and vegetables and in general: "The prices are great! Astoria has become so expensive. In this supermarket I can afford all the organic things." German chains make the competition Lidl US, Aldi US and Aldi Nord subsidiary Trader Joe's: have become a real competitor for the big US supermarkets. Lidl has only been around for three and a half years with 145 stores now. After starting problems, the group now wants to conquer the east coast. Aldi has over 2,000 stores since the 1970s and the trend is growing, says US boss Jason Hart: "Our sales are better than the average of the US markets. And that encourages us to move into existing stores as well as new ones to invest. "They are cheaper than the US competition. Whether with more own private label brands like Aldi or with more A-branded items like Lidl. Pallets in the aisles, cardboard boxes on the shelves even in the glamorous city of New York, the economical German concept is popular, says Lidl spokesman William Harwood: "It's the glamor of saving. Putting more into your basket. Bring more to your family's home. " Less is more? Especially since New Yorkers have been at the stove themselves more often since Corona and home office. And that without being constantly spoiled for choice, says Constantin Mellinghoff, who sells German groceries to retailers and markets in the USA: "If you go to an ordinary American supermarket, you will find at least ten different bottles of ketchup, for example." Aldi, Lidl or Trader Joe's would only offer one bottle instead "and the quality is so good that you don't need a second one," says Mellinghoff. In the tightly-timed New York transmission, this concept is well received, says Lidl spokesman Harwood: "You can do your shopping faster. Normally you need 45 minutes, you have to go through 50 aisles with 50,000 assortment articles. With us you can get through in 20 minutes." One discounter, one concept: the Lidl stores in the USA differ little in appearance from the markets in Germany. German specialties, American special requests: Fresh Pretzels, German sourdough bread, wheat beer and a DIY set in the special offer shopping basket: German discounters also score points with newcomers with seasonal items, for example with Aldi customer Tanja: "It's nice to see a few German products, such as Christmas dominoes or gingerbread. Or sometimes Viennese sausages from time to time. "Sometimes other customer requests get lost in the German assortment: Wouldn't the new Lidl in Queens also include kosher products? Wouldn't the store on the chic offshore island of Long Island also serve champagne? "German discounters" are accepted everywhere, says Diana Smith from the market research institute Mintel. "The desire for a good price-performance ratio runs through all income groups. Markets like Aldi also often target an audience that earns better." The internal struggle of the German discounters for the east coast metropolis continues. Newcomer Lidl wants to come to Manhattan soon. Aldi is already there. In the customer ranking of the newspaper "USA Today", however, Lidl is leading: In front of hundreds of US markets, the chain is in third place. Aldi followed closely in fifth place. Source: Antje Passenheim, ARD-Studio New York See here for more: https://www.xing-news.com/reader/news/articles/3973555?cce=em5e0cbb4d.%3AV8WCRlhJMsFCMJ__u5LUAB&link_position=digest&newsletter_id=74860&toolbar=true&xng_share_origin=email

Bucking the trend across Europe’s largest industries, the retail sector has recorded a 4% uptick in cumulative brand value. It is the third most valuable sector, behind autos and banking, with the 49 brands that feature accounting for 9% of the total brand value. Unsurprisingly, various types of retailers have been impacted by the pandemic differently, as consumer habits have been forced to change. Notably, delivery apps and e-commerce platforms are among the fastest growers in the ranking this year. Delivery apps have benefited from the displacement of hospitality spend, where demand for quality food and small indulgences cannot be fulfilled by lockdown-hit restaurants and bars, with consumers turning to takeaways. Germany’s brick-and-mortar retailers Aldi, and Lidl still claim the podium for the sector’s most valuable brands in Europe. The German supermarket rivals have posted contrasting results, however, with Aldi recording a 2% increase in brand value and Lidl a 14% decrease. Aldi (brand value €13.2 billion, US$ 16 billion) has embarked on a foray into the online retail space, successfully pivoting its offering in the face of the pandemic. The same strategy has not been undertaken by Lidl (brand value €9.6 billion, US$ 11.5billion), with the CEO of the LIDL GB arm, Christian Härtnagel, arguing the pandemic has artificially inflated demand for online shopping and that the costs are simply too high. German brands represent a quarter of total brand value With the Germany’s 65 brands making up 25% of the total brand value in the ranking, Germany is well ahead of the pack. See here for more: https://brandirectory.com/rankings/europe/table

Business is good at the discounters and how. In 2020 new jobs and new stores were created. Discount Retail Chains Denner, Aldi Switzerland and Lidl Switzerland benefit above all from the lack of shopping tourism. In total, they hired over 1200 new employees. Aldi Switzerland opened ten new stores. Above all, the discounters benefit from the fact that the Swiss are increasingly shopping domestically. 0.5 Billion francs (US$0.6 Bn) more sales! Denner made huge gains in the Corona year 2020. Almost +16% compared to the previous year, sales climbed to a total of 3.8 billion francs (US$4.3Bn). The best sales result in the last decade, says a spokeswoman for magazine BLICK. Customers came to shop less often, but they bought significantly more per visit, says a Denner spokeswoman. In addition, as a result of the shopping tourism slowed down by the lockdown, less purchasing power flowed into neighboring countries. Discount is crisis-resistant. Denner opened 16 new stores (making a total of 570 own stores and 268 franchise stores) and 479 new jobs were created. Denner is not alone with the strong business figures. Together with the two German discounters Aldi and Lidl, the Migros subsidiary created a total of 1,229 jobs in Switzerland! All three discounters step on the gas The tills rang at the two German companies too. However, they are silent about sales figures. That is part of the tradition, the way they do business. Aldi prefers to talk about 300 new jobs, an increase of 100 jobs compared to the previous year. In addition, ten new stores have been added. In lockstep: Lidl also opened ten stores last year. The discounter created 450 more jobs. Like Aldi, Lidl is likely to have grown by a double-digit percentage. A rosy outlook for Denner: if things go only half as well as 2020, they will break the sales mark of 4 billion francs (US$4.5) this year. Migros owner can be proud of her discount sweetheart. See here for more: https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/schoener-die-kassen-nie-klingeln-denner-aldi-und-lidl-bolzen-umsatz-und-schaffen-ueber-1200-jobs-id16311764.html

Full-service supermarket chain and German market leader Edeka is facing increasing competition from the discounters Aldi and Lidl, because they can now keep up with the (branded) offers of the supermarket. This is a problem for Edeka - among other things because the supermarket can act more slowly than agile due to its corporate structure. Edeka's corporate structure hinders innovation “The conservative and persistent ownership structure is slowing the pace of innovation,” market researcher Boris Plane recently told the “Handelsblatt”. He was alluding to the self-employed merchants at Edeka, who are mostly skeptical about innovations and changes. As a businessman, Jörg Hieber has built up and shaped numerous Edeka stores in Germany. The now 80-year-old was also chairman of the supervisory board of Edeka Südwest and Edeka headquarters. He has recognized the challenges that self-employed merchants have to face, as he reports in an interview with the “Lebensmittelzeitung”. "Aldi and Lidl have long since left the dirty price corner" He is not sure whether the Edeka merchants are actually well equipped for the future. "The competition is tough, big competitors like Aldi or Lidl are better and more dangerous than ever," says Hieber. "They have long since left the dirty price corner and have a first-class image." For a full-range supplier like Edeka, it is increasingly difficult to hold their own against such strong companies. Hieber also believes that supermarkets will have to make better use of space in the future. Concepts with small areas are in demand. “I'm sure the small area is experiencing a renaissance,” he says in the “Lebensmittelzeitung”. "We have to come to the customer with the space," Hieber is convinced. Click here for more: https://www.businessinsider.de/wirtschaft/aldi-und-lidl-sind-gefaehrlicher-denn-je-sagt-ein-langjaehriger-edeka-kaufmann-2018-5/

Discount Retail Chain Lidl UK (owned by the German Schwarz Gruppe) has narrowly beaten the other German discounter Aldi to be named the UK’s cheapest supermarket of 2020, according to a Which? analysis. The consumer group tracked the price of 45 popular products such as Hovis bread, Knorr stock cubes and free-range eggs in eight major supermarkets for at least 100 days between January and December 2020. It calculated the average price of each item over the year and the total average cost of all 45 items in the “trolley”, taking the weight and quality of items into account. Which? said this was the first time it has included Lidl and Aldi in its annual study, which now includes own-label items as well as branded ones. Lidl was the cheapest supermarket in the study, with the basket costing £42.67 on average. Just 34p put Lidl ahead of its discount chain rival Aldi, with the latter’s basket of items costing £43.01 on average. Asda was the third-cheapest supermarket with the same basket of items costing £48.71 on average – a difference of more than £5 when compared with Aldi or Lidl. Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket in the study. The average cost of the 45 items was £68.69 – around 60 per cent or £26.02 more than a similar shop at Lidl. Which? also found stark price differences between popular own private label branded products at Waitrose and Lidl. For example, Waitrose’s own-label cooked and peeled cold water prawns cost £4.60 on average, while the equivalent at Lidl cost £1.99. Waitrose’s own-label six pack of very large free-range eggs cost £2.47 on average, whereas a similar product was nearly half the price – £1.27 – at Lidl. Ocado was the second most expensive supermarket in the study, with its basket costing £66.83, while Sainsbury’s was the third-priciest retailer, at £56.38. Supermarkets had to adapt swiftly to changing customer behaviour in 2020 as the coronavirus crisis took hold, with tight household budgets, panic buying and surging demand for home deliveries playing a part. Which? said neither Aldi nor Lidl offer a full delivery service and they would have struggled to compete with supermarkets who ramped up their delivery service at the start of the pandemic. However, discounter Aldi offered food parcels for home delivery to help vulnerable people get essential goods. “Many households have been under financial pressure due to the pandemic, so getting value for money on their weekly shop has become more important than ever,” Which? head of home products Natalie Hitchins said. “Our analysis shows that customers do not have to pay over the odds for their groceries. “Customers looking to save money this new year and cut down on the cost of their weekly shop should consider shopping around for the best prices.”Here are the average costs of a supermarket trolley based on 45 products, according to Which? Lidl, £42.67 (US$58.10) Aldi, £43.01(US$58.57) Asda, £48.71 (US$66.33) Tesco, £53.30 (US$72.58) Morrisons, £53.61 (US$73.00) Sainsbury’s, £56.38 (US$76.77) Ocado, £66.83 (US$91.00) Waitrose, £68.69 (US$93.54) See here for more: https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2021/01/lidl-beats-aldi-to-be-crowned-cheapest-supermarket-in-2020/

Store check report executed and written by: Su-Jit Lin Aldi is a cult-favorite store known for its low prices and special offers What started as a single grocery store in Germany in the early 1900s has become a prolific budget discount chain in America. The two brothers behind the store split it into Nord (north) and Süd (south) in the 1960s following a debate about whether they should sell cigarettes. The Aldi Nord group acquired Trader Joe's and not operate under the Aldi brand in the US. The Aldi Süd group owns and operates more than 2,000 Aldi stores in the US. The US Aldis are beloved for their limited selections and reliable, cheap house-brand staples with no synthetic colors, added MSG, or partially hydrogenated oils. Its white-private label branded products are often manufactured by national brands that cost two or three times as much. Fans also love the Aldi Savers specials, its "lowest of low prices" offers and Aldi Finds, seasonal items that are available for only two weeks. Lidl is a quickly growing discount retail chain with low prices A relative upstart, dating to 1973 in Ludwigshafen, Germany, Lidl reached the US in 2017. The chain has opened 100 stores across the East Coast, with plans to open 50 more by the end of 2021 and a fourth distribution center in Covington, Georgia, by 2022. Like Aldi, Lidl promises a limited selection of high-quality, brand-agnostic products at discount prices, and an unfussy shopping experience. The discounter chains have a few things in common Other than German roots and a business structure centering cheap, own private-label goods, their similarities include: Display-ready case packaging to save on labor costs. Premium product lines (Aldi's Specially Selected and Lidl's Preferred Selection). Confidence in its brands via Aldi's "Twice as Nice Guarantee" and Lidl's "Love It Guarantee." In both cases, if you don't like a store-private label brand item, you can get your money back and exchange it for the same product or a comparable one. To eliminate any unfair advantages, since many of Lidl's locations are new, I visited two established Aldis, a newer Lidl, and a Lidl that was retrofitted to a discounter. All were in the Atlanta suburbs. Keep reading to see how the in-store shopping experiences compared. ALDI I visited Aldi with a quarter in hand so I could use a shopping cart This Aldi was in a strip mall. In a nook by the entrance were rows of neatly nested full-sized shopping carts, which require a quarter to unlock. You get the quarter back when you return your cart. A sign explained that the deposit incentivized shoppers to return their carts instead of dangerously cluttering the parking lot and creating a job the store would need to hire for. Inside, I felt visually overloaded and like I was in an auditory vacuum The lack of white noise or background music was off-putting, there was a kind of soundproof feeling that pressed on my ears, broken only by the slightest hint of a hum from the fluorescent lights hung from drop ceilings. In contrast to this void was a visual assault led by the dirty-looking gold-and-cream speckled floor tile. I stepped in the store and was hit with a barrage of junk food in my line of vision. A glance to the side provided a bit more framing, with metal railings separating the entrance and exit areas. The store felt eerie. Down the first aisle, I encountered all manner of snacks: nuts, cookies, crackers, chips, and candy. The first aisle in this Aldi was loaded with snacks. The brands included Clancy's for salty snacks, Savoritz for crackers, Benton's for cookies and sweet baked goods, Southern Grove for nuts, Simply Nature for seemingly healthy snacks, and Lunch Buddies for fruit snacks and puddings. Right after this aisle of temptation was another: the alcohol selection, which was varied and cheap. Vista Bay is Aldi's line of hard seltzers. Aldi's Vista Bay hard seltzers were on display, though there weren't any beers or cocktail mixers. There were a ton of affordable wine options, including Aldi's Winking Owl label that's usually under US$3. The section was very well-stocked. Aldi had so much wine. Confusingly, the next section had protein bars and supplements, cereal, breakfast items like syrup and pancake mix, peanut butters, and salad dressings. Aldi also had some familiar labels. Many of Aldi's brands such as Millville, Aunt Maple's, Baker's Treat, and Tuscan Garden, closely resembled its national producers, which felt reassuring. At the end of the aisle was an endcap of coffee and a dairy case lining the short back wall The store had a few coffee varieties. The store had its own versions of K-cups, bags of ground coffee, hot-cocoa mix, and espresso powder. At the back of the store was a giant dairy section with gallons of conventional milk at roughly half the cost of supermarket brands. Aldi's dairy selection was massive. All of the containers were labeled Friendly Farms to match the rest of Aldi's dairy selection of nondairy milks, creamers, yogurt, cottage cheese, and the like. Mixed in were some recognizable brands: Lifeway kefir, Chobani, and Dannon offshoots. I noticed Aldi sold some name-brand yogurts too. Eggs followed, at US$2.79 for an organic dozen and US$2.95 for 32 ounces of whites. Juices by Nature's Nectar kept the breakfast theme going, and there was a small selection of Happy Farms shredded cheeses for US$2.79 a bag. Bacon and sausages were on this back wall, including options from Aldi's Never Any brand of meats without added hormones, steroids, and antibiotics, followed by Little Salad Bar bagged and chopped salads for US$2 or US$3. Open chilled shelving had cold cuts, take-and-bake pizzas, and sausages I saw plenty of packages of sliced cold cuts, Lunchables, and take-and-bake pizzas. At the end of this wall, the meats started … and ended. The meat selection didn't impress me. This section was mostly popular cuts of chicken, beef, and pork. I also noticed a few pieces of salmon. I thought the meats weren't much cheaper than sale prices at conventional grocery stores. I wasn't blown away by Aldi's meat prices either. In an adjacent case, an assortment of cheeses seemed promising but upon closer inspection had mostly ordinary blocks, singles, cream cheeses, and nicer versions of some common specialty cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, and Havarti. Aldi is said to have a unique and cheap cheese selection, but I didn't see evidence of that in either store. The seasonal cheeses must have sold out fast or been underordered. I made my way to the back aisles, where nothing really made sense The aisle right behind the snacks aisle had a mishmash of paper towels, melting cheese, lightbulbs, and socks. This Aldi aisle made no sense to me. A small baking section with products labeled Baker's Corner offered cake, cookie, muffin, and biscuit mixes, including a rosemary-garlic version I hadn't seen from any other brand. There was name-brand representation from Betty Crocker, Jiffy, and Bisquick. There were, somehow, more snacks and beans As I kept walking, I got more confused. I found single-portion nuts and applesauce containers among croutons, shelf-stable iced lattes, juice blends, cheese curls, and a couple of cases of beans. Across from that randomness was a small seasonal section that segued into limited-edition items, where it got even more confusing. This is where you can score Aldi Finds, two-week promotional products that could become part of the permanent rotation based on their performance. Aldi Finds are popular among shoppers who love the chain. I guess this was the "stumble-upon" area, the shelves you wander aimlessly until find yourself clutching unheard-of food items and homewares you didn't know you needed. Continuing on, I hit the canned goods, which felt more familiar and reasonable, exciting, even, at only US$0.50 for most items and US$0.89 for organic ones. I noticed, though, that the prices of canned veggies varied by US$0.39 from one Aldi to the other, even though the locations were close. Aldi's canned goods were nice and cheap. The produce section in the middle of the store felt like a plastic-filled afterthought A rule of thumb for healthy grocery shopping is to "shop the perimeter," where dairy, fruits, veggies, and fresh-baked items are typically found. But you can throw this out the window at Aldi: The produce was smack-dab in the middle like an afterthought. Aldi's produce was in the middle of the store. In the produce section, freshness and stock seemed to be lacking in both Aldi stores I visited. If there's one thing even the most devout Aldi lover would admit, it's that the greens could use some sprucing. The Aldi produce selection was lacking. The produce items were wrapped in plastic at room temperature, so I wasn't surprised that the section looked kind of sad. Aldi's produce was kept at room temperature. I felt like I could tell which cases were recent arrivals, and though some of the more resilient items, like root vegetables, hard fruits, and cabbages, were in tip-top shape, it was pretty hit or miss. Also, all that plastic packaging made me cringe. I get that it's neater and more sanitary to have fewer hands on your food, but not being able to pick my own broccoli felt weird. Few things were priced by the pound, but for those that were, an ancient-looking scale sat at the ready. The bread section was cheap and had plenty of options Aldi's bread selection was killer and cheap. Aldi's brand L'oven blew me away with its many types of bagels, thins, rolls, and loaves of sliced bread, as cheap as US$0.55 for white and US$0.59 for split wheat. I was impressed by the Fit & Active low-calorie, low-carb loaf of bread for just US$1.79. The chain's wide-pan whole-grain breads were only US$1.25, which is amazing when you consider a similar loaf can cost over US$3. Aldi had some fancier-looking options, like brioche buns. Where L'oven ended was where Bake Shop Bakery began, with packaged muffins, pudding cakes, doughnuts, and sweet-loaf slices. Aldi's Specially Selected line offered brioche, naan, and other global treats. Aldi also had naan, bagels, and croissants. Then I hit a wall with Aldi's LiveGFree gluten-free crackers, mac and cheese, organic brown rice and quinoa, muffins, snack bars, bread, and baking mixes. But beneath that were a bunch of gluten-containing offerings, like keto bread, pitas, and Hawaiian rolls, making this feel like another afterthought or overflow corner. Some frozen-food options seemed perfect for smaller households The frozen section was well stocked. Along the frozen-food wall I found raw meats like chicken, beef, and ground turkey; a good selection of processed chicken products like Kirkwood patties, nuggets, and strips; and Fremont Fish Market flounder, salmon, ahi tuna, fish sticks, and shrimp. Most of this seafood was packaged for smaller households, but when I broke down the package prices by pound, I realized they cost the same as, if not more than, what you'd pay at conventional supermarkets. A center case had a few frozen potato items, basic pizzas by Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen, and flatbreads and other pizzas by Specially Selected. Other frozen-meal options included Fusia for stir-frys and sushi, Casa Mamita for Mexican dishes, and Bremer for lasagna rolls, sandwiches, meatballs, and shepherd's pie. There was only one center freezer section like this in the store. Dessert was relegated to only three doors, with cheesecake bites, popsicles, and a few types of ice cream by Belmont and keto-friendly, high-protein pints from Sundae Shop. Aldi had some fun frozen desserts. Mochi ice creams, Oreo-type ice-cream sandwiches, and macarons were a pleasant surprise. Back in the regular aisles, I found some essentials The toiletries included national brands like Listerine, Pantene, and Head & Shoulders, but these were smaller packages priced noncompetitively and relegated to an endcap. Most of the toiletries at Aldi seemed to be name-brand. Around the corner I found the paper goods I had thought were missing when I first encountered paper towels in the store. Sundry cleaning items followed, with products from Aldi's brands Boulder and Radiance and national ones like Dawn, Cascade, and Fabuloso, as well as plant-based cleaners from newer entrants like Boulder Clean. I wasn't expecting to find paper goods here. I hit the last of the pantry-fillers: canned soups, pasta and sauces, instant potatoes, and rice. If you want rice, you have a few kinds to choose from. If you want pasta, you get the standard handful of shapes, however, I did appreciate the uncommon black-soybean spaghetti. Aldi's rice selection was awesome, but its pasta section was lacking. Tomato sauces were run-of-the-mill. Condiments and specialty sauces must have been scattered throughout the store; I didn't find them here. Checking out was much more efficient than shopping at Aldi Aldi's checkout process was so fast. Every Aldi lets cashiers sit. They load a cart at the end of the conveyor with your just-scanned items. They do this tremendously quickly, aided by long barcodes designed for easier scanning. Cashiers at Aldi were allowed to sit. Aldi charges for bags, so be sure to bring your own. After paying, you take the full cart and swap it with your own empty one (or grab your stuff if your shopping day was light), then snag a spot on the long counters by the exit to bag your groceries. Aldi had a counter near the exit where you could load up your bags. LIDL Lidl's exterior was impressive. Lidl's new freestanding stores are distinctive with glass facades, trapezoidal roof lines, and higher-end interior fittings. Lidl brings these unique interior details with them when moving into grocery stores that are already standing, which is why it can take the chain more time to renovate. Lidl differs from its European counterparts in that its US stores are about twice the size and offer nearly triple the products, with a greater emphasis on organic and locally sourced ones. Lidl had carts in 2 sizes for smaller shops and big hauls Its carts didn't require a deposit and were available in full and half sizes. Some locations even have miniature carts for children. Lidl had two cart sizes. There was also a station stocked with sanitizing spray, paper towels, and gloves. Upon entering, I felt lightness and brightness An airy vestibule had special buys stacked against wallpapered faux-rustic walls. The Lidl entrance was kind of comforting. The high ceilings and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows, polished concrete floors, and bright-white track lighting felt industrial chic. The openness and modern ruggedness recalled trendy loft housing designs. The Lidl felt comfortable and homey. And maybe because of the open-rafter acoustics, the lack of music wasn't immediately noticeable, there was white noise and ambient rustling. A metal divider separated the exit path from the entry and was lined by a garden area with small plants and bouquets. The first thing I saw was a gardening section. The next thing I saw was a bustling produce section. Unlike Aldi, where I was thrust into a shopping aisle, Lidl had an expanse for you to catch your breath and survey the space. In the newer stores, you can go right to the greens or hug the wall to peruse baked goods. I was also greeted by Lidl's produce. Though not every Lidl has the same layout, the chain has aisle signage and categories, which I sorely missed at Aldi. Lidl's bakery section blew me away By the front door was a display of mass-produced baked goods, like cookies, two-bite cupcakes, brownies, pies, and tray danishes. Lidl had some classic American and European treats. In addition to stocking American basics, Lidl gave a nod to its European roots with imported treats like Swiss loaves, sponge cakes, and seasonal baked goods. Fresh-baked items are part of what has made Lidl such an impressive newcomer, viennoiseries, artisan breads, oversized cookies, yeast doughnuts, and more are made on site. It also had incredibly moist muffins (I ate three in bed in one night) and iced cinnamon rolls delivered from its distribution centers. The bakery section blew me away. The selection of pastry items was wide. Croissants had different percentages of butter or fillings such as almond or chocolate. Some offerings were European specialties. Lidl had tons of pastries and breads. Lidl's ciabattas, focaccias, and rustic loaves came in a nice variety and could be sliced to order. Day-old breads were 30% off. These kinds of bins were found throughout the store to help shoppers make the most of already low prices. I also loved Lidl's clearance bin for items about to become stale. On the next wall, Lidl had its own branded rolls, bagels, and sandwich breads alongside breads from King's Hawaiian, Dave's Killer Bread, Nature's Own, and Martin's, and lavash and naan from Atoria's. The prices were low: US$0.59 for white bread, US$1.25 for wide-pan multigrain loaves, US$1 and change for bagels, and US$2.29 for brioche. Conveniently next to the bread were spreads like peanut butter, honey, European jams, and more. Conveniently, popular bread toppers were up next. This wall shared an aisle with the produce, lit up to make the greens pop as they do at high-priced organic markets. Lidl's produce section was way bigger than Aldi's and had less plastic This produce display at Lidl reminded me of Aldi. In the middle section I found bags of produce in the boxes they were shipped in, similar to how Aldi stocks its fruits and vegetables. Aldi had a lot of options. The selection was bigger and more diverse than what I found at Aldi, with rows devoted to several types of apples, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. Many organic vegetables were available too. While I could select some vegetables, like broccoli, melons, some tomatoes, and cabbages most were already neatly bagged, with a less jarring amount of plastic than at Aldi. Lidl also had salad kits and leaf mixes to rival any conventional supermarket, with prices on par with the best sales. Most were under the Lidl or Lidl Organic labels, with appearances by Dole and Taylor Farms. Lidl's bagged salads were pretty affordable. Trail mixes, dried fruit, and nuts rounded out this section of Lidl The nuts were a mix of brands and quality. I've had a few stale nuts from the store but used my "Love It Guarantee" to get a refund. Lidl had quite a selection of nuts. Some nuts were in a bulk dispenser like you'd see in a Whole Foods. An assortment of coffee and tea ended the aisle. Lidl also had a lot of coffees and teas. Continuing on, I saw impressive displays of raw and prepared seafood and meats Lidl prides itself on its salmon selection; all the packages were stamped with their country of origin. Atlantic, Chilean, Norwegian, farmed, marinated, cedar-planked I found it all, with one variety or another on sale. Many were in vacuum-sealed packs. Lidl's salmon selection was impressive. There was cod, whiting, flounder, mahi-mahi, and other popular white fish, plus bay and sea scallops, a fantastic score on sale. Bagged shrimp in different sizes were in the vicinity, but the per-pound pricing wasn't quite as competitive. The meat section was also great. Lidl's steaks were individually packed, perfect for smaller households or stocking in a freezer. Unlike at Aldi, meat was easy to buy in bulk at Lidl, with cheap whole loins of pork, beef, and even turkey. Aldi's pork selection was a little more varied with better value than what I saw here, but Lidl had some recognizable brands including Premio and Johnsonville. I recognized a few brands Lidl was selling. Open chillers were loaded with juices, cold cuts, cheeses, and more The in-wall open chillers started with a section for seasonal items like holiday cookies and rolls. There were lots of refrigerated beverages, such as juices, espresso drinks, kombucha, and iced tea. These shelves had a range of stuff, from kombucha to pickles. Then came enormous take-and-bake pizzas (think what you might find at Costco) plus fresh ravioli, stromboli, sushi, and deli sides. The take-and-bake pizzas were massive. Completing that wall was a greater range of cold cuts, shredded cheeses (US$2.79, same as Aldi), and sliced cheeses (under US$2). I recognized brands like Oscar Mayer and Hillshire Farms next to Lidl's own lines. Lidl's lunch-meat selection was impressive. Lidl had bulk and smaller packs of cheese with different qualities and price tiers, from budget-friendly resealable packs of slices to fancy-sounding blocks. I appreciated some of the specialty imports and the fun regional American items like cheese curds and string cheese. Lidl had unique cheeses, which I appreciated. The dairy section was excellent and quite large The section started with typical and gourmet cheeses and kept impressing me as I made my way down the wall. The butter offerings included alternatives, name brands, and Irish and European styles. There were different flavored and textured cream cheeses, plus yogurts from multiple brands made with milk, almonds, or soy. Lidl's dairy selection blew me away. The nondairy alternatives carried over into the creamers and milks, which were conventionally packaged and cheap, at US$1.32 for a gallon and US$0.75 for a half. Organic milk was US$2.89. In the well-stocked egg section, a quart of liquid whites was only US$2.25, less than half conventional-brand prices and 18 cage-free eggs cost US$3.29. I reached a corner with name brands and premade foods This section was as fun and full of surprises as Trader Joe's frozen-foods area. I found box meals from Boston Market and Lean Cuisine; snacks from national favorites like White Castle, Hot Pockets, and Super Pretzel; regional snacks like toasted ravioli; and global goods including falafel, Indian curries, and egg rolls. Lidl had so much frozen food for me to look through. The international-foods corner transitioned into an impressive frozen-pizza selection with thin-crust pizzas to rival Newman's Own for nutrition and taste; rising-crust pizzas; and organic choices. Lidl had frozen pizzas if the take-and-bake ones aren't for you. Lidl's European influence came through again with tarte flambées, stone-baked pizzas, flatbread crusts, and a line of pizzas imported from Italy. Lidl's dessert case smoked Aldi's in terms of variety Lidl offered flavors of its brand of gelato alongside American favorites, bulk pails, and half-gallons of churned ice creams. The ice-cream section was packed. Ice-cream-truck favorites followed, and pint-sized premiums gave way to another dessert case of imports. Macarons, German cakes, Berliners, baklava, eclairs, tiramisu, and frozen cakes lined the shelves above cheesecakes available by the slice or whole. This section had Lidl's label and name-brand offerings. Next to this aisle was a strip of display cases with items families tend to stock up on, like different iterations of potatoes, from fries to tots, in regular and bulk sizes. From the Preferred Selection brand were gems like Duchess Potatoes and Belgian novelties like chunky chips (crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside) and potato waffles. I saw so many frozen potatoes. There were frozen vegetables just as likely to be from Green Giant as Lidl. For cost-conscious families there were massive Tropicland bags of plain staples. Lidl's selection of heat-and-eat chicken included popular items from Tyson and Fast Fixin', and two dinosaur-nugget choices. The Farm Rich and Cooked Perfect meatballs provided variety, and there were a few types of frozen Lidl beef burgers. I saw a case for overflow clearance items and last-chance deals on seasonal stuff. Nearby were "while supplies last" specials that change every month or so. This area included an Aldi level of motley items piled messily in the case. I saw Bantam blueberry stuffed pancakes, Caulipower chicken tenders, and specials like Irish beef burgers. The spices-and-seasonings section was exciting and varied I found this section to be exciting, reducing the need to go to a specialty market for interesting spice blends or canned goods. I could happily fill my spice cabinet here. After this mini square was one for beverages. There was plenty of water, plus an assortment of sodas and iced teas. Lidl's wine section was bare, though the paper goods seemed fully stocked Lidl's wine is curated by Adam Lapierre, one of about 400 Masters of Wine, but this store seemed to have underestimated demand. Many price tags sat below empty shelves. Aldi's wine section was much more well-stocked and varied. Lidl seemed to be missing a few labels. The last stretch of the perimeter was dedicated to bulk paper goods that asked to be compared to Charmin, Angel Soft, Bounty, and Sparkle. Most of the paper goods were together. At the center of the store were seasonal items, housewares, stationery, crafting supplies, car-care products, and clothes This is where you stumble upon the odds and ends you've been meaning to buy, I scored furniture-feet covers and drawer dividers. These reminded me of Aldi Finds, except a lot more organized. The bins kept these irregularly shaped products from looking too haphazard, and the organization made a lot more sense than at Aldi. These were fun to look through. At Lidl, the car stuff was with other outdoor stuff, the laundry baskets were with the mesh laundry bags, and the seasonal kids' things were together. Lidl had a lot of personal-care basics for adults, kids, and babies Where those miscellaneous bins dropped off were shelves of toiletries and medicines from Lidl and some national brands. The personal-care section felt well stocked. The store had necessities for baby care including food, diapers, and cleaning products. Aldi didn't have a section like this at all. The baby section was filled with products. Lidl's pet section was no slouch either, with jerkies, treats, and grain-free snacks and limited-ingredient foods under brands like Evolve and Furtrition by Lidl. Then I was back to aisles with pantry staples The Latin food section, a permanent feature in the store, was impressive and well-organized. I loved the options in this section. The organic section is also a year-round display. These options are sprinkled through other sections a merchandising decision that makes sense given Lidl's emphasis on organic, locally sourced products, but reserved shelf space to feature highlights makes it easy for shoppers to get in and out with exactly what they need. Lidl's organic items were clearly labeled. Even better, the prices of these organic items were much lower than what I'd seen in other mainstream US supermarkets. Lidl's gluten-free section was clearly labeled and filled with pastas, cookies, crackers, and mac and cheese. It felt much more thoughtful than Aldi's small gluten-free section. The gluten-free products were not haphazardly thrown together. The snack section was bustling with options Aldi may have put snacks front and center, but Lidl represented. Case after case of potato chips, pretzels, tortilla chips, salsas, and popcorns dominated a row. The variety was consistently excellent, and so was the stock. I think Lidl's regular chips give Lay's chips a run for their money. Lidl's cookie selection is better than what I've found at both Aldi and even wider-selection grocery stores. Lidl's cookies and crackers didn't miss either. Lidl's offerings resembled Nabisco and Keebler favorites and included some gourmet options like chocolate-covered butter cookies, crepe cookies, Café Noir coffee-glazed cookies, Belgian thins, bags of Italian shortbread, speculoos, Jaffa cakes, and sugar-crusted Dutch butter cookies. This section is a gourmet-cookie lover's heaven. Right next to it were interesting twists on classics, such as filled cookies and paper-bag cookies that reminded me of Pepperidge Farm. Lidl had so many snacks. This area had name brands like Ritz and Triscuits, plus store-brand cheese crackers and club crackers. Organic and specialty chocolate bars and name-brand candy concluded this aisle. The chocolate section was impressive. Lidl's pasta offerings were OK, but its nontraditional sauces blew me away Lidl's pasta sauces and pasta shapes were as limited as Aldi's. But I appreciated the pestos, Banza chickpea and pea pastas, and gnocchi. There weren't many pasta-sauce options. Lidl's pasta sauces were lacking, but its condiment-and-sauces section was not. The assortment reminded me of Trader Joe's because of how varied and fun it was. It offered interesting flavors from across the country and around the world in curries, dipping sauces, marinades, dressings, barbecue sauces, and seasoning blends. These marinades and dipping sauces seemed fancy and cool. For sauce-and-spice collectors like myself, this pocket of flavors was hard to walk past, as you never know which new ones have joined the collection. Lidl's baker's corner was a treasure trove of essentials and higher-end natural-market products The baking-product prices were much lower than, say, a big bag of Truvia or almond flour at your local Kroger or Sprouts. The availability of newer health-conscious choices at a discount is a boon. The baking section had some impressive deals. There were tried-and-true pie fillings, nuts, and frostings, as well as good-quality baking chips and more indulgent novelties like Andes mint chocolate. Lidl's canned-foods aisle had tons of grocery-shopping staples Lidl's canned pulses and vegetables had prices comparable to Aldi's. It had multiple varieties of basics like canned tomatoes and mixed bags of rices. There were plenty of canned goods in Lidl. The main aisles are within range of the registers The cashiers at Lidl stand, as they do almost everywhere but Aldi. Though Lidl's products don't have easy-scan bar codes, these cashiers are not slowed down. The conveyor belts at Lidl's checkouts split into two channels after passing the scanner, allowing a cashier to start another customer's order while you're still paying for or bagging yours. Lidl had two-lane conveyor belts. Newer Lidl locations have swing-arm credit-card machines that let you pay and pack while the next customer's groceries are sorted down the other side. If that's too much pressure, there's a long Aldi-style counter just beyond the registers where you can bag at your leisure. Lidl also charges for bags. CONCLUSION Since Lidl came to the US, it's been compared to Aldi. But Lidl should be viewed as a threat to every US supermarket, it's totally coming for the crown. Delays in Lidl's expansion in the US allowed the chain to observe and perfect what Americans want in a shopping experience. There's a vivaciousness and wholesomeness that makes Lidl feel like a more premium store, with casual, whimsical branding decisions that keep it feeling accessible. Lidl is a wonderful hybrid of the no-frills, white-private label approach of Aldi, the wide selections and on-site bakeries of conventional supermarkets, and the "surprise" goods of Trader Joe's, minus the fuss, crowds, and chaos. It's budget without the feel, quality without the pretension. It offers consistency without being stuck in "basic" mode and novelty without sacrificing authenticity. And it provides a ton of trusted national brands without overwhelming you with redundancy. In other words, Lidl makes Aldi look like a dingy, low-rent prototype. Call me a Lidl convert, because the new kid won by a landslide. The better experience, assortment, and quality of white-label and premium goods at similar prices have Aldi in checkmate. Lidl is coming for the budget-buy throne, and it's not planning on stopping there. It's on a quest to change how America shops for groceries. See here for more: https://www-insider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.insider.com/aldi-vs-lidl-review-differences-which-better-photos-2021-5?amp

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Germany (privately owned) was able to grow strongly in the Corona year 2020, but long-term rival discounter Lidl Germany (owned by the German Schwarz Gruppe) trumped the German discount champion. Supermarkets like Rewe and Edeka are also poaching in the realm of the cheap home. Aldi Nord celebrated something historic: at the beginning of the week, the discounter opened its 5,000th stores. The new market in Cala Millor on the holiday island of Mallorca is the 336th in Spain overall. And if the company has its way, numerous other new Aldi stores will follow, not just in Spain. "All companies in the corporate group" would rely on organic growth, according to a message from Aldi Nord. Numerous new markets are also planned in Germany. In addition, the company is systematically checking “which potential could result from acquisitions”. That sounds like a spirit of optimism and good business with the eternal discount champion. In fact, however, the trade journal “Lebensmittelzeitung” now raises the question of how long the Essen-based group and its sister company Aldi Süd will be able to maintain their market leadership in the German food discount market. Because long-term rival Lidl is growing much faster than Aldi in its important home market. According to the report, Aldi was able to grow significantly in 2020 due to corona and increase sales by around 1.1 billion euros (US$1.3bn) to a net 27.4 billion euros (US$33Bn) . “However, rival Lidl increased by at least two billion euros (US$2.4Bn),” writes the “Lebensmittelzeitung”. This means that Aldi is only around 2.5 billion euros (US$3Bn) above Lidl's sales in Germany. In 2016, the gap between the two top discounters is said to have been around five billion euros (US$6Bn). If the numbers are correct, Lidl is now within striking distance of Aldi and could possibly even knock its long-term rivals from the discounter throne in the foreseeable future. Until a few years ago, that was hard to imagine. The retail group seemed too dominant, the gap to the competition on the home market, where the Aldi brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht had already started their discount concept in 1962, was too great. It wasn't until eleven years later that Dieter Schwarz opened the first Lidl store in Ludwigshafen am Rhein and over the years, together with manager Klaus Gehrig, formed a global retail trading power. On the international stage, the Schwarz Group, which includes Lidl and the large-scale discounter Kaufland, has left Aldi behind for some time. According to a survey by the market researcher Kantar, the Schwarz Group is now the third largest retailer in the world after Walmart and Amazon with sales of US$ 134 billion. Aldi follows in fourth place with US$116 billion dollars. But in Germany Aldi has so far been able to defend its lead over Lidl. Major renovation in the Aldi empire But now the gap is melting: Above all, Aldi Nord has been struggling with problems for some time. The south did better in 2020 as well: According to the “Lebensmittelzeitung” newspaper, net sales increased by around 4.8% and reached 15.2 billion euros (US$18.2Bn). Aldi Nord, where numerous branches had been closed in recent years, achieved an increase of 3.7%. In view of the corona-related boom in the entire food trade, these are quite manageable increases. “Shoppers who wanted to buy something special at home as a substitute for missed restaurant visits looked for and found this primarily in the supermarket,” says a GfK analysis of the corona effects. Classic supermarkets and hypermarkets were able to post an increase of 16.7% last year. For the discount segment as a whole, the GfK experts expected growth of at least 8.8%. Since the Gfk data only relate to the business with groceries and other everyday goods, they cannot be transferred one-to-one to actual sales. For example, the sale of promotional items and consumer goods also plays a role. Nevertheless, Aldi's gap to the general discount level is surprisingly high. Why is that? In the industry there is speculation about the blurred price image of the discounter, about the effects of shop closings and the far-reaching restructuring of the group, which is tying up resources. In fact, the Aldi North and South organizations have been repositioning themselves for years. The cooperation between North and South has been strengthened, billions have been invested in the modernization of the branches, in new IT structures and more advertising. New branded items were listed, the organic portion of the range expanded and the pricing policy made more flexible. The measures are also having an effect: younger customers in particular are now buying a lot again See here for more: https://amp2-wiwo-de.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp2.wiwo.de/unternehmen/handel/aldi-gegen-lidl-gibt-es-bald-einen-neuen-koenig-im-discounterland/27102374.html

Discount Retail Chain Lidl and Kaufland (owned by the German Schwarz Group) and the discounter Aldi have asserted their place among the ten largest retailers worldwide. In the Ranking "Global Powers of Retailing" published on Thursday by the company consultancy Deloitte, the Schwarz Group as the largest German retailer finished fourth same as in the previous year. Only the US trade giant Wal Mart were as undisputed number one, the Internet Giant Amazon and the US chain Costco. Aldi finished 8th same as in the previous year. The supermarket chains EDEKA and REWE landed in the worldwide ranking on places 17 and 18, the wholesale retailer Metro ranked 44, the electronics dealer Ceconomy with the chains Media Markt and Saturn two places behind it ranked 46. The shipper Otto was placed 75, the drugstore chains Rossmann and the drugstores DM secured the places 92 and 96. According to the 250 largest retailers worldwide, Deloitte achieved sales of a total of 5.11 trillion US dollars (4.5 trillion euros) and thus a sales growth of 5.2%. "Despite complicated conditions by the Covid-19 pandemic, global retail resilience proves even more than in the previous year," said Deloitte expert Karsten Hollasch. The strongest sales growth under the corporations taken into account in the ranking had 34.8% Amazon. However, the Black Group, Aldi, EDEKA and REWE increased significantly with growth rates between 8 and 10%. For the first time, with the online retailer JD.Com, a Chinese company arrived in the top 10 of the largest retailers in the world. See here for more: https://www.chip.de/news/Aldi-und-Lidl-sind-vorne-mit-dabei-Ranking-der-weltweit-groessten-Einzelhaendler_184120429.html And for the report here: https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/global-powers-of-retailing.html

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Australia (German family owned) has topped Canstar Blue’s Australian supermarket satisfaction ratings for a fifth consecutive year. The German discount grocery giant was the only chain to receive five-star reviews for value for money and overall customer satisfaction. It also received the maximum rating for the layout and presentation of its stores, freshness of produce, and quality of its own-brand products. It received three stars for customer service and variety of products. Market leading supermarket chain Woolworths received five stars for its variety of products and store layout. It earned four stars everywhere else. Coles, second is size, received four stars across most categories, including overall customer satisfaction, although it received three stars for freshness of produce. IGA ranked fourth in overall satisfaction with three stars. It was the only retail banner to receive five stars for customer service. “In Canstar Blue’s latest supermarket review, we asked more than 2,500 shoppers for their honest opinions and experiences of buying groceries from retail supermarkets and this year’s results show Aldi have again won out against their major competitors by rating best in the majority of categories,” said Canstar Blue’s home and lifestyle expert Megan Birot. Price pressure According to the review, Australia’s rising cost of living is influencing how consumers go about their shopping, with 17 per cent (US$ 0.12) determining where they will spend their dollars based on the cost of basics like bread and milk. A recent price report conducted by Aldi suggested 88 per cent (US$0.63) of Australian grocery shoppers plan to better manage their budgets or change their spending habits in the next 12 months, with 78 per cent (US$ 0.56) saying they will reduce their spend in some way. “We know price and value for money is a top priority for many Australian shoppers, and Aldi will continue to ensure Aussies never sacrifice on quality or freshness when looking to reduce the cost of their grocery shop,” said Aldi Australia managing purchasing director, Oliver Bongardt. See here for more: https://www.fruitnet.com/produce-plus/aldi-tops-australian-satisfaction-rankings/246905.article

It will come as no surprise that four of the top five private brands are found in retail giant Walmart’s portfolio, but when it comes to leading private-label share in volume and growth, nobody beats small-format discount grocer Aldi. Those are two of the takeaways from new research on private-label trends from Chicago-based consumer data specialist Numerator. And here’s a third: As inflation continues to squeeze Americans’ grocery budgets, more consumers are willing to trade down from national brands to private labels. Aldi USA (German family owned) dominates in private-label share for grocery, household, and health and beauty products, which account for more than three-quarters (77.5%) of its total sales, Numerator’s private-label trend tracker shows. Roughly 90% of the items in Aldi’s stores are own brands. Another private-brand-focused grocer, Trader Joe’s, comes in a distant second in terms of private-label share of spend at 59.4%, followed by Wegmans Food Markets (49.4%), Costco Wholesale (33.5%), Sam’s Club (30%), H-E-B (26.9%), Walmart (23.3%), Kroger (22.1%), Meijer (15.8%), Hy-Vee (15.2%), Target (15.1%), Whole Foods (14.7%) and Publix (13.6%). Aldi’s brands are also the fastest-growing, rising 2.3 points in private-label household penetration from Q2 2021 to Q2 2022. The next fastest-growing store brands in that time frame were Target’s Favorite Day (+2.2 points), Amazon Basics (+1.7), Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark (+1.3), Kwik Trip (+1.3), Wawa (+1.1) and Kwik Trip/Nature’s Touch (+0.9). Sheetz, Trader Joe’s and Kirkland Signature (Costco) all grew 0.8 points in household penetration over that span, while Great Value (Walmart), Good & Gather (Target), 7-Select (7-Eleven), Publix and RaceTrace were up 0.7 points. Meanwhile, Walmart owns the four top private-label brands over that time period, ranked by household penetration, with its Great Value (purchased by 72.7% of U.S. consumers), Equate (51%), Marketside (44.2%) and Freshness Guaranteed (40%). Dollar Tree ranks fifth at 32.5%, followed by Kroger (30.9%), Aldi (30.5%), Walmart’s store brand (29.8%), Costco’s Kirkland Signature (28.4%) and Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark (26.5%). “The days of treating private-label products as untrackable are over,” according to Eric Belcher, CEO of Numerator. “With market share now approaching 50% in some major categories, CPG manufacturers need visibility into the brand-level performance of private labels today more than ever before.” In today’s inflationary environment, price is becoming more important than brand name for consumers across all income levels, and they’re turning to private labels to save money. Numerator’s study shows that nearly two in five high-income (39.5%) and middle-income (38.8%) consumers are purchasing private brands as a cost-saving measure. More than half of high-income consumers (56.9%) rate their value as excellent or above average, compared with 55.2% of middle-income and 52.5% of low-income shoppers. Despite the perception of private label as a brand for cash-strapped households, the share of private-label grocery products was similar across income levels, at 17.1% for low-income, 17.9% middle-income and 17.2% for high-income households. Other key findings on private brands by Numerator included the following: • Private labels account for 17.4% of sales in the grocery sector, while branded products account for 82.6%. • Grocery share in the club channel for own brands is 32.1%, followed by mass (22.6%), online (20.2%), food (18.6%), dollar (9.9%) and drug (4.7%). • Amazon captures only 3% private-label share in the combined grocery, household and HBC sectors. Within the household products sector, store brands represent nearly $1 in $5 spent (19.5% of sales), compared with 80.5% for branded items. In the club channel, private label accounts for 35.5% of all household product sales, followed by mass (19.4%), dollar (19.2%), food (18.7%), online (13.1%) and drug (8.9%). Online was the only channel to see consistent growth over the past two years (+3.1 points vs. a year ago, +0.6 points vs. two years ago). And in health and beauty care, private labels account for for more than $1 in $10 of consumer spend, or 11.9%, compared with 88.1% for branded items. The drug channel leads in HBC own-brand sales at 18.4%, followed by dollar (17.7%), mass (16.9%), club (14.2%), food (8.7%) and online (5.2%). HBC private-label share varies across income levels, with a 17.2% sector spend among low-income consumers versus 14.9% for high-income consumers. See here for more: https://www.supermarketnews.com/private-label/aldi-leads-private-label-volume-growth