ALDI is famous for a lot of things. Their random and epic ‘special buy’ sales, in which everything from snow boots to clothes dryers are up for grabs…and that amazing blue cheese.
But it’s their speedy checkout staff that have long baffled customers.
If you’ve ever struggled to keep up with their crazy pace, you’ll likely be happy to know there’s a reason.
Faster than their rivals
Their tills are 40 per cent quicker than their rivals, The Sun reports.
‘How?’ you might ask. Well, their packets often have several bar codes, which makes them easier to scan.
Apparently it’s all in the name of efficiency, so prices can be kept low.
ALDI’S famously good (and cheap) blue cheese. Source: supplied.
But the phenomenon is not without its detractors. Some customers have taken to social media in the past to express their frustration and anxiety in trying to keep up with the manic scanning techniques.
The speed of an Aldi checkout clerk is inversely proportional to your speed at packing your bag or trolley.
— Dane Bryce (@Danoss) February 8, 2017
I KNOW they have to scan at a crazy speed but the checkout workers in Aldi stress me right out
— Katy (@katyjaneeee) February 6, 2017
Reckon there should be some kind of counselling for after you've been through the checkout at Aldi to recover from the speed
— Charlie Bott (@CharlieBott1) November 16, 2016
My anxiety can't deal with the speed required to keep up with the checkout assistants at aldi!
— Rebecca Lee (@Becca_Lou_Lee) June 21, 2016
But other customers are proud that their packing skills match the pace of an ALDI scanner.
Others wonder if there’s a quota staff need to meet.
But a spokesman from Aldi told The Sun, “Our employees are trained to operate the checkout at the right pace for each individual person they serve.”
Tiny numbers win
ALDI’s success is a numbers game. A small numbers game.
It has a total of only 1,500 product lines on offer, compared to a major supermarket, which stocks well over 40,000.
In Australia, Coles and Woolworths stock between 20,000-25,000 product lines.
ALDI have some devoted, bordering on zealous customers. Source: Supplied.
Copycat or better than the original?
It’s also notorious for its copycat products. Its range of scented candle, which were made to rival upmarket brand Jo Malone, sold out in stores within a matter of hours.
For those willing to go with the one brand of tomato sauce and keep up with the packing pace, ALDI is a cut price kingdom.
