A new ALDI grocery store opened at 927 Myers St early this month and introduced Richmond to an entirely new method of food shopping.
A new ALDI grocery store opened at 927 Myers St early this month and introduced Richmond to an entirely new method of food shopping.
Walking into an ALDI, one gets the impression that they’ve entered an tiny, unfinished Costco. High exposed ceilings with strips of LED lights illuminate a stark landscape of colorful, unfamiliar packages.
The goods are displayed in cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other, which line the walls and form the generously wide lanes through which customers roam. A surprisingly small but capable staff are scattered throughout the store, clad in blue-collared shirts and eager to answer questions about the unique shopping environment that ALDI provides.
Unlike typical American supermarkets, ALDI stores are deliberately plain and small because they are designed to reduce overhead costs and pass what they save on decorations onto the customer. The atmosphere inside is not barren however, but bustling with energy as the products are constantly switched out to reflect those that are most commonly purchased at that location.
They do this in preserve their limited space and in an attempt to make ALDI a one-stop shop for the regular grocery needs of their customers.
“We want to cater fresh, reliable, nutritious products for everyone in the neighborhood that are cost efficient,” said store manager Megan Matthews in an interview with RVAMag.
The products themselves also differ from typical groceries because they are noticeably German (the company’s homeland) and low-cost compared to national brands. According to ALDI, “90 percent of what you find in stores is exclusive brand product”, and that product is guaranteed to be satisfactory or your money back and a replacement product is free. This double-back guarantee, as its known, is meant to urge consumers to try ALDI brand products without the risk of buyers’ remorse.
Efficiency is king at ALDI, where their commitment to sustainability encompasses not only cost-saving considerations but also the long-term protection of the environment. For both these reasons, ALDI encourages their shoppers to bring in their grocery bags from home by charging an additional 10 cents per plastic bag and 6 cents per paper bag used. This saves money for the company and contributes to the low cost of their products, in addition to reinforcing environmental awareness and responsibility among both producers and consumers.
“The concept is to bring your own,” said shift manager Danny Gallivan. “One guy brought a laundry basket, so whatever you want to bring to save the environment.”
Customers are also expected to bag their own purchases, thus eliminating the cost of employing baggers and speeding up the checkout process for cashiers. This ‘no-frills’ approach to efficient customer service extends into the parking lot, where customers can only access a shopping cart by loaning a quarter to the cart-dispensing device. The quarter is later refunded by the machine when the cart has been returned to its place in front of the store.
This policy, like all the others that set ALDI apart from ordinary grocery stores, is designed to reduce cost in a way that also benefits the customer. The cart loaning system eliminates the need for an employee to wrangle labor outside, while at the same time keeping the parking lot clear of stray carts that could take up parking spaces and inconvenience customers.
These innovative and environmentally friendly initiatives improve the experience of ALDI shoppers and employees alike, and collectively make their outrageously low prices possible.
Visit the new ALDI to see for yourself, just remember to come prepared with bags and a quarter.
