Most major supermarket chains in the UK are known for offering their customers discounts or perks through a loyalty scheme. But Aldi, which currently holds the crown for the UK’s cheapest supermarket, doesn’t offer any type of loyalty card for its regular customers.
Given that its biggest competitor, Lidl, offers a loyalty system, it is curious that Aldi has not followed suit. Other retailers, such a Tesco with its Clubcard, and Sainsbury’s with its Nectar points system, are advancing their systems to keep up with the UK market. For example, recently, Sainsbury’s rolled out an option for its customers to collect points when shopping through Deliveroo. With this in mind, why does Aldi actively choose not to create a loyalty system?
An Aldi spokesperson told the Express: “Our customers know that they can always count on Aldi to offer the lowest possible prices, without needing to join a club or show a loyalty card. Independent data from Which? has confirmed Aldi as the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket for November as well as for the last four years running – even when you include loyalty pricing and selective price matches at other supermarkets.
“Customers want simple, fair, everyday low prices on everything they need, and as the UK’s cheapest supermarket, that’s exactly what we offer.”
Which? said: “The cheapest supermarket for a shopping list of 70 items in November was Aldi, where the groceries cost £121.22 on average. Lidl was £1.18 more expensive than Aldi, on average, at £122.40 (or 5p less for members of the Lidl Plus loyalty scheme).”
It also noted that many branded items are unavailable at Aldi and Lidl supermarkets. Which? said: “We also compared the price of a longer list of groceries, including a large range of branded items that aren’t stocked by the discounters Aldi and Lidl.
“Asda, which doesn’t offer loyalty discounts in the same way as other supermarkets, was the cheapest for this list at £455.52.”
With that said, it appears there is not one singular supermarket that is the “best” place to shop, as each offers something different.
Ultimately, it comes down to the individual customer and what they prefer to get out of their shopping experience, whether that be a fuss-free experience, low prices, or the option to shop from all brands and save a little via a loyalty scheme. The choice is yours.