Sunday tonight was looking at supermarket prices and the lack of competition in NZ. They said there are rumours that ALDI is looking at the New Zealand market – they are already in Australia.
ALDI is a German supermarket chain, we usually shopped there when in Ireland. They are a very basic, small supermarket. They have a very limited range of products. For example, if you want tinned spaghetti, they’ll have one option.
That option will be of medium-good quality (think Pams) but priced about the same as the cheapest option in any other supermarket.
We have actually found at least one item here that is identical to what we purchased in Ireland, made in the same country, but with a Pams sticker on here and an ALDI sticker on in Ireland. So that is about the quality you get.
There will be a few items you can’t get there, so maybe once a month you have to go somewhere else to top up on spices or something random. But in general ALDI has everything you need, for a very good price. With very poor service however.
In addition they have random stuff like computers, power tools, clothing etc that changes week to week – they seem to get in a pallet of anything they can get cheap and stock it only until they are sold out. It is a completely different model to the massive supermarkets we are used to in NZ.
I hope they do come here. We’ve been missing ALDI and their major rival Lidl (same basic concept) ever since we got back. Either of those chains starting in NZ would really shake things up, the more competition the better.
I’m really missing their tinned bacon and lentil soup…
March 22, 2009 at 9:09 pm
My wife is getting very excited about the prospect of Aldi coming here too!
March 23, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Sounds like a make of car, not a supermarket.
For me Supermarkets are frustrating. too mnay people ad too mnay lines. Has anyone given the delivery service that they run a go???
April 10, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I know that Aldi has been making noises about getting into NZ since 2002 and it will be a good thing when they do because the public has a right to have cheaper prices for every day produce. The price of dairy items in NZ is criminal for a dairy producing country and Aldi will give the competition something to worry about. I am a NZer living in Aus and began shopping at Aldi while living in Brisbane and continue to do so in Sydney. The fruit and vegetables are very cheap and of good quality as are all the other products. The majority is Australian grown/made or from Germany and even some NZ stuff such as frozen fish fillets. I have noticed some items from China but I don’t buy food from that region. Once Aldi does move to NZ at least 80% of their products will be NZ produced as that is part of their policy so come on Kiwis get behind this supermarket and give the others a run for their money. You won’t regret it.
April 21, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Kia ora !
I am a German living in New Zealand since more than 8 years. Food prices in New Zealand are …
If I miss only one thing from Germany, I miss ALDI very much.
ALDI, please give at a go … Recession time is the right time to mix up New Zealand food prices.
Greetings from Kaitaia, Norbert
May 17, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I’m a kiwi living in Brisbane but looking to return to NZ within the next few years. Aldi arrived in our neighbourhood a couple of years back and we were all very skeptical… but now I am one of a growing number of Aldi converts…. and if they come to your neighbourhood I’m sure you will be too.
A few months back we had some friends over and conducted a blind taste comparison, Aldi vs Coles, in the marshmellow department Coles won, in the chocolate department Aldi won. My point is that personal preference will always play a part in your product selection.
I agree with Mr Dennis that the fruit and veges are first class, and also that Aldi tend to only hold a single brand of each main item. However I would say their generic items are good-to-excellent in quality.
My local Aldi provides excellent service – staff frequently know exactly what they hold and where they are, and if there is more waiting to be shelved. I would suggest that the quality of service is dependent entirely on the store manager and the people they employ. Our local store employs local people who provide great local service.
I haven’t conducted a price comparison but I’m convinced that I am saving around 20-30% of what I would normally spend at Coles or Woolworths. That’s significant – a saving of around $30 every week.
Of course this is all IMHO.
Cheers
mc
September 11, 2009 at 5:17 am
Regrettibly there is no “competition” in the NZ Grocery sector – at least not any more. Only 2 players and they stopped competing with each other about 12 months ago.
Competition is not something well-regarded here in NZ and consequently consumers here get a very raw deal – most especially in the grocery sector!
The encombants will desperately try and stop Aldi (or Lidl) getting into NZ – the question is whether the relatively small NZ grocery market will be incentive enough for a discounter to fight their way in.
I do hope Aldi will come – IMO they are the best discounter, Lidl second and Netto a distant 3rd, but I’m not holding my breath, after all Goubay was frozen out.
I think I’ll write to Aldi head office and do some pleeding on behalf of the railroaded NZ grocery consumer!
Regards
Adrian.
(please excuse any poor spelling – it’s late)
September 17, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I agree with all comments above relating to supermarkets. I’m currently living in Denmark and will be returning to NZ at christmas to live. I shop at Fakta, Netto, Aldi alongside the more expensive Superbest (like New World) for speciality items. Often these discounters have the same items as the more expensive superbest but much cheaper. ie. NZ anchor butter at superbest for nzd3.60 at Fakta/Netto/Aldi have it for nzd2.20 per block.
When we lived in Holland we shopped at Aldi/Lidl and more expensive Albert Heijn (like New World). I shopped weekly at the local market for cheese, fruit and veg and chicken and eggs. Miss those markets.
I hope the encumbant NZ grocery players will play fair and not be anti-competitive. Monopolies are never good! Think |Telecom, NZ Rail, Energy suppliers etc…Although, NZ is a small market and far away for these discounters. Out of interest, how would they fare against PaknSave and Countdown?
Are there supermarket price comparison sites (you can see I’ve been out of NZ for a while).
September 22, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I am from the uk and have lived in NZ for 5 years. I was shocked and still am by the cost of food here in NZ. I used Aldi as well as some of the other major supermarkets (there are many!!) in the uk and i can say without a doubt that Aldi foods are on par with the other supermarkets, sometimes even better and almost always cheaper!
We need Aldi to come here and stir things up as at the moment consumers are at the mercy and domination of the duopoly between foodstuffs and progressive. Increased competiton can only be a good thing as once Aldi makes its presence felt it will change the supermarket landscape forever and atlast the consumer will truly benefit!
October 9, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I lived in Germany and Australia,and ALDI is King…
The food is as good and often better ,as they seem to keep their German standards even when outside the country.
For the first timer it will look strange ,and the choice somehow limited ,but you will notice the difference in price instantly.
In Australia I was able to fill up my trolley for around $ 100.
In the other supermarkets it would be much more.
Please ALDI save us….!!!!!!!
November 4, 2009 at 10:08 am
We have been shopping at Aldi in Brisbane for the past several years. It does take a few shops to get into ‘their’ way and products but it’s certainly worth it. I love the weekly specials.
We have now moved to NZ and as I knew Aldi was not here we shipped over with our household belongings a carton of their beautiful salmon, the best I have tasted. I also love their German chocolate biscuits plus the beautiful Christmas fare- yummy!
The face creme is second to none- just fabulous etc etc….
I especially love the fact that they offer local produce wherever possible.
Please come to NZ Aldi- I hope so before my salmon stock runs out.
November 18, 2009 at 9:41 pm
After 8 years of living in Sydney my husband and I returned home so he could study. We figured if we are going to be poor we might as well come home and be by our family. We didnt realise however that it would be the supermarkets making us poor (and the price of rental homes in Auckland) robbing us of our meger student allowance. With 3 boys under the age of 5, making ends meet is not an easy task.
I miss Aldi terribly. When we first came back to NZ we heard rumours Aldi was trying to come here but foodstuffs and other suppermarkets put a stop to it. I would shop Aldi in an instant and I would travel to get to where ever it was cause I know it would be worth it.
BRING ALDI TO NZ. I LOVE ALDI. AND THEIR CHOC CHIP BISCUITS!!!
PS. My husband is in Sydney working until Christmas and I will be putting in my Aldi orders!!!
November 30, 2009 at 6:47 pm
we have lived in sydney for 10 years and are going home iat christmas for holidays we are from nz my family shop at aldis every fortnight as we are pensioners we find price and quailty is top what we are going to miss is the eton cracker biscuits as well as other foods i cant tell you kiwis you need aldis there as they have best price and quality of items is tops