ALDI has axed a key service from a dozen of its stores – and shoppers won't be happy.
The discounter is pulling the plug on click and collect services at 12 of its supermarkets.
It comes after The Sun revealed that customers will no longer be able to buy cheap wine cases or order Specialbuys to their door from July 10.
A spokesman for Aldi said it had paused click and collect at these stores due to low demand from shoppers.
Online grocery sales boomed during lockdowns in the pandemic with the online market doubling in size to 15%.
But as shoppers return to stores the share of the online market has fallen back to 12%, according to industry Kantar figures.
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Aldi's spokesman said shoppers in the areas affected have been contacted about the change.
Aldi currently has around 200 stores offering the click and collect service.
You can find your nearest branch by using Aldi's store locator tool and a pickup slot costs £4.99.
Once you've chosen when you'd like your pickup to be, simply do your online shopping and show up when the time is right.
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In December Giles Hurley, Aldi's chief executive, had told The Sun to "watch this space" on plans to roll out click and collect further.
The stores no longer offering click and collect are as follows:
- Aylesbury – Rimmington Way
- Brighton – Lewes Road
- Burton on Trent – Horninglow Street
- Coventry – Shultern Lane
- Crawley – Betts Way
- Chelmsford – Clock Tower RP Westway
- Gillingham – Ambley Road
- Kidbrooke – Kidbrooke Park Road
- Kidderminster – Silverwoods Way
- Maidstone – Langley Park Centre
- Oldbury – Wolverhampton Road
- Reading – London Road
The roll back comes after Aldi ended its relationship with Deliveroo, which it used to get food to doorsteps within 30 minutes in some areas.
Aldi said at the time that home deliveries were never part of the company's long-term business model, adding it was prioritising its click and collect service instead.
How can I save money on my Aldi shop?
If you're an Aldi regular, you'll want to employ a few money-saving tips to slash your bill.
Of course, the discount grocer is famous for its middle aisle, where shoppers can pick up everything from garden furniture and gym equipment to kitchen appliances and clothes.
To get the best bargains, you need to know when the Specialbuy items will be on sale.
You can find new stock in Aldi's middle aisle on Thursdays and Sundays, so you'll get your pick of the products if you head to the store then.
But every two weeks, Aldi also picks six of its favourites to offer shoppers fruit and veg at low prices.
The prices don't change over the two weeks that the offer is live so really you can cash in at any time – though what's on offer will change every fortnight.
But if you want to be sure to get the best of the bunch, then heading to the store at the start of the week to pick the freshest items won't hurt.
Yellow stickers are the key to a successful shop for most customers, and Aldi has its own version of labelled bargains too.
Aldi shoppers should look out for red stickers on products instead.
Workers usually put them on to show something is reduced, either because the packaging is damaged or it's about to go out of date.
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You can often save up to 75% off products marked up in this way in Aldi, so it's worth keeping an eye out in the store.
And remember, it's always worth writing a list before heading out to your nearest branch.
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