Aldi has started selling groceries online in the UK for the first time. The limited service is aimed at vulnerable people and those self-isolating during the coronavirus outbreak.
From today, customers can order an ambient food parcel from its website. The boxes contain 22 products including tinned soup, rice, pasta, antibacterial handwash, and toilet roll (full list below).
The parcels are only available online and will be limited to one per customer. They cost £24.99 inclusive of delivery.
Initial demand appears to be high with Aldi implementing a queuing system on its website this morning.
Aldi has previously only sold wine & spirits and its ‘Specialbuys’ range of non-food items online.
Fritz Walleczek, the chain’s Managing Director for Corporate Responsibility, said: “We are committed to providing quick, safe and affordable access to food for all our customers and understand that, for some, visiting one of our stores is not an option at the moment.
“We’re constantly looking for new and better ways to support our customers in these uncertain times and I’m hopeful that these food parcels will make life a little easier for some of the country’s most at-risk people.”
The move follows several initiatives from Aldi aimed at helping the elderly and vulnerable during the crisis. It donated £250,000 to Age UK in March and introduced reserved opening times for vulnerable shoppers at its 875 stores.
Morrisons and Marks & Spencer have launched similar food box initiatives in recent weeks after standard delivery services became overrun with orders.
Aldi’s food parcels contain as standard: Antibacterial Handwash, Aloe Vera Toilet Tissue 4-pack, Choceur Milk Chocolate Bar, UHT Green Semi-Skimmed Milk, Rice Pudding, Salted Peanuts, Biscuit Barrel Assortment, Gold Label Tea, Instant Coffee, Premium Baked Beans, Premium Plum Tomatoes, Bolognese Pasta Sauce, Tuna Chunks In Brine 4-pack, Bramwells Carrot & Coriander Soup, Tomato Soup, Minestrone Soup, Chilli Con Carne, Basmati Rice 1kg, Fusilli, Part-baked Brown Roll, Sliced Carrots, and a 4-pack of Sweetcorn.
NAM Implications:
- Standard, simple, scalable and profitably successful…
- An ideal Aldi move…
- Apart from good PR.
- Are you still content to wait on the Aldi sidelines?
