Life is hell - official

[MontyVeda]

Aldi, and presumably Lidl, according to a former Aldi manager interviewed on 5Live a year or so back achieve low prices by the sheer volume of sales guaranteed through stocking one version of a product whereas the other stores have competing products and in different sizes. As to wages paid to employees judging by comments I have heard from staff who had previously worked for one of the others they are better paid.

the main profit comes from the specials... a claim made on a training day a couple of years ago was that the profit made from one £5 doormat is the same as from 50 sirloin steaks. Iceberg lettuces (currently) are a loss leader, we sell them for half what we buy them for.

As for the wages, they're not fantastic but do I get paid more per hour for stacking shelves then i did working as a web designer, search engineer, copy writer or even as a so-called marketing manager ...and i don't have to take the job home with me either

 

[KnittyNorah]

I've also heard that Aldi and Lidl pay ( especially smaller producers) much more quickly than do most of the 'big boys' - which is obviously important; why should a small producer be expected to fund what is effectively an unsecured loan to a much larger one?

 

[Andy in Germany]

So cashiers need to be paid better, right ??

Aldi sucks you (us) in with the cheapness, cheap cos wages of pretty much everyone in food production, and supply is underpaid.

We accept this..

It becomes a race to the bottom.

Yup. 'tis a bummer, and I claim no moral high ground; At the moment I can't afford any of the other more ethically aware shops so I'm stuck with the Evil Discounters if I want to eat. I'm getting there though, slowly but surely...

However while in this position, I still try to do what I can, which for me involves not making life harder for fellow workers.

I'm also hoping that getting a reputation for being helpful will mean I'm not on the list when the masses decide they have nothing to lose but their till rolls, and rise up to overthrow their masters.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Yes, I lived in Oz and NZ for over 10 yrs in total.

I HATED having my shopping bagged for me whether or not they are 'trained'. Training is irrelevant as everyone's circumstances or abilities are different. I had to either repack it all into my bike's panniers or I had to repack it all into my large backpack and two carry-bags, once I left the checkout area, so everything was NEVER in the right place. I stopped shopping at the supermarkets which insisted they bag for you, because of this.
Mind you even that isn't half as bad as in the US where some kid with no idea piles things into multiple bags willy-nilly and then expects you to give them money in exchange for squashing your tomatoes and breaking your eggs ...

I prefer the Aldi and Lidl models every time, no contest!

Got it - the panniers, backpack etc.

 

[mudsticks]

Yup. 'tis a bummer, and I claim no moral high ground; At the moment I can't afford any of the other more ethically aware shops if I want to eat so I'm stuck with the Evil Discounters if I want to eat. I'm getting there though, slowly but surely...

However while in this position, I still try to do what I can, which for me involves not making life harder for fellow workers.

I'm also hoping that getting a reputation for being helpful will mean I'm not on the list when the masses decide they have nothing to lose but their till rolls, and rise up to overthrow their masters.

Yup I know, I'm not really claiming such either.

Time was for me too, that there was very little spare dosh for buying better all the time.

It's often the way with lower paid, even though arguably more 'valuable' jobs.

Just so long as we bear in mind why cheap is cheap.

Affordable , decent quality food for all, produced under fair and ecologically beneficial conditions is still something to aspire, and work towards however

I'm sure the masses will show you some clemency though..

On account of being nice to refugees

 

[jowwy]

But you can't pack at the tills in aldi......

 

[KnittyNorah]

Do you know what, I'm old and I'm slow and I'm very short, and until a year ago I was almost blind, so I often need help and have no problem asking for it.

In Aldi - different branches - I was always and still am, helped without hesitation, promptly, pleasantly, with a smile and a 'do you need anything else?' said in a cheery way with no hint of impatience or 'oh it's HER again' tone ... checkout operators tell me 'don't hurry' and if I fumble and apologise for being slow, tell me that I'm far from being slow compared to many people. Which, even if it is a lie, is very heartening to hear!

This is in contrast to Morrisons and Asda. Two of the worst instances which stand out in my mind are the two which caused me to simply stop shopping there.
- explaining that I am severely visually impaired and could they tell me the number of the aisle that the biscuits are on please? answer 'the same aisle as the soft drinks, you'll see them at the end of the aisle. My response - I. AM. SEVERELY. VISUALLY. IMPAIRED. I can't see the soft drinks from more than a foot or so away from my eyes, but I can count aisle numbers, what is the aisle number please? answer, come on, follow me. I CAN'T SEE TO FOLLOW YOU, maybe that might be why I have explained that I'm severely visually impaired?
- when I asked the checkout operator to tell me the total please, they merely indicated the display with their hand. When I said, I can't see the display, that's why I'm asking you to tell me, their response was 'Well if you're blind why haven't you got a white stick?' HOW RUDE IS THAT? the checkout operator was clearly stupid so why didn't they wear a dunce's cap, eh? I complained to Customer Services and never went back, rude little toad.

Not that my measly weekly or fortnightly shop will affect their profits, but I'd rather my purchases contribute towards the wages of happy, helpful staff than rude and miserable ones.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I'm so slow and useless in the supermarket Mrs 26 has decided to leave me at home and do it herself. Left to my own devices I'd probably go online now as it takes so much less time and frustration and allows more time and energy for the good stuff like .

 

[Blue Hills]

Aldi, and presumably Lidl, according to a former Aldi manager interviewed on 5Live a year or so back achieve low prices by the sheer volume of sales guaranteed through stocking one version of a product whereas the other stores have competing products and in different sizes. As to wages paid to employees judging by comments I have heard from staff who had previously worked for one of the others they are better paid.

careful there, you'll be challenging folks' entrenched prejudices.

Yes, the restricted range has a lot to do with their success - and I much prefer shopping there because of it - and let's face it a lot of the bigger supermarkets' extra space is taken with packaged and processed stuff of one sort or another - even if the likes of sainsburys did once claim that one of their packaged concoctions used a 14th century Italian recipe - bollocks, uncured, of course.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Do you know what, I'm old and I'm slow and I'm very short, and until a year ago I was almost blind, so I often need help and have no problem asking for it.

In Aldi - different branches - I was always and still am, helped without hesitation, promptly, pleasantly, with a smile and a 'do you need anything else?' said in a cheery way with no hint of impatience or 'oh it's HER again' tone ... checkout operators tell me 'don't hurry' and if I fumble and apologise for being slow, tell me that I'm far from being slow compared to many people. Which, even if it is a lie, is very heartening to hear!

This is in contrast to Morrisons and Asda. Two of the worst instances which stand out in my mind are the two which caused me to simply stop shopping there.
- explaining that I am severely visually impaired and could they tell me the number of the aisle that the biscuits are on please? answer 'the same aisle as the soft drinks, you'll see them at the end of the aisle. My response - I. AM. SEVERELY. VISUALLY. IMPAIRED. I can't see the soft drinks from more than a foot or so away from my eyes, but I can count aisle numbers, what is the aisle number please? answer, come on, follow me. I CAN'T SEE TO FOLLOW YOU, maybe that might be why I have explained that I'm severely visually impaired?
- when I asked the checkout operator to tell me the total please, they merely indicated the display with their hand. When I said, I can't see the display, that's why I'm asking you to tell me, their response was 'Well if you're blind why haven't you got a white stick?' HOW RUDE IS THAT? the checkout operator was clearly stupid so why didn't they wear a dunce's cap, eh? I complained to Customer Services and never went back, rude little toad.

Not that my measly weekly or fortnightly shop will affect their profits, but I'd rather my purchases contribute towards the wages of happy, helpful staff than rude and miserable ones.

I can't remember where but I read somewhere that Aldi cross trains all its staff and they supposedly the best paid among the various chains. Goes to show how investing in your staff goes a long way.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I can't remember where but I read somewhere that Aldi cross trains all its staff and they supposedly the best paid among the various chains. Goes to show how investing in your staff goes a long way.

Local Aldi and Lidl stores do have part time staff but they generally advertise on the basis if a 3 year state registered apprenticeship in managing a supermarket (which is valid all over Germany in any company) and a steady and secure job afterwards. A three year apprenticeship is standard in many jobs from graphic designer to doctors assistant, so they have to offer this in order to attract people at all, but from what I know they're one of the higher paying employers of apprentices and staff generally. I guess standardising the training means it's a level playing field across the industry.

 

[Chief Broom]

Just had a worrying vision of Borg drones on the check out scanning the groceries with that ocular laser eye thing and making each customer sweat wondering if theyre going to get the tuberals to the neck....ive only just got up or am i still dreaming....nurse more medication!

 

[Mike_P]

Anyone used a Amazon billed on picking the item up store ? Re self scanners they are great when you have a voucher for say £6 off a shop that exceeds your normal spend. A couple of years back had reached c.£34 having such a voucher valid on a £40 spend and could not think of anything else I needed. Wandered down the magazine isle and found a copy of Procyclings review of the year with a calendar that just tipped the total over £40

 

[KnittyNorah]

I can't remember where but I read somewhere that Aldi cross trains all its staff and they supposedly the best paid among the various chains. Goes to show how investing in your staff goes a long way.

I have heard this too - and it certainly seems to be true, at least from my experiences at the branch I usually use. I actually met the Store Manager just before C-19 struck, when a very timid lady needed help, and have frequently seen him taking his turn on 'grunt' duties' in the store itself when it's clear an extra pair of hands is needed for a short time in order to keep everyone happy.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Local Aldi and Lidl stores do have part time staff but they generally advertise on the basis if a 3 year state registered apprenticeship in managing a supermarket (which is valid all over Germany in any company) and a steady and secure job afterwards. A three year apprenticeship is standard in many jobs from graphic designer to doctors assistant, so they have to offer this in order to attract people at all, but from what I know they're one of the higher paying employers of apprentices and staff generally. I guess standardising the training means it's a level playing field across the industry.

Thanks for sharing. Their growth around the World says a lot.