Aldi has launched it’s first ever online grocery service, in a bid to help vulnerable people in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The German discount supermarket started selling food parcels on its website on Friday.
The parcels will be delivered to homes and have been designed to support vulnerable people and those who are self-isolating.
The 14kg essential boxes are filed with 22 food items and household items, priced at £24.99 including delivery. The store says there’s “even a few treats” in there too.
The 22 food items are:
- Antibacterial Handwash
- Aloe Vera Toilet Tissue 4pk
- 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 4pack
- Bramwells Carrot & Coriander Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Chilli Con Carne
- Basmati Rice 1kg
- Fusilli
- Part Baked Brown Roll
- Sliced Carrots
- 4 Pack Sweetcorn
Aldi has previously only sold wine and its ‘Specialbuys’ range of non-food items online.
“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 momentm” says Aldi’s managing director for corporate responsibility, Fritz Walleczek.
“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 a number of initiatives from the supermarket aimed at helping the elderly and vulnerable, including a £250,000 donation to Age UK in March and the introduction of reserved opening times for vulnerable shoppers.
Other items in Aldi’s food parcel include chocolate, biscuits, UHT green semi skimmed milk, rice pudding, salted peanuts, instant coffee, baked beans, tuna chunks and plum tomatoes.
Aldi is the latest supermarket to offer food parcels to help at-risk customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Morrisons and Marks & Spencer have launched similar initiatives, with Morrisons’s food boxes ranging from £30 for pre-made meals to £45 for a family meat box, while M&S’s boxes start from £15 for a selection of mixed vegetables and tier up to £35 for a selection of ‘essential’ items.
Supermarkets are trying to ramp up online grocery services amid a surge in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. Before the crisis, just 8% of grocery shopping was done online and even with supermarkets increasing available slots that figure is only likely to reach around 15%.
“Online delivery and click and collect services must take centre stage”
Tim Reay, Head of Grocery at Wunderman Thompson Commerce, said: “There is no doubt that grocery supply chains have been under significant strain in recent weeks. And brands need to pivot quickly to maximise their eCommerce functions in response. Important social distancing measures have been adopted widely already, but Aldi’s move to sell groceries online – a first for the supermarket in the UK – gives them the first step towards a more comprehensive offering to genuinely compete with the likes of Tesco & Sainsbury’s, whose online grocery functions are leading in the response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“First and foremost, initiatives across the grocery sector must safeguard vulnerable customers and ensure they are protected. But to truly thrive, online delivery and click and collect services must take centre stage in the industry’s response to COVID-19. After all, retailers that can provide the most sophisticated online capabilities to keep websites operating smoothly, delivery slots available for the vulnerable and wider services running as best possible, will be the ones that succeed and retain customer loyalty.
“Once the current crisis passes, customers will remember the retailers and grocers who were best able to serve them and protect others during this time of need.”
