Aldi insider reveals why all branches are designed similarly and explains the secret behind the red label sticker

Aldi customers who frequently shop at any of the UK’s 1,000 stores will probably be familiar with the SpecialBuys the supermarket is famous for. Have you ever wondered why all Aldi stores have a strikingly similar layout, or considered how prices remain so competitive?

You’re certainly not alone in your curiosity about Aldi’s unique retail strategy. Ricardo Sealey, an Aldi managing director from Nuneaton, has clarified some of the most common questions he gets asked about the country’s fourth-largest grocer, including the meaning of the red label sticker.

The feeling of familiarity when entering various Aldi stores is no coincidence; there is a strategic reason behind it.

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Sealey explains: “Aldi stores have been specifically designed to make business as quick and cost-effective as possible. They are smaller than traditional supermarkets that offer full-price supermarkets. This is designed to reduce running costs and use fewer aisles to make the most of the space in the store,” reports the Express.

He adds: “We also want to ensure a consistent shopping experience for all customers. Therefore, each store deliberately follows a similar layout. This means that customers will always find the familiar ‘Super 6’ promotions department when they enter.”

This approach simplifies the shopping process for customers and allows them to easily find what they need.

Customers often inquire about the variety of well-known Aldi special offers and are curious whether they could discover a wide selection of different items when visiting different locations.

However, an Aldi store manager clarified: “The simple answer to that is ‘no’. Aldi’s Specialbuys appear every Thursday and Sunday and are exclusive to our stores, but anyone can buy the same unique products no matter where they are in the UK.”

The manager added that the range changes seasonally, explaining: “Our special offers change with the seasons and include products from DIY, toys, beauty, gardening and much more.”

Attentive customers may have noticed that Aldi staff replenish stock at any time of day, which differs from the usual replenishment after store closing time.

Sealey explained the reasons for this approach: “To ensure everything runs smoothly, all Aldi colleagues are trained to help in all areas of the store, from handling goods to scanning groceries.”

By training its workforce across departments, Aldi maximizes efficiency, keeps prices attractive for customers and ensures the availability of popular products on the shelves, Sealey stressed.

Although Aldi is known for its rock-bottom prices on grocery staples, the company offers additional in-store discounts that some customers may overlook unless they happen to spot a red sticker.

Sealey explained further: “All our stores in the UK are reducing the price of perishable products by 75 percent on the last day of their use-by date, including bread, meat and fruit and vegetables. There is a 30 percent discount on items not properly packaged such as rice, cereals and canned goods.”

“Unlike other grocers, our red-stickered items are not bundled together but are spread throughout the store. So keep an eye out for bargains along the shelf edge.”