The Unfortunate Trend Aldi Shoppers Are Noticing
Some Aldi shoppers are noticing what appears to be an unfortunate trend. In a recent post, Redditor woktrr1919 remarked, "Is it just me, or does it seem like Aldi's prices just keep going up? Like, I know grocery prices are going up pretty universally right now, but it seems like lately, there are more and more things I can get for the same price or cheaper at walmart & kroger" (via Reddit). Other Redditors are chiming in, noting sometimes significant differences in Aldi's pricing. One person posted, "I am buying no more than I usually do and somehow my total is 60$ higher."
However, according to some, Aldi's higher prices are still low compared to nearby competitors. Redditor Seraphymz observed, "They are going up significantly but I've done price comparisons elsewhere and my local ALDI still has the best deals." They supplied the example of what sounded like a real steal at their local Hy-vee store: "15% off anything you can fit in a big paper sack." However, after working out the price per pound for chicken breast, Aldi still had Hy-vee beat $1.69 to $3.29. Walmart also proved pricier than Aldi, said the user.
Even so, some argued that the issue isn't just how high Aldi's prices are getting but how quickly they're getting there. As one commenter put it, "What OP is getting at is prices at Aldi seems to be going up more/faster than other stores....not just the inflation/everything going up." The climbing costs were inconvenient enough that the Redditor reduced the frequency of their Aldi trips.
Aldi isn't immune to inflation but has still been attracting customers
Aldi has publicly stated that it will do everything it can to keep prices low despite pandemic woes and inflation, but that doesn't mean keeping prices stagnant or being completely immune to industry trends. Said ALDI U.S. CEO Jason Hart in 2020, "Access to affordable groceries is more important now than ever before. Our promise to you is that Aldi will continue to offer the lowest possible price every time you shop for groceries." Hart further tried to assure customers, "Regardless of how the market shifts, you can trust we will do everything in our power to continue to offer you unbeatable value" (via Supermarket News).
And while Aldi's prices may be rising, research suggests that at least until recently, that hasn't deterred people from shopping there compared to its competitors. A study by Placer.ai reported on foot traffic at nine grocery chains between November 2020 and April 2021 and how it fared compared it to the equivalent pre-COVID period in 2019. Aldi was the clear winner (via Forbes). The chain averaged the largest increase in visits with 3.4%. Albertsons' foot traffic only rose 2.4%. Meanwhile, Publix experienced an increase of 1.1%, and Trader Joe's had a meager 0.5% bump. Other major chains reported a loss in traffic.
Given the importance of cost to many shoppers, Aldi's success seems to suggest it still has strong appeal as one of the more affordable grocery options.