Why So Many Aldi Products Have Giant Barcodes, According To Reddit
Aldi has taken the world by storm. The popular grocery store originally started as a small grocer in Germany in the 1960s, but its growth has expanded tremendously over the past few years — especially in the United Kingdom and United States. According to Insider, back in 2018, Aldi announced that it planned to spend $1.9 billion to give its current stores a facelift, plus an additional $3.4 billion to add 800 new stores around the world between 2018 and 2022. If you've wondered why so many Aldi stores have popped up in your area recently, that could explain why.
Even if you haven't shopped at Aldi, you've probably heard about its popular-among-consumers concept, which focuses on basic store design and bargain prices. The chain has developed quite a fanbase, with plenty of shoppers taking to social media to discuss the brand. Online, shoppers talk about everything from their cult-favorite Aldi products and upcoming deals to mysteries about the chain. Recently, one Redditor wanted to know why the store's barcodes are so big.
It's for a faster checkout process, Redditors say
One Reddit user asked if Aldi has always had so "many" bar codes on some of its products, attaching a picture of a barcode that took up an entire side of a corn flakes box. Users quickly swooped in to explain why the grocery giant has such unconventional codes — and the reasoning makes perfect sense. "Yes, [the products contain] multiple large bar codes so that the clerk doesn't have to flip the product around and position it just right to scan," one user wrote, explaining that's "why a line at Aldi moves so fast." They added that this way, Aldi is able to higher fewer staff members and "keep costs and prices down."
Other users agreed with the commenter's reasoning, calling Aldi's strategy "efficient" and "brilliant." Another pointed out a downside of the fast checkout process: "My daughter worked there for about 6 months and they are merciless in tracking their ring up times. I knew they were fast but had no idea there was so much pressure on them," they said. The next time you see a stretched out barcode on an Aldi product, you'll certainly know it's not a printing error.