Kantar Study Says Shopping At Aldi Is Simpler, Faster, More Cost-Effective

Last updated on October 16th, 2019 at 08:24 am

New study results from Kantar that indicate that Aldi shoppers find the retailer easier to navigate, faster and more fun compared to other grocery stores more often than Walmart Supercenter shoppers find Walmart Supercenters to be on these measures.

The study findings concluded 77 percent of the participants who identified as primary grocery shoppers and shopped at Aldi agree the store is “simpler to shop” compared to other grocery stores. It also showed it is at least 20 percent faster to shop at Aldi than at Kroger and Walmart stores (The study was conducted in Kroger-owned banner stores and Walmart Supercenters.).

Seasonal shopping and more

Aldi offers seasonal items such as Bat Knit Crazy Cheddar and other Halloween-themed cheeses and decor; luxury jarred candles; pre-mixed mimosas (wine and beer not available in all Aldi stores); a range of Advent calendars including cheese, chocolate, toys, beer and wine; home furnishings; small kitchen appliances, pet sweaters, cast iron cookware and chainsaws.

“Today’s shoppers are pressed for time and money. We pioneered a model that gives people more of both—if you ask me, this is a winning combination for grocery shopping,” says Scott Patton, VP of corporate buying, Aldi U.S. “We’ve carefully designed our stores and product selection to give shoppers a fast and convenient experience where they can also have some fun!”

Savings at Aldi

Additionally, nine out of 10 respondents who shopped at Aldi agree it was “more cost-effective” than other grocery stores. Aldi has been named the Value Leader for eight years running, according to a Market Force Information survey (annual surveys of U.S. consumers conducted from 2011 to 2018 by Market Force Information) and a 2019 Dunnhumby report ranked Aldi the number one grocery retailer for price (Dunnhumby, 2019 Retailer Preference Index, Grocery Channel [gauging consumer perception]).

Unlike traditional grocery stores that offer endless product options, such as half an aisle of olive oil, Aldi only sells the most popular varieties in the most popular sizes. Aldi-exclusive products are rigorously tested to meet or exceed the quality and taste of name brands, and one in five Aldi-exclusive products is award-winning (as of 5/3/2019, based on an audit of everyday, nationally distributed Aldi-exclusive branded products).

Reinventing the grocery model

“The goal of our research was to create a consistent and accurate way to compare the in-store experience at Aldi vs. some of the country’s most-shopped grocery stores,” says James Sorensen at Kantar. “By studying several hundred shoppers, we were able to deliver an analysis of how a unique retailer like Aldi can reinvent the shopping experience for the benefit of shoppers.”

To qualify for the study, participants must have identified themselves as the primary grocery shopper for their household and must have shopped at an Aldi, Kroger (any Kroger-owned store brand) or Walmart Supercenter within the past month. Kantar recruited 700 people ages 18-64 across four regions of the country to engage in a timed shop for 30 of the most commonly purchased grocery items (grocery shopping list items sourced from a 2015 IRI list of supermarket product categories by annual sales and Nielsen’s Grocery Channel Top Items). After participants finished shopping, they completed a survey to assess their satisfaction with the overall shopping experience. The study was commissioned by Batavia, Illinois-based Aldi.