Is Aldi Finally Going Online?

It looks Aldi is breaking into the e-commerce space, according to reports from Lebensmittel Zeitung.

Aldi Süd is gradually rolling out globally standardised IT systems, which is expected to set the business back approximately €1.5 billion ($2.3 billion).

Aldi Süd is one half of the business, which originally served the southern parts of Ruhr Valley and Aachen, and currently operates around 10,000 shops across 20 countries.

The retailer said it is currently working on ‘suitable and market-driven solutions for all countries of the Aldi Süd Group to flexibly meet the omnichannel requirements of its markets’.

However, it may not be reaching Aussie waters just yet, as the first roll out expands to Germany and will likely be introduced in the second half of the year.

Its purchasing system is already being used throughout its daily operations, and will soon reach other countries globally.

Why has it taken so long for the retailer to finally get into the e-commerce space? While Aldi has avoided the subject for a long tie, it appears that the focal reason why it has taken so long remains to be the risk of loss-making.

However, the pandemic expedited online sales across Europe, and its introduction of Click & Collect using services like Deliveroo and Instacart, could suggest that the retailer is ready to take the plunge into the online sector.

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