Aldi has introduced a major change this month and shoppers are being urged to get involved
Aldi is one of Britain’s most popular supermarkets, offering budget-friendly groceries, beauty products and homeware. The retail giant was crowned the cheapest supermarket in March by the consumer experts at Which?.
But this month, the discount supermarket has rolled out a significant in-store initiative, urging shoppers to make an ‘essential’ donation — something many may not have previously considered, yet one that plays a vital role in many people’s lives.
You may have already noticed the food donation boxes positioned near the checkouts in your local branch. Now, with April marking National Pet Month, Aldi is calling on shoppers to contribute pet food at its in-store community donation points.
The initiative is designed to support families struggling with the ever-rising costs of pet ownership, according to the Grocery Gazette. Research from the PDSA animal wellbeing report reveals that 86% of pet owners say the cost of keeping a pet has gone up.
All donated pet food will be distributed to local charities and community groups through the supermarket’s partnership with Neighbourly, reports the Express.
Luke Emery, national sustainability director at Aldi UK, said: “Pets are part of the family, but the cost-of-living conversation rarely acknowledges them when, in reality, increasing costs are putting extra pressure on the whole household budget, including everyday essentials – like pet food.
“By making it simple for customers to donate in-store, via our existing partnership with Neighbourly, we hope to support local communities and help ensure families can continue to care for their much-loved pets.”
Aldi has collaborated with Neighbourly since 2019, and during that time has donated the equivalent of over 50 million meals to charitable causes nationwide. The partnership helps guarantee enough food reaches those facing hardship while cutting food waste at the same time.
The news follows Aldi being named Britain’s most affordable supermarket by Which? for the third consecutive month.
Monthly, the consumer champions compare prices of 95 widely-purchased branded and own-label items, including milk, cheese and Hovis sliced bread, across eight leading UK supermarkets to compare value.
At Aldi, the typical cost of that shopping basket stood at £171.32. It narrowly edged out rival budget chain Lidl, priced at £172.31 for Lidl Plus cardholders.
Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s followed behind, with Morrisons, Ocado and finally Waitrose bringing up the rear.
