GoneTroppo Member (FNQ) posted:

Very large German owned supermarket chain started opening in Oz about 5 years ago.

Specialise in cheap house brand goods and have loss leader specials in hardgoods.

Their stuff often comes last in choice tests. Testsed a washing machine a while back that actualy didn't.

Member - 'Lucy' posted:

Best thing since pop top cans.

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

MR Fawlty you got your last line in but I anticipated it up front. LOL You could write for Mr Cleese

I for one prefer to support Aussie shareholders than those ones. I have been to Aldi but not graced their checkout queues in Australia, only where I didn't have a choice. When I was in their shop I noticed that they wanted me to have no choice of product there either.

Good SWMBO bought some white vinigar once so she wouldn't walk out with nothing but it was the most tasteless you could buy for fish and chips and seemed to have little value. Guess we have used that as our reference point for Aldi. Tasteless!

Shaker posted:

JohnR .... In case you haven't noticed, there is far less to choose from in Coles & Woolworths now, would you believe Safeway no longer sell Nifty?
Although they have plenty of "Select" brand products at eye level.
You would be naive to think that the range of products, to which we've become accustomed, will remain.
We have been lulled into a false sense of security by the supermarket chains, & now we will see more & more 'home brand' products & far less familiar brand names.
Now that they have control of the fuel industry, they are holding a gun at heads & saying, unless you spend a minimum of $30.00 with us, we will charge you 4 cents EXTRA for your fuel!
I welcome any company that will put pressure on the big supermarkets.

Member - John (Vic) posted:

So true John.
Considering every working Australian has a Superannuation Fund and those funds are invested within the Australian Stock Market (Among others) means that every working Australian ultimately benefits by supporting Australian listed public companies.

As opposed to the profits in the case of Aldi going to two of the worlds wealthiest men, being the German brothers who own Aldi.

Me I would rather spend were the dollars benefit me not some obscure bloke at the opposite end of the world.

Beside which the product I have tried from Aldi taste's like crap. (Bought by others as I have never been into a Aldi Store)

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Shaker, I don't disagree with you but nearly all the choices I want are outside the "Select" brand. Indeed I have never selected it. Please tell, what is "Nifty"?

I am well aware of the moves of the supermarkets and regularly check them overseas when I can to look to techniques of the better ones. Love ones like Carrefour in Europe. The British ones that have pecialised in this manner have high quality "Home" brands competing against selected brands. To wit Waitrose, part of the John Lewis co-operative, but they have also lots of brands in the shops.

Mate, it was interesting that Coles Myer took their brands to the lowest level a few years back with the Warrnambool one. They had a good one at East Warrnambool but moved it to the low cost end of the market with the Bi-Lo brand. They then took on the consumers at that end of the market and reduced their appeal to a lot of the district which is relatively wealthy. No longer a call on the way home, go to Safeway instead. Choice is better as well as the perception of the goods.

I don't chllenge what you say on the fuel at all. They just want a percentage of the fuel dollar. That doesn't mean I will head to Aldi though any time soon.

John, I am with you as above on the ownership.

Shaker posted:

Nifty is made by Colgate/Palmolive & is one of the few cleaning products that actually works.

I was a very loyal Safeway customer for many, many years, in fact, being an ex Frankston (VIC) resident I shopped at the very first Safeway store in Australia, but following their performance over the last couple of years, the Nifty incident was merely the 'straw that broke the camel's back' , they have now lost me for good.

warfer69 posted:

Mr Fawlty

One thing i have noticed with Aldi (only been their twice) Is when they advertise something they actually stock it ,not like Coles that have these super special's with only 5 per store or less but dont this until you talk to someone.never been able to get one yet and stopped trying to be truthful !

Gob & Denny posted:

goodday john
mr coles/myer is converting all his bilo back to coles

steve

Gerhardp1 posted:

I think a bit of a reality check is required here -

Theres a lot of guff being written about only buying from Aussie companies and since ALDI is German, you shouldn't buy there.

Those same people spewing that guff drive Toyotas and Nissans........

Not to mention that ALDI in Australia employs Aussies and pays them in AU dollars, meets all the employment regulations, etc, etc.

Coles and Woolies shares are freely available for overseas investors to buy.

I guess those people don't buy Vegemite (or a large number of other branded products now not in Aussie hands) any more either.

So, if you are a keen ALDI supporter, you are perfectly within your rights, and you are not doing a disservice to Australia if you buy there.

Any more than people who buy Nissans and Toyotas, and me who bought a Jackaroo. (Holden yes, Australian no).

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Well I drive a German car too Gerhardp1 but I know the way that Aldi actually try to cut the margins even more than the Aussie ones. You are the one with the guff that way. Coles may ultimately be an internationally owned company. Someone may run it properly.

Steve, the cost of the write down of the brand must be huge as now they have to rebadge it. I am certainly not a fan of Coles but Myer has come a long way since the split.

Member - Ian W (NSW) posted:

Wow!

Don't some of us get carried away!

Aldi is owned by two very rich Germans! So What!

Did anyone stop to think why they are so rich?

It would not by any chance happen to be that they offer what the buying public want, rather than what the supermarket want you to buy would it?

Saw a recent survey where Australian suppliers voted Aldi the best company with which to deal. The pay their suppliers promptly instead of trying to string them out so as to run the supermarket on their suppliers credit.

Aldi do not employ/exploit junior casuals. All staff are seniors, permanent employees and paid twenty percent over the industry average.

Before some of us start pontificating perhaps we need to visit Aldi weekly checking prices and getting a feel for the store.
One of the first things you would notice is that they don't play silly buggers with the prices jacking them up and down each week.

Now if you want to make a long involved production of shopping go to Coles/woolies for your Peanut butter, what do you have? Kraft, Sanitarium, Eta Home Brand and who knows what else, then you have about four different sizes to choose from not to mention smooth or crunchy. When I go to Aldi I have the choice of Aldi Peanut Butter in Smooth or Crunchy, that's enough for me thank you and I put the savings in my pocket.

Yes I know that someone is going to scream buy Australian, my question is why? Why subsidise an inefficient or uncompetitive store when it comes out of my pocket, why not FORCE them to be competitive.

OH! By the way, let's hope like buggery that all our overseas customers don't buy local only or our export market will collapse overnight.

Ian

Member - 'Lucy' posted:

Moses

From your comments old boy, its abundantly clear that you are blissfully unaware that you have an Aldi winch in the front of Mr Moses.

I'll fill you in on the details at Willies Soiree.

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Painted in Aldi black with green print over particular parts. Not bought from them though......

Ah, Willie's soiree, prolly have to drag - oh, shouldn'a talked about your ol 'girl' like that, in drag. Prolly have to pull her up hill somewhere round there.

Member - John (Vic) posted:

Gerhardp the point was who ends up with the profits.
All companies of this nature operating in this country obviously employ Australians.
Bit hard to run a check out or stock the shelves with staff based in China.

"Saw a recent survey where Australian suppliers voted Aldi the best company with which to deal"
Yep agree Ian, but then again if Aldi are you only or major client then ask yourself the $64- question, Do I really want to bag the hand that feeds me?

"Aldi do not employ/exploit junior casuals"
Thats interesting, next time my sons school mate comes over I will ask him when Aldi put him on full time and paid him 20% above the industry average.

Member - Ian W (NSW) posted:

John,
The survey I saw some time ago in the Sydney Morning Herald was, I believe carried out by an industry association. Aldi were lauded as paying their suppliers promptly rather than stringing them out.

It would appear that Aldi Victoria may have a different employment policy to that which was recently publicised in Sydney, that being no juniors under school leaving age, permanent part time employment, i.e. job sharing at the least and no casual par timers.

I am however more than happy to be corrected.

Ian

madfisher posted:

What I dfind interesting is that people do not get passionate about coles or woolies, yet people myself included do get passionate about aldi. And none have any fininical gain to make
Cheers Pete

Member - John (Vic) posted:

Ian I have a very good friend who is quite senior within Myer Department stores Buying/Purchasing area.
She was in the position when Myer was still part of Coles and she says that they have always had to pay on either a Pre Delivery (Cash up Front Basis), COD or 7 day basis to ensure they get the very best deals available and they rarely traded with anyone at 30 days plus.
(I should add that thats not the case with the new owners of Myers today)
Can't comment about Woolies but would think the nature of the beast would be the same.
Fuel deliveries are cash on delivery with just about every servo business I know of.

Gramps (NSW) posted:

Woolies execs have for many years prior to the advent of big bad Roger spent lots of time with Wal-Mart. There is nothing that Woolies or Coles do here that has'nt been done by Wal-Mart or the UK chains. Where else do you think they get their ideas?

Member - John (Vic) posted:

"now that the takeover bid for Coles floundered"
Thats a new one, are you privy to something that the market is not aware of??

The bid is still in progress as far as I am aware. Some players may have elected to leave their respective consortium's but I doubt that matter is in anyway finished.
Wesfarmers may have a box seat in the show but I think the bid is only just warming up.

garrycol posted:

Aldi effectively sell no name brands - surveys have found that if you exclusively buy the coles or woolies no name brands it is actually cheaper than aldi.

Garry

madfisher posted:

Garry who authorised that survey ? . Plus their no questions refund policy leaves the big two for dead
Pete

Member - John (Vic) posted:

Choice Magazine.
But I guess you would claim that Choice is owned by Coles or Woolies.

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

if you coud MM me I could tell you the brand most likely. Nick R and I have em, though mine hasn't a remote.

Member - 'Lucy' posted:

Moses

Now you are on the ball.

Who said you drowned in an avalanche of pinot' colades whilst galavanting around te world.

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Actually Ms Lucy, I just realised I bought a tablet DVD at one stage that had an Aldi box. I bought it new but not at their shop and go it $96 less than their quoted price. What does that say about margins Aldi charge?

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

When I shopped at one in France four years ago it was all low quality. I think they must have changed in the 26 years gmd. It was an open barn in a low income area as they all are here, no shelves if they don't need them, open pallets or boxes. The volume I have seen in the local one would be fantastic as I have only ever seen the car park over half full once.

Member - Ian W (NSW) posted:

Yes! Just like it is here! No shelves if not needed. Why put them in when the product moves out of the cartons so quickly? Why pay someone to lift it up on the shelf when the customers take it of quicker than they can pack it. Someone has to pay for that nonsense and it will always be the cutomer.

Interesting to note that in the Sydney Metro area at least Aldi are now starting to open stores in regional shopping malls. I also note retail surveys that show how Coles/Woolies suddenly have quite major pricing "adjustments" when Aldi open up.

I wonder why? More importantly I have to wonder how? I mean if we have been enjoying these "everyday low prices" as the advertising jingles have stated then Woolies must be now loosing a bundle - I think not.

Interseting programme the other night on Sydney television, two Woolworths Stores, Liverpool and Moorebank, four kilometres apart. Why the hell was there a variation of eighty percent, (yes folks, eighty, not eight), on the identical basket of fruit and vegetables.

Another reason why I buy only what I absolutly have too at Woolworths.

Ian

Gramps (NSW) posted:

Ian,

Supermarkets have always had their stores split up into different price groups depending on the socio-economic makeup of their 'catchment' areas. The only consistent pricing over all stores is 'specials' and they're on a State basis generally.

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Thats right Al, been documented for years. Nothing recent in it.

Ian, I still don't like restriction of choice so I don't shop Aldi to allow them to choose the product I will buy.