Aldi takes swipe at rivals’ price cuts
Aldi is launching an aggressive campaign to convince shoppers to switch from one of the big four supermarkets as it looks to protect its position as a value retailer as rivals try to claw back market share lost to the discounter with their own price promotions.
By Sarah Vizard
Video: Aldi launches the latest TV ad for its “Swap & Save” campaign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8K7C149nhk
The campaign, part of its “Swap & Save” activity, shows shoppers making purchases at their regular weekly supermarket for four weeks before swapping to Aldi for the same period and replacing branded and supermarket own-brand products with Aldi goods.
The ads claim that, on average, shoppers saved £28 per week by switching to Aldi, with some saving as much as £50, or up to 50 per cent. The campaign is launching on TV and will be supported in print and online.
In a thinly-veiled swipe at rivals, Aldi UK’s managing director of buying Tony Baines says the supermarket is offering “true value” through consistent savings rather than promotional price cuts, which he suggests can often lead to customers spending more money.
“Our customers don’t have to wait for price cuts and promotions to save money on their shopping.
“We offer shoppers low prices everyday of the week on the items that they typically buy as part of their weekly shop. This means they are saving money on the products that they regularly buy, instead of being tempted to put extra products in their baskets just because they appear to offer better value,” he adds.
The launch comes as the big four supermarkets move to highlight the price and value of their goods in the face of declining market share. Analysts forecast that Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda will all have seen like-for-like sales decline over Christmas, while Aldi and Lidl are expected to post double-digit sales increases.
Morrisons is the latest supermarket to commit to keeping prices low. It has just launched a “Prices nailed down” campaign that promises to “keep prices the same” on 14 everyday essential items that feature in the majority of shoppers’ baskets. That is supported by in-store point of sale and car park banners, as well as online, national press and outdoor ads.
Last week, Asda revealed its plans to take on the discounters with a £50m investment in cutting prices across everyday items in the first quarter of the year. It says the price offensive will “even make the Poundshop and Aldi look expensive”.
