Aldi shoppers left 'gutted' as supermarket announces end of popular online service

Aldi is ending its online click and collect service, leaving shoppers distraught.

The retailer has confirmed it will be axing the popular service to keep its focus on "running the most efficient supermarket business in Britain". August 18 will be the final day groceries can be ordered online, reports The Grocer.

Launched in September 2020 amidst the rise of online shopping during the first Covid lockdown, Aldi's service was available in 177 stores across the country. And 174 stores were still operating the service as of last week, although all of them will discontinue it from this Sunday.

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Similar to other click and collect services run by supermarkets, Aldi's service was a quick and easy way to purchase their groceries. The service came with a £4.99 charge and your groceries would be brought to you by a store assistant to complete the purchase, reports the Daily Record.

On Facebook, Aldi customers shared an email they had received from the supermarket regarding its cancellation. One member of the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Group shared the message and asked for suggestions on where else to shop for their groceries.

Under the post, one Aldi shopper said in response: "Gutted use this loads." A second customer said: "I'm absolutely gutted about this."

Meanwhile, another shopper shared the same email in the Aldi UK Shoppers group and said: "Absolutely GUTTED to receive an email informing me that Click & Collect will no longer be available from the 19th August."

An Aldi spokesperson said: "At Aldi, our focus is on providing customers with high-quality products at the lowest possible prices. One of the ways we keep our prices low for customers is by running the most efficient supermarket business in Britain. As a result, we’ve made the decision to bring our Click & Collect service to an end so we can focus on doing just that."

According to the supermarket, the service was constantly under review during its four years. Aldi says ending it will allow the retailer to run its stores more efficiently and continue its price advantage over its rivals, while also giving staff more time to assist customers in store.