It’s been a long time since I’ve done a serious, non-lifestyle themed post.
But after reading the news of Aldi’s foray into organic foods, the $3 billion/500 stores growth plan and the many ways in which they keep their items cheap, I felt the need to highlight what those rock-bottom prices actually cost us – lest we forget. We’ve got to remember that fundamental Economics 101 fact – “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
I know many people who shop at Aldi. I’ve shopped at Aldi. I am not perfect and neither is anyone else I know. BUT some of what was revealed in this article from Business Insider was news to me and will affect my shopping at this establishment. I still shop at places I know I shouldn’t (cough, Amazon) but I try to be aware of where the bulk of my money goes – companies I believe in, local businesses, etc.
I know many people love Aldi for the cheap prices, but please do not forget that there is a hidden cost to those very low prices and it often comes in the form of lost jobs – jobs that your neighbor, sister, friend might need!
Here is what I did not know about how Aldi can keep its prices so low:
Aldi also invests far less in customer service and merchandising than traditional grocers.
Most of the store’s products are displayed in their shipping cartons to make restocking quick and easy. That means fewer workers are needed on the sales floor.
Aldi also requires customers to bring their own shopping bags, bag their own groceries, and pay a deposit to use a cart. Customers get their deposit back when they return the cart, so Aldi doesn’t have to pay employees to round up carts.
This may seem trivial – I know many who would say they are low wage jobs anyway – but it’s really not. Those jobs could go to a teenager or a retired person who is struggling on social security or a person with disabilities like Down Syndrome. Every time I see extremely cheap prices for anything, I cringe. The companies aren’t being generous and giving up some profit in order to give us those rock-bottom prices, they’re removing jobs from the economy. And the economy should belong to us, not the companies.
I will say that in Aldi’s case they appear to be putting some of these profits back into the company and not only expanding (which adds new jobs) but also adding better quality food which benefits us all. But let us also remember that cheaper prices of food punishes independent farmers in this country. So that organic food that is so damn cheap is probably going to be sourced by Big Ag or from some farmer who can barely make a living.
I know food prices have gone up and these deals are oh-so-tempting. But it’s bigger than just you. Or me. Publix might be a bit more expensive, but they are a private company (not subject to shareholder craziness and Wall Street) and treat their employees well, with very low turnover. I’ve seen the same people in my Publix for YEARS. THAT is good for my community. And paying a little more for my produce or meats from a company I believe in or a local market isn’t that much of a stretch – even when I made a LOT less money and was struggling, I wasted food. I think if we were honest about how much food we wasted AND committed to not wasting it, we could very easily avoid these low prices on food and the harm they cause to our communities.
And guess what those things do at the same time as save us money? Help the environment!
Ultimately, I ask you to please vote with your dollars. Be mindful of your purchases. And I will continue to work on myself and improve my own shopping habits. It’s our world, y’all. Let’s take care of it and each other.
You should start a business and hire a bunch of people that you don’t need. That’s a very efficient and smart way to run a profitable business. I guess breweries should stop using equipment and bottling every beer by hand too, because that would create more jobs. Many people are more than willing to bag their own groceries in order to save some money so their family can actually eat. You wouldn’t understand that.
While I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts, I don’t appreciate the personal attack. It’s unnecessary. There is no need to tell me what I do and do not understand. You don’t know me at all. I understand very well how businesses can be run. This article isn’t about starting a business. It’s talking about a very big business and one that readily admits to a different model that purposefully uses less human workers. I am questioning the validity of that model. Most grocery chains don’t use that model and are still extremely successful. And my larger point is that we the consumers decide what businesses make it and which ones don’t by how and where we spend our money – that goes for any kind of business and we are all free to support what we choose. I am unsure as to why you, who I do not know, are so upset and attacking me in your comment.