Buying groceries is a sport in itself. You have to choose which store to head to, then contemplate the prices and keep your instinct to impulse buy items you do not even need, in check. The main dilemma arises when you try to compare two grocery store chains to find which one is more pocket-friendly. Aldi and Kroger are two such store chains scattered across the United States. Aldi vs Kroger – let’s know.
Aldi and Kroger both have managed to garner a large fan base. However, it will not be easy to compare both of them as one might be cheaper in terms of their prices while the other may have more variety. So, in this article, you will find how both these stores stand against each other in different aspects. Aldi vs Kroger – let’s check out the comparison.
Comparison between Aldi and Kroger
Price comparison
Both Aldi and Kroger have a wide range of products. Dairy products, frozen items, vegetables, fruits, chicken, and beef, as well as condiments such as ranch dressing and ketchup, are common commodities found in both of these stores. If you compare the final bill after shopping for all these commodities at these stores then undoubtedly, the bill of a grocery shopping session at Aldi’s is much lesser than that at Kroger’s. This may be largely due to the fact that more than 90% of the products at Aldi are private label while Kroger houses more popular name-brand products.
Shopping experience comparison
When talking about the shopping experience of customers, the opinion seems to be tied. Aldi is reportedly famous for its best customer service and fast checkout lines. Whereas, Kroger has large stores, and offers more convenience to its customers, including curbside pick-up and self-checkout options.
Aldi
Aldi: The German grocer has relatively smaller stores in terms of size as compared to Kroger. Because of this, employees are never too far away to assist you in time of need. Other than this, Aldi stores are known for their cleanliness and brightness so that you can find all the products you need with ease. The discount superstore chain has implemented an efficiency program that has enabled fast checkout lines. They have placed bar codes on all their products to speed up the process of scanning your items. Customers do not have to wait in line for more than a few minutes to get their items checked out.
On the other hand, shopping at Aldi has some drawbacks as narrated by some of their customers. You have to give a quarter for your shopping cart. Other than this, you also have to pay for your bags and place your products in the bag yourself as well. Besides this, Aldi also does not offer any curbside pickup option as Kroger does.
Kroger
Kroger superstores are huge. They also have employees standing around ready to help anyone who needs them. However, because of the large store size, at the time it may not be easy to find them. AS for the checkout time, it is not as quick as Aldi’s but it is still fast enough because of the presence of open lanes, express checkout, and self-checkout for smaller orders. Kroger has also introduced a new program by the name of ‘Scan, Bag, Go”. This allows the customers to scan items as they are shopping and then pay the final bill with their smartphone. Kroger also has a grocery pickup program. It allows the customers to pay $5 for someone to gather their items and bring them to their car.
Store-brand quality experience comparison -Aldi vs Kroger
- Aldi
Aldi has made its name among the shoppers for its store-brand quality. Customers have found that Aldi’s store brand is extremely close to the original brands. Other than this, Aldi offers a double guarantee on its brands which entails that any product that is deemed unsatisfactory can be returned or refunded.
Besides this, Aldi has also been named by Store Brands Magazine as its 2019 Retailer of the Year for providing premium store brands at low prices.
- Kroger
Kroger is also home to many store brands products and it brings in a lot of business for the retailer. Store brand products include everything from home goods to groceries and even clothing. Its most popular brand is the Simple Truth line of organic and natural selections and has attracted many buyers.
Other than this, Kroger is also devoted to creating private-brand products rather than making copies of the existing ones. An example of this is Kroger Deluxe Unicorn Swirl ice cream, a first of its kind and it became an internet sensation.
Conclusion
Aldi and Kroger are both great shopping stores striving to provide the best to their customers. However, there are some pros and cons attached to both of them so it is up to the shoppers to decide which one works best for them.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Aldi cheaper than other stores?
Aldi is a little bit cheaper than other brands. But the cost of bags and carts may be the deciding factor.
- Which one is better, Kroger or Aldi?
There is no definitive answer to this question. Kroger has more variety while Aldi has good store brand quality. It depends on the customer what they are looking for to decide which one is better for them.
