September 17, 2024, 8:12 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Rewe has already done it, as has Obi. Now, Aldi also wants to do without the classic paper brochure. However, a test phase will first show how customers receive this.
With keywords such as sustainability and digitalization, the printing and distributing of paper brochures no longer seems contemporary. Therefore, more and more retail chains are deciding to share their offers with customers only digitally. Rewe, for example, abolished paper brochures in the summer of 2023. Since then, offers have only been available in the digital flipbook catalog or upon request via WhatsApp on smartphones. Obi has taken a similar approach since 2022. Aldi is also rethinking its approach. As part of a trial, the food discounter is doing away with the printed Aldi brochure in the first regions of Germany. However, the company is also planning new services for customers to make shopping easier.
Aldi Süd abolishes paper brochures
It is striking that Aldi is taking a very cautious approach to the possible abandonment of paper brochures. The discounter wants to wait and see how customers react before entirely phasing them out. For many of them, leafing through the flyers and viewing potential offers is part of their weekly routine. Although these offers would still be accessible digitally on the Aldi website or in the Aldi app, not all customers have access to the online brochures.
As part of a test phase launched at Aldi Süd on August 19, the retailer wants to determine how the changeover is received. In certain regions in Hesse, the traditional paper brochure has since been dispensed with. According to “Lebensmittelzeitung,” the test phase extends from Butzbach to the north of Frankfurt and includes around 90 stores. In total, Aldi Süd operates around 2000 stores.
Since last year, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd, like its competitor Rewe, have been offering their customers the opportunity to be informed about offers via WhatsApp. To do this, you can subscribe to the WhatsApp channel of the respective discounter (Aldi Nord or Aldi Süd).
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New service offers at Aldi
It is currently unknown whether Aldi Nord will also start such a test phase and abolish the paper brochure. However, the discounter is currently testing a different offer in neighboring Belgium, which Aldi Süd in Germany is also interested in. In the provinces of West Flanders, East Flanders, and Hainaut, customers can collect points when shopping in around 70 stores, which can later be converted into discounts or rewards.
Aldi Süd is currently considering bringing the points system to Germany. According to the plans, the concept, similar to Payback, will be integrated into the Aldi app as a digital customer card.