The new price match scheme may well help lower food costs for those customers rely on their local Sainsbury's convenience stores
The new Aldi price match offer is now available for all Sainsbury's customers whether shopping online or in one of over 1,400 stores, and covers some 500 products, (although not all stores stock all the products, and the offer doesn't include Northern Ireland.)
Larger Sainsbury's stores are already price matching selected own brand products against comparable Aldi products and this new change, means the priced matched products have been rolled out to Sainsbury’s Local stores as well, with the retailer focusing on the go-to items households buy most often, which includes daily staples like milk, bread, butter, jam, peanut butter, honey, pasta, rice, salad, tuna, chicken, steak, potatoes and vegetable oil.
Prices are checked twice a week against Aldi, and Aldi Price Matched items will be the same price (or cheaper) than Aldi.
The news follows a recent reset of Sainsbury’s convenience experience, in which the retailer updated store layouts and product ranges – offering a better choice of products for its customers, which I personally have to say has really enhanced my local Sainsbury's Local store, which now boasts a much wider range of products, suitable for someone shopping for a lunch break sarnie, (The sandwich range especially, until recently, in local store, was pretty poor compared to other local competitors, but now is much larger and with so much more choice),a drink before hopping on a train, or taking a pitstop to pick-up dinner, there’s more to choose from and it’s easier to grab and go.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive at Sainsbury's, said: “Since setting out to put food back at the heart of our business four years ago, we’ve invested nearly £1 billion in value. Our Next Level Sainsbury’s strategy is about giving customers more of what they come to Sainsbury’s for – outstanding value, unbeatable quality food and great service.
“In our Sainsbury’s Locals, we've worked hard to offer market leading prices on essential items and popular breakfast, lunch and dinner staples. We have also refreshed our Local store layouts and rebalanced space, increasing the number of products in store by 7 per cent and adding more food on the move products – the primary mission of most convenience shoppers. When you’re shopping in Sainsbury’s Locals, you can be sure of excellent value, quality and choice.
“With Christmas just around the corner, we know that every penny counts and we are committed to helping our customers make the most of the festive season."
Who will benefit most from this local store pricing change?
It's good news for convenience store customers that rely on the 'mini supermarkets' to stock up on essentials, and often used by those people who might otherwise struggle to use a larger store, due to transport or mobility issues, or perhaps aren't able/willing to use the internet to order food to be delivered, and were forced to pay more for exactly the food they could get at a larger store, purely down to paying for the convenience of shopping at a branded small store, away from the city centres or retail parks.
If these customers now try and purchase the Sainsbury's products, price matched to Aldi prices, they should notice a difference to their food costs.
Examples of the Sainsbury's matched to Aldi prices
The number of products price matched to Aldi will vary store to store, determined by what’s available in each store. What’s available in each Local is determined by how customers are shopping in that store. For example, customers shop differently in convenience stores that are in commuter stations than in those as corner shops or in office districts.