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Is Aldi English?

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  • 03-12-2020 11:53am
    #1
    Troy McClure
    Registered Users Posts: 309 ✭✭


    I wouldn't have thought Aldi would be more pro UK rather than Ireland, been German, but my grandson seen a photo at the back of the weekly Aldi mag at the end of October that had a bunch of toys in it for the upcoming toys special buys.

    He was talking about a train set in the photo so I though I might get it for him. With the introduction of level 5 they didn't put out the toys the following week.



    However this week they have put them out and there is no train set. I called their customer service, which seems like it's in Scotland, and the guy told me they sold all the train sets on the UK markets instead of keeping any for Ireland! So even though Aldi knew they would be doing the toys in Ireland albeit delayed, they didn't keep a single one for the Irish market! Did they think no one would have seen the photo in their mag here? A advertising mag! Shows which customers Aldi priortise !


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    #2
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Troy McClure wrote: »
    I wouldn't have thought Aldi would be more pro UK rather than Ireland, been German, but my grandson seen a photo at the back of the weekly Aldi mag at the end of October that had a bunch of toys in it for the upcoming toys special buys.

    He was talking about a train set in the photo so I though I might get it for him. With the introduction of level 5 they didn't put out the toys the following week.



    However this week they have put them out and there is no train set. I called their customer service, which seems like it's in Scotland, and the guy told me they sold all the train sets on the UK markets instead of keeping any for Ireland! So even though Aldi knew they would be doing the toys in Ireland albeit delayed, they didn't keep a single one for the Irish market! Did they think no one would have seen the photo in their mag here? A advertising mag! Shows which customers Aldi priortise !

    You do know that the Irish government prohibited Aldi from selling non essential items for the last weeks?

    Who would you prioritise?


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Given they were not meant to be selling non essential items here they likely funnelled most of that stuff to the UK as we were in L5 until recently and the reopening plan was not known or overly concrete weeks ago.

    I'd not really expect them to store stuff for weeks if they can sell it elsewhere.


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    #4
    Pkiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 4,315 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Troy McClure wrote: »
    I wouldn't have thought Aldi would be more pro UK rather than Ireland, been German, !


    Pretty xenophobic comment there.
    Like something I'd expect to hear in a Dads Army rerun


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    #5
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    They're German but Ireland is run as a subsidiary of the UK ops with a (useless) customer care centre in Scotland. They do not, for whatever reason, trade in Northern Ireland at all


    Lidl on the other hand trades in Ireland and Northern Ireland from an Irish subsidiary based in Tallaght


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    They're German but Ireland is run as a subsidiary of the UK ops with a (useless) customer care centre in Scotland. They do not, for whatever reason, trade in Northern Ireland at all


    Lidl on the other hand trades in Ireland and Northern Ireland from an Irish subsidiary based in Tallaght

    Is Aldi's Irish subsidiary not in Naas?


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    #7
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Augeo wrote: »
    Is Aldi's Irish subsidiary not in Naas?

    Local office, most functions are in the UK. Only M&S and Iceland are more run from the UK than Aldi.


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    #8
    irish_goat
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 5,770 Mod ✭✭✭✭irish_goat


    L1011 wrote: »
    They do not, for whatever reason, trade in Northern Ireland at all

    Their reasoning is that the market place is already too crowded. Annoying as I quite like Aldi's drinks selection.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    Local office, most functions are in the UK. ............

    What functions aren't in Naas?


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    #10
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Customer care, marketing and and significant amount of buying is done in the UK as we can see with shared stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads


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    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Naas has teams of buyers ...... you reckon Lidl Ireland don't have any marketing or buying done by folk based in the UK offices?
    Are you basing your views on facts or the stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads?


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    #12
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,483 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    Augeo wrote: »
    Naas has teams of buyers ...... you reckon Lidl Ireland don't have any marketing or buying done by folk based in the UK offices?
    Are you basing your views on facts or the stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads?

    I thought Kevin was Aldi. :)


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    #13
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Jim_Hodge wrote: »
    I thought Kevin was Aldi. :)

    He is :)


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    #14
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Augeo wrote: »
    Are you basing your views on facts or the stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads?

    What are you basing your views on?


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    #15
    Troy McClure
    Registered Users Posts: 309 ✭✭Troy McClure


    I see the Aldi PR machine has come to life on here. Of course maybe they are just loyal customers who felt obliged to write something to stand up for a family supermarket ... Yea foolin no one!

    They advertised the toys so they should have them. They knew when level 5 was going to end. The CS rep said the demand was so high in the UK that they just sold them all. I can't image Aldi management going, 'oh dear, if we keep some for Ireland like we advertised, we could be stuck with some'. Has anyone seem the size of their place in Naas? That place could house NASA! So for someone to say they couldn't store them for the month of November is questionable at best. Aldi minnion's should at least sound credible coming on here ! Oh sorry I meant Aldi fan club members ..!


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    #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    What are you basing your views on?

    I'm just querying why you reckon Aldi Ireland is a subsidiary of Aldi UK but "Lidl on the other hand trades in Ireland and Northern Ireland from an Irish subsidiary based in Tallaght" ........ presumably the Lidl subsidiary here is a subsidiary of Germany or something?

    WRT Aldi you reckon "Customer care, marketing and and significant amount of buying is done in the UK as we can see with shared stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads" after I asked "What functions aren't in Naas?"

    I then asked "you reckon Lidl Ireland don't have any marketing or buying done by folk based in the UK offices?"


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    #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Troy McClure wrote: »
    I see the Aldi PR machine has come to life on here. Of course maybe they are just loyal customers who felt obliged to write something to stand up for a family supermarket ... Yea foolin no one! ...........

    I'm not Aldi PR and rarely shop there :) I don't like the Aldi or Lidl set up.

    that aside it's obvious why the stuff was sold in the UK, they couldn't sell them here for weeks so they presumably didn't fancy storing them when storage space etc at this time of year is fairly scarce with all the Christmas food etc coming in.
    Troy McClure wrote: »
    ...........Aldi minnion's should at least sound credible coming on here ! Oh sorry I meant Aldi fan club members ..!

    Lol, get your grandkid a decent present ffs :)


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    #18
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    I'm fairly sure Lidl Ireland have absolutely nothing done from the UK. Have you been to a Lidl in Great Britain? They're basically different shops. Both are seperate companies within the Lidl group. The actual operation is registered in Germany and only noted as a foreign registration in Ireland; hence it being Lidl Ireland GmbH

    Aldi Ireland is 100% owned by Aldi UK. You can verify this on any company information site of your choice - Duedil, Visionnet, Solocheck, whatever. Half its directors have UK addresses. Its a subsidiary of the UK operations entirely.


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    #19
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    I'm fairly sure Lidl Ireland have absolutely nothing done from the UK.........

    Ah right, so you're not basing your spiel on facts so.
    Thank you for the clarification.


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    #20
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Augeo wrote: »
    Ah right, so you're not basing your spiel on facts so.
    Thank you for the clarification.

    So you're ignoring the actual company structure, then?

    Aldi Ireland is owned by Aldi UK. Its a subsidiary.

    Lidl Ireland is a German registered part of the Lidl group. There would be zero reason for them to do ANYTHING shared services wise with the UK company as its two different markets.

    You're the one working off zero facts here.



    Your attitude in your replies - not just to me - is rather below the standards expected here.


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    #21
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,728 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    L1011 wrote: »
    So you're ignoring the actual company structure, then?........

    Not at all, just calling out that "you're not basing your spiel on facts so" in response to "I'm fairly sure Lidl Ireland have absolutely nothing done from the UK."



    L1011 wrote: »
    ............. There would be zero reason for them to do ANYTHING shared services wise with the UK company as its two different markets. ......

    that is opinion/guesswork



    L1011 wrote: »
    ........
    Your attitude in your replies - not just to me - is rather below the standards expected here.

    lol whatever ........ the OPs xenophobic post is to the expected standard is it?


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    #22
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    "calling out" requires you to actually counter the point; which you can't.


    "lol whatever" is not an appropriate reply

    Stop posting in this thread and significantly adjust your attitude before posting in this forum again. Do not reply to moderation on-thread


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    #23
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users Posts: 7,238 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    I wonder will aldi spin out their Irish operation away from the UK post Brexit.

    I think the days of handling the Irish market as a subregion of the UK are coming to an end. It will probably mean less choice here for us.


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    #24
    jumbone
    Registered Users Posts: 609 ✭✭✭jumbone


    Augeo wrote: »
    Naas has teams of buyers ...... you reckon Lidl Ireland don't have any marketing or buying done by folk based in the UK offices?
    Are you basing your views on facts or the stuff like that humanoid carrot in the ads?

    While Lidl Ireland GmbH, Lidl Northern Ireland Ltd & Lidl Great Britain Ltd obviously ultimately share the same beneficial owners in Germany, they are separate entities.

    I cant freely access the corporate structure information but I believe ROI & GB entities are siblings (share a parent company) and that the NI entity is a subsidiary of the ROI one - If you look at the NI entities 'people' section you will see that a number of directors etc have their correspondence address as the Tallaght head office


    Some purchasing may be done centrally - you do see the GB & Irish addresses on the packaging of their stock but by no means all - you will see that the specials on https://www.lidl-ni.co.uk/ line up with https://www.lidl.ie/ not https://www.lidl.co.uk/

    As for marketing, doubt much if any of that is shared given their specials stock differs. Also, they can't even agree on how to pronounce the name in English - GB marketing uses 'Liddle' vs ROI/NI marketing which uses the correct-in-German pronunciation 'Leedle'

    See https://youtu.be/lfD6GW3hlew?t=22 and the 'middle of lidl' section on https://www.lidl.co.uk/ for evidence of GB pronunciation and https://youtu.be/-tSMOWz356Y for the Irish


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    #25
    3d4life
    Registered Users Posts: 816 ✭✭✭3d4life


    irish_goat wrote: »
    Their reasoning is that the market place is already too crowded. Annoying as I quite like Aldi's drinks selection.

    Groceries in NI are a Puzzle to me

    A lot of what Lidl sell there is priced at around € = £ - so hardly 'discounted'.

    Indeed Tesco NI frequently beats them.

    I have an impression that NI shop floor staff are paid marginally less than in RoI ?

    So, is NI a high margin region for Lidl ?

    Perhaps there is some significant extra cost of doing business in NI that is not in RoI ?

    Anyone have an angle on this




    Hope you dont mind me going O/T ( at least the original 'topic' had run its course )


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    #26
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,901 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Troy McClure wrote: »

    They advertised the toys so they should have them. They knew when level 5 was going to end. The CS rep said the demand was so high in the UK that they just sold them all. I can't image Aldi management going, 'oh dear, if we keep some for Ireland like we advertised, we could be stuck with some'. Has anyone seem the size of their place in Naas? That place could house NASA! So for someone to say they couldn't store them for the month of November is questionable at best. Aldi minnion's should at least sound credible coming on here ! Oh sorry I meant Aldi fan club members ..!

    The size of the warehouse is designed for just in time delivery. While it looks massive from outside the stock will rarely be kept for a few days never mind holding stock for several weeks. They most likely never shipped the trains, or any other of the non essential items here, because they have no where to store them.


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    #27
    Quackster
    Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 5,744 Mod ✭✭✭✭Quackster


    Del2005 wrote: »
    The size of the warehouse is designed for just in time delivery. While it looks massive from outside the stock will rarely be kept for a few days never mind holding stock for several weeks. They most likely never shipped the trains, or any other of the non essential items here, because they have no where to store them.
    Exactly. Plus in the UK they sell their specials on their website too so could still sell them even if there were restrictions on their stores.


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    #28
    Samuel T. Cogley
    Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    OP just a heads up that bigger and better wooden trainsets can be found on the web if he's still looking for one. I tend to find the non-food items in the German supermarkets either cheaply made or not that good a deal tbh.

    Not a patch on some proper OO gauge though :pac:


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