Aldi to offer online shopping to remain competitive with Coles and Woolworths

After running a discontinued trial last year, the supermarket chain has revealed it will again look at online shopping.

Aldi has revealed it will begin offering online shopping to remain competitive with Coles and Woolworths in Australia.

Speaking yesterday at a parliamentary inquiry into promoting economic dynamism, competition and business formation, Aldi director of customer interactions Adrian Christie said: “you will see us entering that space in the future”.

“I think there is significant share moving into the online space,” he said.

Aldi announced the new move on Monday. Picture: Supplied

However, Aldi have poured water on an online launch in the immediate future.

Mr Christie confirmed to news.com.au that it is "keeping a close eye on the eCommerce opportunity as we look to maximise customer convenience; however, we believe our fundamental responsibility, particularly now, is keeping the price of customers’ weekly shop as low as possible".

"One of the major ways we are able to offer the highest quality groceries at the lowest prices is our streamlined business model that is focused on simplicity. While we are always looking at the environment and considering an online experience, we won't bring this forward until we have a model where associated overheads of eCommerce in no way compromises our ability to deliver low priced groceries to Australians.”

Last year, Aldi ran a trial where shoppers could purchase some of its Special Buys items online, but it concluded last August.

At the time, a spokesperson for the German supermarket chain said while the trial provided valuable insight and some customers enjoyed the online ordering option, it “wasn’t the right time to expand”.

The reason Aldi has been reluctant to dip its toe into the world of online shopping is to keep grocery costs down, but it acknowledges that in doing so it is handing its rivals a competitive advantage.

Aldi is now positioning itself as a rival to the delivery services offered by Coles and Woolworths. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

The other big supermarkets have invested heavily in online and delivery. Picture: Dallas Kilponen/Woolworths

Aldi is determined to maintain its brand positioning as Australia’s cheapest supermarket by selling products for 15 to 20 per cent less than its competitors, something Mr Christie acknowledges will be a challenge as it moves online.

At 48 per cent, almost half of Australian consumers are already doing some food shopping online, while almost 15 per cent have switched to ordering most or all of their groceries on the internet, according to the Australia Online Grocery Study and Report 2022.

Aldi is Australia’s best-rated supermarket coming out on top of Canstar Blue’s annual Supermarket Satisfaction Ratings recently.

Woolworths has a 37 per cent share of the grocery market, with Coles at 28 per cent and Aldi at 10 per cent, according to Statista.

Both its main rivals have invested heavily in their online and delivery offerings.