Aldi limits local differences to streamline purchases

Aldi Nord is going to limit differences in product ranges offered, opting instead for a unified approach. To ensure that up to 80 % of its references can be sourced internationally, the discounter has reorganised its sourcing structures.

Unified

Aldi has recently scrutinised its entire product range and purchasing structures, trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung reports, and the discounter has decided to purchase more products internationally. More than three quarters of its range will soon be sourced across borders. Now it would be not much more than half, depending on the product group.

The standardisation should also help in its rapprochement with Aldi Süd. According to LZ, the different purchasing structures gave suppliers the impression that the two companies were growing apart, whereas instead they want to strengthen their cooperation. The intention would be to group certain purchases together.

The organisation is also changing: Aldi Nord’s category management and procurement were separated, but that distinction will now be removed. The separation meant buyers were only responsible for the purchase price, but had little affinity with the products themselves. Now there will again be an overarching manager, who will decide on the range as well as negotiate the price for each product group.