Aldi and Blokker are asking customers for suggestions for new locations

In the UK, Aldi is asking customers to help suggest locations for new stores, with plans for 124 new locations. In the Netherlands, home goods retailer Blokker is doing the same : people who submit suggestions can even win store credit.

Reward in the offing

In the United Kingdom, Aldi is enlisting the help of customers to help identify locations for upcoming store openings. The discounter plans to open 124 additional locations to expand its UK network to more than 1,500 locations.

“We know how important it is for people to have access to affordable, high-quality food close to where they live, which is why we’re asking our shoppers to help us identify the communities that would benefit most from a new Aldi store,” says Jonathan Neale, real estate director at Aldi UK.

Aldi’s announcement makes no mention of a reward for good tips. That is, however, the case with a similar call from Blokker in the Netherlands. The home goods chain, which made a fresh start last year under the leadership of investor Roland Palmer—himself a former top executive at the retailer—following its bankruptcy in 2024, currently has 56 stores and aims to expand to 200 locations.

The chain’s website features a call to action: “Where do you think a Blokker is missing?” Customers can fill out a form, and if their suggestion leads to a new store opening, they’ll get to cut the ribbon, the company says. Participants also have a chance to win a 100-euro store credit, which will be raffled off among the entries.