Discount giant Aldi 'took government subsidies'

The Local ^ | 7 May 12 15:26 CET | (The Local/jcw)

[Olog-hai]

German discount supermarket giant Aldi, which has consistently made its owners the richest men in the country, has been taking government subsidies to train employees, it emerged at the weekend.

But weekly magazine Der Spiegel said many details remain shrouded in secrecy even by the government, to protect the commercial interests of Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd—separate but associated companies.

Information officially requested from the Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG) did show that Aldi training was being paid for with government funds, but details were scarce. …

[GOPsterinMA]

Aldi is the parent company for Trader Joe’s.

[G-dzilla]

I’m assuming Aldi is also the parent company of the Aldi stores all over the place around here (at least in west central Florida).

[knarf]

I have shopped at Aldi's twice ... maybe three times .. since I became aware of them ... ohhh ... I don't know, 10 or 15 years ago ?

I've bever seen more than one girl at a bank of 4 cash registers .. even with a crowd.

[GOPsterinMA]

They are. They seem to be taking on Save-A-Lot.

[GOPsterinMA]

The one I’ve been to is new and clean...but come to think of it, they only have one register open at all times.

You’re right!

[Rebelbase]

“I’ve bever seen more than one girl at a bank of 4 cash registers .. even with a crowd. “

And you had to bag it yourself. That’s how they keep their prices on most items dirt cheap.

[iowamark]

Is this supposed to be some kind of scandal? In the US, thousands of companies and millions of people take advantage of government training programs.

[PAR35]

Aldi Nord is the parent of Trader Joe’s. Aldi Sud is the parent of Aldi in the US.

In Germany, Aldi Sud tends to have the Catholic areas, Aldi Nord the Protestant. And they split up the rest of the world between them after they split Germany.

[GOPsterinMA]

That’s really interesting - divided by religion. Wow.

Thanks for the scoop.

[tiki]

I know at our home owned grocery store they take state money to employ Down’s Syndrome and disabled adults but I don’t care.

It is better than them living on disability and they have the dignity of working and being productive citizens unlike a lot of able bodied people who just choose to live off the government completely.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Aldi can get crazy, with a queue going halfway to the back of the store, but in maybe ten minutes after that, other employees show up at cash registers. All is scanned and usually the cashiers keep chitchat to a minimum.

Anyhow is this even a scandal, any more than government programs aimed at training various menial workers in general?

[Dick Bachert]

I’m just shocked. You mean they actually have corruption and a good old boy network in Germany?

[EggsAckley]

Over the past several years, I’ve made it a point to get to know some of the Downe’s workers. They’re very shy, but really respond to being acknowledged and complemented for their work.

They really are trying hard.

[dennisw]

That is hilarious! Aldi supermarkets here is a strange unique operation I go there once in a while

[muawiyah]

There are cultural differences ~ for example, in Bayern you might ask "What does that cost", but in Cologne it could be "What will that cost me" ~ used to know both expressions so that I could whip them right out there and sound native ~ but you have to learn to listen to what the clerks are saying to know which one to use ~ there has been mixing in modern times!

Aldi's divisions may have more to do with transportation links in the 1950s though.

Go to their European websites and wander through checking out the stuff for sale. The basic trick with Aldi is they LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ITEMS SOLD in the stores, and run special deals as they can be arranged ~ so maybe camping tents in December and snow shoes in June.

[tiki]

Of those who work at this store 2 are very friendly and like to talk and one is very quiet but he loves it if you acknowledge him by name.

[Sherman Logan]

Do most of my shopping at Aldi’s in FL. Can save over 50% of what similar items would cost at Publix. Stores are much smaller, no name brands, everything is a house brand, quality varies widely - some excellent, others not so much, don’t carry a lot of items. A lot like shopping in a 1960s supermarket.

[oprahstheantichrist]

My favorite thing about ALDI? NO music, dead silence. I loathe being distracted by tasteless, tired garbage “rock and roll” from the 1960s - 1990s.

Who ever decided that blaring bad music makes people spend more?

[Freddd]

What I do know- is mushrooms are on sale for .69cents per 8 oz this week in my area. Making mushrooms $1.38 a pound. Great for dehydrating....Walmart is well over $2 a lb...