Aldi makes big change at 260 stores that will make online shopping easier

ALDI has made a big change at hundreds of stores that online shoppers will love. The German discounter has rolled out InPost lockers across 260 stores. An InPost locker is a secure, lockable box where you can send, return, or collect packages. The service is popular with online shoppers, particularly those who buy and sell items on Vinted, as it can be an easy way to collect an item without having to wait for a delivery driver.

Sellers can drop off their parcels in a locker they access with a personal QR code via their mobile phone. They are then picked up by couriers and delivered to a local locker, which the buyer unlocks with their own QR code. There are over 11,000 In-Post drop off spots across the UK. Aldi first trialled the lockers at 22 stores across the country in December 2023. But the UK's fourth biggest grocery store has now said a total of 260 of its sites will now offer the service.

Richard Thornton, communications director at Aldi UK, said: “Our customers value convenience, which is why we’re expanding the availability of InPost lockers across more Aldi stores. “By adding lockers at more locations nationwide, customers can now collect or return parcels seamlessly while picking up their shopping at Aldi.”. Neil Kuschel, chief at InPost UK,added: “By installing additional InPost Lockers outside Aldi stores, we’re offering customers the freedom to pick up and drop off parcels at their convenience, without the need to rely on store opening hours or wait in queues.".

If you are keen to use an In-Post locker you need to take your parcel to any InPost locker and use the touchscreen to click and send. Customers can check the lockers at their local store are available to use before visiting at: https://inpost.co.uk/lockers. It is one of many changes taking place at Aldi. The retailer has introduced a £10 charge at one of its branches in London. The "pre-authorisation" charge at the Shop and Go store in Greenwich, London, is applied to all customers entering.

Customers tapping their card at the entrance or generating a QR code through the app are automatically charged £10 before being allowed inside. A refund is issued if they spend less than £10 - but the timing depends on the customer's bank or card provider and some shoppers have reported being charged multiple times if they accidentally press the app button more than once. Aldi defended the pre-payment charge trial, saying in most cases refunds were processed within 48 hours.

Elsewhere, Asda made a major change to its loyalty scheme, which left customers fuming. Star Products are no longer available as part of its loyalty scheme. Customers buying Star Products could earn 10% of the price back into their Cashpot. Any money accumulated in Cashpots could then be converted into vouchers to get money off future Asda shops. Star Products are available in stores and when shopping online and change on a regular basis.

The remaining features on the Asda Rewards scheme will stay, including Missions. It comes after the supermarket revealed it is bringing back its rollback on more than 4,000 products, with an average discount of 25%. Tesco also said it would open more same day delivery slots for households. The retailer previously offered same-day delivery between 7pm and 11pm, meaning customers could do their online food shop earlier in the day and select a time between those hours for it to be dropped off.

But it has brought this time forward so you can now get your basket delivered as early as 1pm. Same-day click and collect has also been brought forward to 12pm from 4pm before, while it will still end at 8pm. WHEN it comes to shopping at Aldi, the best time to do so depends on what you want to buy. For reduced items - when shops open. Red sticker items are rare at Aldi's 830 UK stores, but the supermarket says that none of its food goes to waste so there are some to be found - if you're quick.

A spokesman for the supermarket said: "All items are reduced to 50 per cent of the recommend sales price before stores open on their best before or use by dates.". That means you have the best chance of finding reduced food items if you go into stores as soon as it opens. Opening times vary by shop but a majority open from 7am or 8am. You can find your nearest store's times by using the supermarket's online shop finder tool.

For Specialbuys - Thursdays and Sundays. Specialbuys are Aldi's weekly collection of items that it doesn't normally sell, which can range from pizza ovens to power tools. New stock comes into stores every Thursday and Sunday, so naturally, these are the best days to visit for the best one-off special deals. For an even better chance of bagging the best items, head there for your local store's opening time.