ALDI has confirmed it is axing a key service from over 170 stores.
The handy feature will be gone for good in days after launching just four years ago.
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The German discounter will no longer offer click and collect at 174 stores after this Sunday (August 18).
The £4.99 service lets customers browse grocery items like canned goods and fresh produce online and then choose a slot to pick up them up from the nearest branch.
Customers can also sit and wait in their vehicle in the car park and have a member of staff bring their shopping out to them.
The discount chain launched the click and collect service at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in September 2020 and by 2021 it was offered across more than 200 stores.
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But it has since started axing the service from dozens of branches, including 12 in July 2023.
Aldi said click and collect was only ever offered on a trial basis, with it being under constant review.
An Aldi spokesperson said: “At Aldi, our focus is on providing customers with high-quality products at the lowest possible prices.
"One of the ways we keep our prices low for customers is by running the most efficient supermarket business in Britain.
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"As a result, we’ve made the decision to bring our Click and Collect service to an end so we can focus on doing just that."
In January last year, The Sun exclusively revealed Aldi was to pull the plug on home deliveries.
Ways to save money on your next Aldi shop
Aldi set up delivery for Specialbuys in 2015, but confirmed it would wind down the service before the end of 2023.
In 2022, the discount supermarket stopped working with food delivery app Deliveroo after establishing a relationship in 2020.
Aldi said at the time that home deliveries were never part of the company's long-term business model.
It is not all bad news for the retailer and customers though.
Aldi is looking to massively grow its number of stores across the UK, previously saying it plans to increase its shop portfolio to 1,500 from around 1,000 currently.
WHAT OTHER SUPERMARKETS OFFER
If Aldi's latest move has you thinking about taking your custom elsewhere, there are plenty of other retailers still offering a click and collect service.
Here is what some of the major supermarket chains offer.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's offers click and collect across 322 UK stores, with customers able to do their shopping online then pick a one hour slot to pick everything up.
Shoppers have to pay a minimum 50p charge to collect items worth £25 or over, otherwise there is a £4 surcharge.
Customers needing their groceries in a hurry can order via same-day click and collect and are charged £2 for orders over £25 and £6 for orders under £25.
Tesco
Tesco offers click and collect across over 500 locations, with shoppers first having to book a slot online before filling up their virtual basket.
Customers have to spend a minimum of £25 and pay 25p for a next-day collection slot while same-day slots are available for up to £2.
If you order for same-day collection, you can collect after 4pm if you book a slot before midday.
Asda
Asda offers click and collect across 450 locations across the UK.
Shoppers have to book a slot via the retailer's website then fill up their virtual basket or trolley.
There are three different fees depending on what level of service you want.
You can pick up from your nearest collection point within four hours of ordering for a £3.50 fee with no minimum spend.
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Meanwhile, you can collect over four hours after ordering for £1.50 if your basket is £25 or less, or £3 if it's under £25.
Next-day delivery or later is 50p with a £25 minimum spend or £3 or your order is less than £25.
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers EditorLana Clementsexplains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can usevouchercodes.co.ukandmyvouchercodes.co.ukare just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone.Trolley.co.ukapp has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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