Aldi UK has announced that it is selling groceries online for the first time, in the form of food parcels for vulnerable individuals and those who are self-isolating due to Covid-19.
UK residents face ‘at least’ a further three weeks in lockdown, according to an announcement by acting prime minister Dominic Raab yesterday, and government guidance advises at-risk groups to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures.
With Aldi’s new ambient food parcels, which are available via its website as of today, the retailer aims to help vulnerable customers gain easier access to essential supplies in a safe way.
According to Aldi, the parcels retail at £24.99 inclusive of delivery and are limited to one per customer.
Each parcel contains 22 products as standard, including hand wash, shelf-stable tins, toilet roll, tea, coffee and bread rolls.
Fritz Walleczek, managing director for corporate responsibility at Aldi, said: “We are committed to providing quick, safe and affordable access to food for all our customers and understand that, for some, visiting one of our stores is not an option at the moment.
“We’re constantly looking for new and better ways to support our customers in these uncertain times and I’m hopeful that these food parcels will make life a little easier for some of the country’s most at-risk people.”
The move follows other initiatives from Aldi to support vulnerable groups amid Covid-19, including the introduction of reserved opening times in its supermarkets and a donation of £250,000 to Age UK in March.
Over the past couple of months, many companies have taken steps to provide support and relief to those most affected by Covid-19. These have often taken the form of food and monetary donations, benefits for key workers, or new services designed to support the changing needs of customers amid the pandemic.