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ALDI shoppers continue to blast the budget-friendly retailer over measures impacting self-checkout users.
Shoppers have recalled their experiences in store with some urging the retailer to change course and abandon the policy entirely.
One shopper noted how customers with 15 items in their cart have to check out their items using a regular cashier, according to an X thread.
But, then they were particularly startled by something a worker had told them.
“They even told me if I have under 15 SKUs but more than 15 things, I have to use a cashier!” they said.
“Please stop this.”
The U.S. Sun has approached Aldi for comment.
SKU is an abbreviation for stock-keeping unit.
It is a code that helps retailers track their product inventory.
And, the code is generally a combination of numbers and letters.
Officials at DHL have explained the difference between SKUs and physical products.
They use the example of selling t-shirts in different colors.
If a business sells t-shirts in three sizes but five different colors, then the clothes equate to 15 SKUs.
Aldi prides itself on having a low SKU count compared to other retailers.
This not only helps company chiefs keep costs down, but it also reduces choice for customers.
Experts at the Food Industry Association reveal that Aldi has around 1650 SKUs, while the average store has approximately 30,000, as reported by Choice Hacking.
Officials have explained why the company’s SKU count is lower than rivals.
Latest self-checkout changes
Retailers are evolving their self-checkout strategy in an effort to speed up checkout times and reduce theft.
Walmart shoppers were shocked when self-checkout lanes at various locations were made available only for Walmart+ members.
Other customers reported that self-checkout was closed during specific hours, and more cashiers were offered instead.
While shoppers feared that shoplifting fueled the updates, a Walmart spokesperson revealed that store managers are simply experimenting with ways to improve checkout performance.
One bizarre experiment included an RFID-powered self-checkout kiosk that would stop the fiercely contested receipt checks.
However, that test run has been phased out.
At Target, items are being limited at self-checkout.
Last fall, the brand surveyed new express self-checkout lanes across 200 stores with 10 items or less for more convenience.
As of March 2024, this policy has been expanded across 2,000 stores in the US.
Shoppers have also spotted their local Walmart stores restricting customers to 15 items or less to use self-checkout machines.
“We try to stay disciplined to keeping a limited range, a focused range of products in the store but I will say that number’s been growing, and we believe that business model works for us, and the growth in shoppers is a testament to that,” CEO Jason Hart told Supermarket News in 2015.
Aldi has the lowest prices of any grocery store, the company revealed in January this year.
And bosses reported that 25% of households now turn to the budget-friendly retailer for their shopping.
Stats cited by the company reveal Aldi is associated with low prices and value for money.
Despite the financial benefits, not all shoppers have welcomed a change they’ve noticed at the self-checkout.
CUSTOMER FURY
Customers have slammed the retailer over its checkout policy at some stores.
Another shopper revealed on X that a 15-item limit had been imposed at their local store.
“It makes no sense at a grocery store,” they said.
One man was left furious that they had to stand in line with their child, two, as a result of the policy.
“Not Aldi making me wait in line with my 2 year old with one working cashier instead of conveniently using self-checkout because I had over 15 items,” he wrote on X.
“It couldn’t be Aldi making customers’ shopping experience inconvenient in 2025.
“A lot of p***ed off customers today!”
Aldi is not the only retailer that appears to roll out checkout restrictions.
Certain Walmart stores have rolled out rules at the self-checkout, including limits of 15 items.
Target shoppers are limited to a maximum of 10 items – a rule that has irked some.
