Aldi boss says some loyalty discounts 'dupe' customers

Image source, Getty Images By Emma Simpson Business correspondent Published 14 minutes ago Aldi's UK boss has accused rival supermarket chains of duping customers in some cases with loyalty discounts that start with "unrealistically high prices" and then drop.

Chief executive Giles Hurley said discounts are helpful "when they're real and when they show realistic reductions", but hit out at what he said were unrealistic reductions which "dupe customers".

Aldi is the only major supermarket chain that doesn't operate a loyalty scheme, which are hugely popular and used by millions of shoppers.

The UK's official competition watchdog investigated supermarkets' loyalty pricing schemes in 2024 and concluded shoppers "almost always make a genuine saving".

Former Asda buyer and retail consultant Ged Futter told the BBC Hurley's comments were a "a distraction from the fact is that Aldi is under pressure in the UK".