Contribution to saving energy or more of a PR stunt? Aldi Nord has announced that it will close “numerous branches” one to two hours earlier in the evenings this winter. Such steps have been discussed in the industry for some time. At least Rewe comes to a different conclusion.
The discounter Aldi Nord wants to close several branches earlier in the evening during the energy crisis. The company announced on Twitter that the opening hours of “many markets” would be adjusted. From November, these markets would close at 8 p.m., it said. The measure, which is intended to contribute to saving energy, initially applies to the winter period of 2022/2023. So far, many Aldi Nord stores in large cities such as Hanover or Hamburg have been open until 9 p.m.
Aldi Nord did not say how many and which markets are affected by shorter opening hours. Energy is a major cost item in retail and is used in particular for refrigerating goods and lighting. Whether reducing opening hours by one hour would make a significant contribution to saving energy is also a matter of debate in the industry.
Rewe boss Lionel Souque recently said that shortening the opening hours had not yet been considered. In principle, the goal of the Rewe Group is “to make the greatest possible contribution to the savings that are necessary nationwide, without creating restrictions for our customers,” it said at the beginning of September. Rewe probably shares this goal with most other retailers. Rossmann recently promised that the cost-cutting measures would “barely be felt” by customers.
