German-based discount supermarket Aldi has said that restrictive opening hours and delivery times imposed on its supermarkets have given an advantage to the retailer’s rivals.
According to the Sunday Business Post, a spokesperson for Aldi said that it has faced a number of roadblocks this year as it attempted to extend the opening hours of some of its larger stores, with notable impacts seen in Swords, north Dublin, and Youghal, in County Cork.
Restrictions & Appeals
The spokesperson revealed that, since 2014, Aldi has had 95% of its applications to open a new store stalled by appeals.
However, it is the delivery times set for the retailer in Swords by the Fingal County Council that, “in particular puts Aldi at a competitive disadvantage”.
“The restricted delivery times, particularly at the weekend, create difficulties in the appropriate servicing of the store,” the spokesperson said.
“Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days and therefore need the most deliveries.”
Aldi said that it needed morning deliveries in order to avoid clashing with customers in the car park.
Planning consultants of the retailer added that no restrictions on opening hours or delivery times were in place for other commercial properties in the area.
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
