Food retailers providing services beyond grocery items, ranging from photo developing to insurance policies. - Food Retailers' Expanded Services: Ranging from Picture-Taking to Insurance Provision
In the bustling world of German retail, supermarkets and discount stores are not just limited to selling groceries anymore. These establishments are diversifying their offerings to cater to a wider range of customer needs, creating a more comprehensive shopping experience.
Leading the charge is Aldi, a popular discount store that offers a variety of non-food items such as household goods, toys, and clothing. However, unlike other chains, Aldi does not currently provide additional services like insurance, mobile phone plans, or travel services.
Edeka, another major player, primarily focuses on groceries but may offer limited non-food items like household goods. Edeka's service offerings are more dependent on local partnerships and might include postal or banking services.
Kaufland, being a hypermarket, offers a wide range of non-food items, including electronics, home goods, and clothing. Like other supermarkets, Kaufland does not typically offer insurance or mobile phone plans. However, they may have in-store services like photo development or other convenience services based on location.
Rewe, known for its grocery offerings, offers some non-food items but is more focused on groceries. Rewe often provides services like lottery tickets, some insurance products through partnerships, and in-store services like photo development.
Lidl offers a variety of non-food items, often changing weekly, which can include electronics, toys, and clothing. Lidl does not typically offer insurance, mobile phone plans, or travel services but may offer in-store services like photo development in some locations.
Netto, a discount store, occasionally offers non-food items like household goods or personal care products. Similar to other discount stores, Netto is less likely to offer services like insurance or mobile plans but may have basic in-store services.
Norma, another discount store, may offer limited non-food items. Norma generally does not provide services beyond basic retail offerings.
Discount stores and the department store Kaufland offer a larger selection in the non-food sector compared to supermarkets Rewe and Edeka, including products like furniture, bicycles, and kitchen appliances.
While these stores offer a variety of non-food items, they rarely delve into services like insurance, mobile phone plans, or travel packages. However, some larger chains might offer limited services through partnerships or in select locations.
For broader services such as insurance or mobile phone plans, consumers in Germany often turn to specialized companies or online platforms rather than supermarkets or discount stores. Photography services might be available through partnerships with photo processing companies in some large stores.
In a bid to enhance customer convenience, many food retailers offer Click & Collect services, allowing customers to pre-order their shopping online and then pick it up at the store. Rewe offers this service in around 2,000 markets, and many Edeka markets also allow pick-up.
Some chains, like Lidl, Kaufland, and Netto, sell furniture, bicycles, and kitchen appliances in their online shops. Additionally, Edeka runs a St. Nicholas action every year, where children who design their boot and hand it in at the branch receive it filled with sweets on St. Nicholas Day.
As competition among retailers intensifies, companies are closely observing each other and quickly copying successful promotional items or product groups. Customers can order photos online from these retailers and pick them up in-store.
In a significant move, Kaufland now offers insurances in collaboration with DA Direkt, a subsidiary of the Zurich Group. Major supermarket and discount store chains in Germany, including Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, Rewe, and Kaufland, also offer gift cards for well-known brands such as Amazon, Spotify, and gaming console manufacturers' online stores.
Drugstore chains like dm and Rossmann are expanding their food selection in branches, further blurring the lines between traditional grocery stores and other retail outlets. Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd will close their online shop at the end of September, marking a shift in their digital strategy.
As these retail giants continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how they adapt and grow in the future, offering even more products and services to cater to the diverse needs of their customers.
- The community policy of these retail giants is increasingly focusing on offering a diverse range of products, such as electronics, household goods, clothing, and even furniture, to cater to a broader spectrum of customer needs.
- In contrast to the expansion of product offerings, employment policy in these retail chains primarily remains focused on providing goods and services, with fewer ventures into areas like finance, lifestyle, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, or technology-based services, such as insurance, mobile phone plans, or travel packages.
- As for the food-and-drink sector, some retailers, like dm and Rossmann, are breaking the traditional boundaries by expanding their food selection in branches, further blending the lines between drugstores and conventional grocery stores.
