Discount supermarket Aldi has launched an online wine shop in the UK, including both its in-store range and internet exclusives, as it seeks to be more competitive in the wine retail sector.
The Aldi online wine store launched today (19 January), with the retailer offering home delivery for the first time to UK shoppers.
More than 90 wines will be available online and customers will be able to choose a case of six wines or order a ready-mixed case from a selection of regions.
In the UK, discount supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl have been increasing in popularity over the past few years and have begun expanding from food sales to wine. Aldi is one of the fastest growing retailers in the UK and is now the country’s sixth largest supermarket.
One in every 13 bottles of wine purchased in the UK is already from Aldi.
The retailer said its online exclusive offers would include a Central Victoria Shiraz and a Châteauneuf du Pape, which it said uses all 13 of the appellation’s permitted grape varieties.
There will also be existing strong sellers, such as the Veuve Monsigny No. 3 Rosé Brut Champagne that was commended at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2015.
Matthew Barnes, CEO of Aldi UK, said, ‘We regularly receive feedback from customers who are astonished by the outstanding quality of our wines. E-commerce will open up this wine range to those who, until we complete our store expansion plans, may not necessarily live near an Aldi store.’
Rival Lidl also expanded its wine range last year, hiring Richard Bampfield MW to curate its ‘Wine Cellar’ selection.
