In Mariakerke, near Ghent, Aldi has opened a completely renovated store: large windows ensure more sunlight inside and Aldi’s trademark blue is omnipresent throughout the store.
New colours, more light, modern materials
The new style puts much effort in avoiding anything that makes “normal” Aldi stores boring. Much like the use of Aldi’s blue instead of current brownish colours and the larger windows, the use of new and modern materials and pleasant images in the different departments catch the eye.
“Aldi New Generation”?
The spectacular renovation – especially for Aldi’s habits – feed the rumours that this is not just a store renovation, but rather a pilot experiment that would be named “Aldi New Generation”. The German newspaper Lebensmittel Zeitung also wrote the new concept would be seriously considered in Germany.
It is uncertain if the continuing criticism that Aldi was not innovating enough led to this breakthrough, and why Aldi picked Ghent for the pilot experiment. The German chain refused to give any comment.