Do you know this feeling? You stroll through the aisles of Aldi Süd, Aldi Nord, Lidl, Rewe, Kaufland or Edeka and see these eye-catching, red price tags that promise you a bargain. But wait! There isn’t always a real offer behind them.
In order to boost sales of certain foods, many retailers use red price tags. Especially with perishable fruit and vegetables, many consumers quickly think that the price has been reduced. But appearances are deceptive. In the ZDF program “Aldi Insider,” a former Aldi branch manager reports that this practice is often used at the discounter.
Retailers use this trick especially with bananas. “The problem with bananas is that they go bad very quickly,” says the insider. “I would have to throw them away if I had too many. But the red price tag allows me to boost sales.” Customers think they are getting a bargain, but the retailer is actually selling the goods at the original price.
In fact, Christa L., a Kaufland employee from Munich, also told FOCUS online that a red price tag helps to boost sales.
A red price tag is used especially for bananas, avocados, zucchini and even eggplants. “If we have to take a certain product off the shelf quickly, then a red tag is put on it first. Only if that doesn’t work either will the price be reduced further.” A red tag “helps customers make a purchase decision.” The employee does not think that companies are cheating in this way. Red also means that you should take a closer look at the product. “It’s more of an advertising tool. The customer gets good goods. That’s what matters.”
But how do customers know whether products are actually cheap? FOCUS online gives practical tips.
“If the previous price does not correspond to the cheapest price of the last 30 days before the start of the price reduction, Aldi does not indicate a strikethrough price or a percentage price saving. Instead, Aldi only marks the price with the note ‘promotion’,” says discount giant Aldi Süd.
Other retailers also use the phrase “lowest price guarantee”, “lowest price” or “offer”. Consumers should generally pay closer attention to the price tag. Only where there is a strikethrough price can customers be sure that there is a discount.
Aldi Süd often indicates in the brochure how expensive or cheap a product was within the last 30 days. This way, customers can see immediately whether the advertised offer is actually a bargain. Edeka and Lidl also take a similar approach.
As a rule, the price labels are white with black lettering. Aldi Süd also has yellow price labels, provided that digital price labels have not yet been installed there.
If you want to save money, don’t compare the main price, but the base price on the shelf. This always shows the full price per kilo or liter. This is practical because the individual products are often offered in different package sizes.
If you find red or orange price tags, you can’t always get a bargain here! If the tag just says “From our advertising” or “Bargain of the week”, you should be wary. Only a crossed-out price gives you an idea of the actual savings.
By the way! In recent years, green price tags have also been appearing from time to time. These tend to indicate that a product has special organic and fair trade characteristics.
Blue, multi-colored and brightly colored price tags can indicate that you can get additional discounts with coupons or apps. This is often the case with Lidl or Netto Marken-Discount. Bargain hunters should definitely activate the coupons in the app, otherwise the discount will not be recorded when the digital customer card is scanned. So far, no retailer has been able to activate all coupons in one go. Customers always have to select the offers individually.
FOCUS Online advises: Consumers should pay attention to the basic price. The basic price must be stated per kilogram or liter on the shelf or in the brochure and helps to find the cheapest product on offer. In addition, they should not be fooled by the color of the signs; a red sign does not always mean a discount.
For certain foods, such as cheese, sausage, butter or yoghurt, which you buy weekly, you should always note the base price. If this price increases, you can be sure that the retailer has increased the price.
Such basic price comparisons can be particularly helpful at the fruit and vegetable counter. In many cases, packaged vegetables are cheaper than loose goods.