The Amount Of Money Aldi Bags Cost

Founded in 1961 by the Albrecht family, Aldi has become a popular grocery store chain that is unlike others because it aims to keep the shopping experience simple and affordable (per Aldi). A few ways Aldi maintains its goals of simplicity, affordability, and convenience include having small store layouts, high-quality products, and displaying items in their original shipping boxes. The grocer doesn't offer extra services as some other big brands do such as check cashing, a pharmacy, or a deli department. This further cuts down on operating costs which translates into more savings for shoppers. 

Another way Aldi cuts costs is by requiring its shoppers to deposit 25 cents into a shopping cart in order to use it, which is then given back to the customer once they return the cart. Because of this, Aldi doesn't have to hire additional employees simply for gathering carts and can instead reroute the money saved into selling its products at affordable prices. Aldi also saves money by not bagging customers' groceries and by not providing them with plastic bags. Grocery stores spend an unexpectedly large amount on plastic shopping bags, with retailers spending about $4 billion on single-use plastic shopping bags each year (per Sierra Club). If you happen to forget your reusable bag or just don't have one yet, Aldi has convenient reusable bag options for its shoppers.

According to Aldi, bringing your own bags is not required to shop at the store, and they have a few reusable bag options for purchase once you check out. However, Aldi does strongly encourage its customers to bring their own bags to help reduce single-use plastic waste in the environment. The reason Aldi charges for shopping bags isn't to make more money, but it's actually to help shoppers save money. With the money saved by not supplying its shoppers with free plastic bags, Aldi is able to sell its products at lower-than-normal prices and help the environment at the same time. Other retailers are starting to take the same route. Target, for example, saved about $3.5 million in 2018 because of its shoppers using reusable bags.

Per its website, Aldi offers its customers several reusable bag options, such as plastic, insulated, and a tote made with recycled materials. Aldi also offers brown paper bags (per Aisle of Shame). The cost of the different bag options varies between the material types and from store to store. A 2020 piece by Aldi Reviewer reported that a paper bag can set you back 7 cents, a plastic bag 10 cents, and an eco-friendly reusable bag will cost $1.99.