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NATIONAL LOTTERY
COVER STORY: ALDI
DISMAY AS ALDI PLANS LOTTERY ROLLOUT
THE INDEPENDENT RETAILED SECTOR HAS RESPONDED WITH DISMAY AT THE NEWS THAT CAMELOT ISWORKING WITH ALDI TO BRING THE NATIONAL LOTTERY INTO 900 STORES.
Local retailers across the UK have reacted with dismay and huge concern at the news this week that discounter Aldi is set to roll the National Lottery out into 900 stores.
Following a successful trial in a small number of Aldi stores in the north of England, the discounter will introduce National Lottery units at checkouts in every store by the end of June. Customers will have access to the National Lottery’s full suite of draw-based games including Lotto, EuroMillions, Lotto HotPicks, EuroMillions HotPicks, Set For Life and Thunderball games.
Jenny Blogg, Retail Director at Camelot, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to now be working with Aldi. Making The National Lottery available in its stores has been a priority for us as we continue to make playing The National Lottery as convenient and easy as possible for people.
“We’re pleased that Aldi customers will now have a quick, easy and convenient way to purchase their favourite National Lottery games.”
The independent retailing sector, however, has been left stunned by the decision. NFRN National President Stuart Reddish said: “This move will dilute sales across the whole retail estate. The more products available in the multiple outlets, the less likely National Lottery players will visit their local independent retailer to pick up their tickets or scratchcards.”
Edinburgh Premier retailer Dennis Williams described the move as “a stab in the back” for independent retailers who have done so much for communities across the UK in the last 12 months.
Dennis said: “It’s unbelievable this has been allowed to happen after everything that independent retailers have done over the last 12 months. We’ve worked ourselves to the bone and risked our lives to serve our local communities – and this is the thank you we get?
“I also don’t understand why Aldi would want to stock anything that only offers 4% margins and I don’t think they realise how much time it’s going to take to process all those Lottery transactions in-store. Aldi is all about speed of service and having a Lottery terminal at every checkout is going to cause bedlam, I reckon.
“It’s just incredible that this has happened right now, at this point, with so much going on. The independent sector has been a lifeline for communities and have been recognised as heroes during this pandemic and this just feels like a stab in the back for a sector that has been so important to the National Lottery for so long.”
