Analyzing Aldi How Going Grocery Shopping is About More than Buying Food
On Thursday, October 18 I visited three places where people often buy groceries to observe the similarities and differences between them. I started off at the South Lansing Farmers Market in Lansing then headed to Aldi and Meijer, which are both in Okemos. My goal in visiting these locations was to observe how grocery stores are set up to appeal to target audiences, note what social processes occur at these stores, and to uncover that ways in which going to the grocery store can be about more than just buying food. My first stop at the South Lansing Farmers Market proved to be somewhat challenging to find as it was blocked by construction and there was little signage indicating its location. Past experiences with farmers markets led me to expect an abundance of fresh, cheap fruits and vegetables. Instead, this little market was composed of about twelve tents, only two of which sold produce. Each booth had its own signs indicating prices and what forms of payment were accepted; there was little uniformity between each business. The odd location and casual atmosphere implied to me that market was less about sales and profit and more about community. It is also possible the small size was due to a lack of locally grown produce in this area. At Aldi, the first thing I noticed in the parking lot was a large hiring sign boasting of a starting wage of twelve dollars an hour. After unchaining myself a cart using a quarter, I entered the building and walked directly into the produce section. The size of the store was quite small compared to most conventional grocery stores, and the narrow aisles seemed disorganized because the products were displayed in the boxes they were shipped in. This choice communicates the business is not concerned with appearances, but more practicality. Despite the building’s deceptively small dimensions, there were few food items not offered there. The store was designed for a very straightforward purpose, for shopping in the most practical sense of the word. Just as the sun began to set, I walked into Meijer and was greeted by the bright fluorescent lighting that illuminates the colossal produce section. At first impression, the size of the store is overwhelming. I would estimate that the food section of Meijer is three to four times the size of Aldi and fifteen times the size of the farmers market. Signs that boasted “low prices on more than 150 gluten free snacks” decorated every food aisle. The massive area of the store and the seemingly endless selections of boxed cereal implied to me that Meijer’s goal was to make their customers feel empowered through decision-making. Despite being accompanied by a friend to the farmers market, I still felt surprisingly out of place because almost every adult there was with a child, even many of the vendors. I was also surprised by how friendly everyone was; one of the vendors made the point of finding my roommate on the other side of the market after realizing the twist tie has fallen off a loaf of pumpkin bread she had purchased a few minutes prior. It seemed like there were more people socializing than there were people making purchases This struck me as odd when compared to my normal grocery-shopping experiences; multiple groups of adults stopped chatting around Meijer would be an odd thing to witness. Overall there was a very strong sense of community among the bundled-up crowd; employees and shoppers alike were obviously there for the experience. At Aldi the dynamic was different. Every customer was either alone or shopping with one other person, and I only saw one child who appeared to be under the age of twelve. It seemed oddly quiet in the store, lacking the chatter of the farmers market and the hustle and bustle of Meijer. Unlike the vendors at the farmers market, the only employees I had contact with at Aldi were those working the cash register. The store seemed to have been designed so that the only job they needed to hire for was checking people out. The cashiers were focused on efficiency only; as they scanned items they offered little small talk. At Meijer, I was welcomed upon entering by an elderly woman wearing a blue Meijer vest. Once I traveled deeper into the store, I spotted several other employees stocking shelves and giving customers directions. Many of the customers looked to be university students but there were also many parents with children and older patrons. Unlike at Aldi, there were few solo-shoppers and many customers interacted with employees for shopping-related questions. Though Meijer shoppers did not seem to be there for a community function as the farmers market-goers had, it was clear that shopping at Meijer was a much more social and less pragmatic experience than shopping at Aldi. From what I observed, Aldi seemed to be the cheapest option with best variety of products. Despite this, the South Lansing Farmers Market appeared to have the most socioeconomically diverse customers based on clothing. This may be because Aldi is far from downtown Lansing, where many low-income families live. The farmers market also offers events for children and has an association with religion since it is in the parking lot of the St. Casimir Parish. The documentary A Place at the Table demonstrates that religious institutions are commonly a source of relief for food insecure families and that there is a strong correlation between faith and food. Additionally, many of the food-vendors at the farmers market had signs indicating they accept government food dollars from the programs S.N.A.P. and W.I.C. as payment. For these reasons, it is possible that low-income families may choose to shop at the farmers market despite the smaller variety and slightly higher prices. Meijer also had a somewhat diverse group of customers, possibly due to its more flexible hours and the fact that it offers more products than just food. A little research showed me that Meijer also accepts EBT payments and W.I.C. and offers many coupons that can be used to offset their prices Though Aldi’s prices were lowest, they mainly sell off-brands of popular items, which are less appealing to buyers, even for low income families. According Wei-ting Chen in “From ‘Junk Food’ to ‘Treats’: How Poverty Shapes Family Food Practices” low-income mothers may feel obligated to purchase more expensive, name-brand food items to feel like full members of society and to present themselves as good parents. The name brands that they do have at Aldi are pricier, and Aldi does not provide any coupons for their items or accept W.I.C. as a form of payment. These factors and Aldi’s location may make this store more appealing to middle to upper-class customers who are looking to save money and shop practically rather than low-income shoppers. Overall, it was clear that each of these locations aimed to portray a different message to buyers, whether it be community, practicality, or variety. Though Aldi is promoted as a discount store, its real target audience was not low-income families but people who are interested in an efficient and somewhat systematic shopping experience. The South Lansing Farmers Market seemed to be geared toward lower-income families looking to experience a community connection, while Meier's customers appeared to be interested in shopping somewhere with reasonable prices and a large perceived variety.