Aldi’s Gorgie Store in Edinburgh named the Happiest in Scotland

The research has been conducted by the discount retailer in partnership with The Happiness Guy

Aldi’s Gorgie Edinburgh store has been revealed as the happiest in Scotland, following research by The UK’s Cheapest Supermarket.

The popular discount retailer worked with distinguished wellbeing expert, The Happiness Guy, to investigate the happiness levels of staff across its Scottish stores.

The survey looked at factors such as proximity to the outdoors, relationships with colleagues, tendencies to feeling joy and excitement, as well as sleeping habits to determine the happiest store in Scotland.

Aldi has 104 stores in Scotland located in all corners of the country, from Aberdeen to Hawick. The retailer, which prides itself on creating positive and supportive places to work, is set to be the highest paying supermarket in the UK following its second pay increase of 2023.

Its Gorgie store is situated on Gorgie Park Road in the west of Edinburgh. It first opened in 2009, and employs 18 staff who work hard to help shoppers pick up great deals at Aldi’s famously low prices.

Richard Holloway, Managing Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “At Aldi, creating a positive working environment where our employees feel supported and appreciated is as important to us as our commitment to bringing customers amazingly low deals on quality food and drink.

“We saw strong levels of job satisfaction across all our stores, and lots of indications that our colleagues have formed real, deep friendships with one another.

“Our Gorgie Edinburgh store is located in a bustling part of Edinburgh. A stone’s throw from the Capital City and surrounded by vibrant restaurants, cafes and bars, there is always something happening here, making it a popular area for people to live.

“Gorgie has a really solid community and our Aldi store has become an integral part of the neighborhood. We welcome a lot of the same faces on a daily basis and our staff have a really good rapport with our regular customers. While I’m sure it’s our incredibly low prices that first attract people through our doors, I am confident that it’s the high levels of customer service that sees customers coming back again and again.”

Gordon McCrorie, The Happiness Guy said: “Each of us has our own unique formula for happiness which will include things like feeling grateful, spending time with loved ones, doing things that matter to us and looking after ourselves.

“Taking responsibility for influencing our own happiness might just be the thing that improves the world we live in the most.”

The discount retailer, named UK’s cheapest supermarket for 2021 and 2022 by consumer experts, Which?, currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, stocking 450 Scottish products. In 2022, Aldi was awarded Scottish Sourcing Business of the Year at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards.

Have you got the best home bar in Scotland?

You could be in with a chance to win a year’s supply of craft beer from Aldi Scotland 

Aldi Scotland Goes in Search of the Nation’s Best Home Bar or At Home Drinking Set-up to Celebrate the Launch of its New ‘Scottish Beers of the Month’ Campaign   

Aldi Scotland has launched a nationwide hunt for Scotland’s Best Home Bar or at-home drinking set-up with a year’s supply of free beer up for grabs.  

Celebrating the launch of its brand-new Scottish Beers of the Month campaign, which will see a number of hero Scottish brewers spotlighted each month, Aldi is on the lookout for the most innovative at-home bar creations that provide the perfect backdrop to enjoy a craft beer.   

Whether you’ve transformed your garden shed into a classic pub or your house has the best cosy corner, Aldi will gift a year’s supply of beer to the drinking set-up it finds most inspiring to enjoy an ice-cold beer at home.  

Every month, the winner will be invited to collect a range of 24 beers from the vast number of Scottish brewers featuring as part of Scottish Beers of the Month, giving them a chance to try locally produced, top-quality craft brews from all over Scotland.  

The Scottish Beers of the Month in-store campaign, which launches today (Thursday 6th April), will showcase everything from refreshing IPAs to crisp lagers, with prices starting from just £1.39.  

Aberdeen’s Fierce Beer is the first hero brewer to feature as part of the campaign. Focused on producing unique and flavourful beers that range from traditional pilsners to luscious barrel-aged stouts, Aldi was the brewery’s first ever customer.  

Fierce Beer will be showcasing fruity IPAs, such as Passion for Haze and Tropical Thunder, as well as sour Blackcurrant Tart and gluten-free vegan Fruit Ale Berry.  

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “Our new Scottish Beers of the Month campaign gives our customers the chance to enjoy a vast selection of beers from artisan breweries across Scotland that you wouldn’t necessarily find in the pub.   

“We all enjoy a trip to our local, but sometimes you just can’t beat enjoying a cold beer in the comfort of your own home.  

“The judges are looking for innovative home bar set-ups, from extraordinary garden bars to the more understated kitchen table.” 

To be in with a chance of winning, shoppers simply need to email a picture of their at-home bar set-up to aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk along with the following details: 

  • Full name 
  • Image of their home bar or favourite at-home drinking spot  

Entries are open until 3 May 2023. The chosen winner will be selected by 10 May 2023.  

Aldi encourages its customers to drink responsibly.  

Application Terms & Conditions :

All applicants must be 18 years old or over and must live in Scotland.  

  1. The applicant will be invited to collect a range of 24 bottles/cans of Aldi Scotland stocked Scottish craft beers each month.  
  2.  Aldi Scotland encourages the successful applicant to drink responsibly.  
  3. For information and advice on safe alcohol consumption, please contact Drinkaware. Visit https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/  
  4. Aldi Scotland reserves the right to terminate the delivery of products  
  5. All applications will be considered by the Aldi Scotland judging panel. The successful applicant will be selected based on the decision made by the Aldi Scotland judging panel. The judging panel has full discretion. The panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome.  
  6. The product is non-transferable, refundable and can be changed by Aldi at any time.  
  7. Applications are open from 3 April 2023. To enter, simply email a picture of your at home bar set up to aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk  
  8. Late entries or any entries not received for any reason will not be considered. The successful applicant will be chosen from  entries provided before 6 May 2023. Winner will be selected by 10 May 2023.  
  9. Applicants can enter via email and via the Aldi Scotland social media channels.  Each will be counted as a single entry, with applicants able to enter once on each channel.  
  10. Aldi Employees are not permitted to enter and are not valid to win. By submitting your application, you agree if your application is successful to take part in press and publicity including but not limited to media interviews, photography and personal appearances.  
  11. Personal data will be used solely in accordance with UK data protection legislation.  
  12. For further information please contact aldipr@bigpartnership.co.uk. Promoter: The BIG Partnership Group Limited, 1 – 3 Woodside Crescent, Glasgow, G3 7UL  
  13. The winning entry will receive the prize on a monthly basis.  

Bone Appetit! Morrisons launches pet Easter eggs!

Morrisons launches £3 Easter egg range for cats and dogs

Made from pet friendly dairy alternatives, including carob and yoghurt

Available in-store and online now

Morrisons has added Easter eggs for cats and dogs to its range – for just £3.

With more and more customers celebrating special moments with their animals, Morrisons has come to the rescue to ensure pets can also enjoy this Easter with their very own eggs made from Carob, a pet-friendly alternative to chocolate.

The Webbox Easter egg for dogs and Easter egg for cats are a paw-sitively wonderful treat for furry friends this Easter and are crafted using delicious dairy alternatives – sure to set tails wagging.

Stephanie Milner, Morrisons pet food Buying Manager commented: “This is a first for Morrisons and we’re thrilled to be putting these on our shelves so even pets can enjoy a classic Easter treat.

“We know what a big part pets play in our customers’ lives so we’re excited to be able to include them in our Easter celebrations.”

The Webbox Easter egg for dogs and Webbox Easter egg for cats are both available now for £3 each in-stores and online.

Morrisons offers Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea for just £10

  • Afternoon tea includes a tower of sandwiches, cakes, fruit scones and a pot of tea for £10 –
  • Offer available in Morrisons cafés nationwide from 13th – 19th March –

Morrisons has cut the price of its popular afternoon tea for two to just £10 in its cafés ahead of Mother’s Day. 

Customers will receive a selection of sandwiches, cakes, fruit scones – complete with jam and clotted cream, and a pot of Yorkshire Tea for mums to enjoy as a tasty treat at an affordable price. 

The afternoon tea is presented on a three-tier stand just as it is in hotels and upmarket restaurants to give customers a touch of luxury and make the momentous day extra special.

For those that want to dine from the comfort of their own home, the afternoon tea can also be ordered for collection from the store at a date and time that is convenient for them.

At £5 per person, the Morrisons afternoon tea is a fraction of the price of alternatives including Fortnum & Mason’s which will set diners back £75 each.*

For younger customers looking to treat mum with their pocket money, there are alternative options available including:

  • toasted fruit tea cakes for £1.29
  • crumpets for just £0.99
  • hot drinks from £1.29.

Morrisons is committed to providing good quality food at affordable prices in its cafés and this deal follows the recent launch of a two-course set menu for just £8.99 . Morrisons is also continuing to reduce prices across its stores and has cut costs of 1,000s of products this year alone.  

Chris Strong, Morrisons Café buyer, says: “Treating mum shouldn’t cost the earth, that’s why we’re helping our customers by cutting the price of our popular afternoon tea for two just in time for Mother’s Day. 

“Customers can spoil mum with a selection of tasty sandwiches, cakes and fruit scones for just £10 – we look forward to welcoming families into our cafés to celebrate.”

The afternoon tea for two is available in all Morrisons cafés nationwide and can also be ordered for collection.

To find your local café, visit: https://my.morrisons.com/storefinder/

Aldi hits milestone of 30 million meals donated – with 137,000 in Edinburgh

Aldi has officially donated 30 million meals to good causes since launching its food donations initiative in 2019, with 137,938 meals being donated to local communities in Edinburgh. 

In partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly, all of the supermarket’s stores in Edinburgh are partnered with foodbanks, charities and community groups, who receive surplus food year-round.   

As a result of the successful partnership, more than 4,000 good causes across the country have now benefitted from the scheme, including soup kitchens and children’s breakfast clubs.  

The milestone follows Aldi’s donation of £250,000 to Neighbourly to launch its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund to further support increased demand during the cold months. 

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “Donating 137,938 meals in Edinburgh through our partnership with Neighbourly is an amazing achievement, with the initiative now more vital than ever for local community groups and charities who face soaring demand.  

“We’re committed to doing all that we can to support people in the communities where we trade, and through our partnership with Neighbourly we have helped to make food more accessible for those in Edinburgh.” 

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “We’ve worked with Aldi for several years to help them further their support for those in need.

“The cost-of-living crisis is impacting communities in Edinburgh and we’ve seen the demand on foodbanks and local causes increase drastically since our partnership began. 

“The support of the public and businesses like Aldi makes a huge difference. We know the donations have helped thousands of charities, community groups and families in need.” 

Aldi has also recently extended its partnership with Company Shop Group to help excess stock from its network of Regional Distribution Centres be redistributed to community stores across the UK.  

Charities and community groups interested in working with Aldi should contact Neighbourly at aldi@neighbourly.com

A Winner Two Course Dinner: Morrisons introduces £8.99 two-course set menu in all it’s Cafes

  • Customers can grab a main, hot dessert and drink for just £8.99
  • Kids Eat Free offer can be claimed alongside new deal
  • Available in all cafes now until April 2nd

Morrisons has launched a new two-course set menu in all its cafés allowing customers to get a main, hot dessert and drink for just £8.99.

Favourite dishes such as fish & chips, lasagne and a roast dinner with all the trimmings can be enjoyed alongside a drink and topped off with a Bramley apple crumble or a sticky toffee pudding – all for under a tenner.

The £8.99 two-course deal is available in every Morrisons café nationwide from today until April 2.  It comes after customers praised the value of the set menu at Christmas and asked if a similar deal could be introduced outside the festive season.

What’s more, the popular Kids Eat Free offer which allows customers to get a free kids meal with every adult meal costing £4.49 or more, can be claimed alongside the new £8.99 deal. Making Morrisons café the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious meal as a family at great value.

Kids can choose from the all-day breakfast menu as well as the main menu which includes favourites such as fish fingers & chips or chicken nuggets, chips & peas.  All items from the children’s menu are served with a piece of fruit and a drink.

Morrisons is committed to providing good quality food at affordable prices in its cafés and this deal follows last week’s two for £10 breakfast offer as well as the permanent price cuts that were made to the café menu at the end of last year. 

Morrisons is also continuing to reduce prices across its stores and has cut 1,000s of products this year alone.  

Chris Strong, Morrisons Café buyer, says: “Our customers told us how much they appreciated the great value of our set menu at Christmas and asked us if we could bring it back at other times of the year. 

“We’re pleased to be doing just that and offering a great value two course meal for just £8.99 – plus a drink!  As it can be used alongside our Kids Eat Free offer it means the whole family can benefit.”

The £8.99 meal is now available in all Morrisons cafés nationwide and to find your local café, visit: https://my.morrisons.com/storefinder/.

Aldi hiring 129 colleagues across Edinburgh and the Lothians 

Aldi has announced it is currently looking to hire 129 colleagues in Edinburgh and The Lothians.  

The supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles across the region, with pay rates of up to £12.40 an hour.  

This includes full and part-time positions such as Store Management Apprentice and Store Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Manager.  

Stores in Edinburgh and The Lothians, where Aldi is looking to hire, include Chesser, Dalkeith, and Hermiston Gait.  

The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive, with the supermarket opening a number of new stores across the UK in the next year. Aldi is also currently recruiting for 450 jobs at its 11 Regional Distribution Centres up and down the country.  

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK, said: “Demand for Aldi has never been higher as more and more people realise they can make significant savings on every shop without compromising on quality. It’s more important than ever that we are making it even easier for more people to shop with us – including by opening dozens of new stores.  

“Our success is dependent on the amazing work that colleagues do, day in and day out, and we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands more colleagues to Team Aldi throughout 2023.”  

Store Assistants at Aldi receive a starting pay of £11.00 an hour nationally, rising to £11.90, and £12.45 rising to £12.75, within the M25, with the supermarket also paying for breaks. Meanwhile, Aldi recently increased pay rates for around 7,000 warehouse workers, with Warehouse Selectors now receiving a minimum starting salary of £13.18 per hour.  

Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi can visit:

www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.  

Local Well pharmacies prepare to support patients affected by Lloyds Pharmacy supermarket closures

Local Well pharmacies in Edinburgh have geared up to support patients affected by the closure of the Lloyds pharmacies in the following Sainsbury’s supermarkets:

  • Abbeyhill, Moray Park, Meadowbank, EH7 5TS (Well Edinburgh – Stenhouse Cross, Well Edinburgh – Mayfield Road)
  • Murrayfield, Westfield Road, EH11 2QW (Well Edinburgh – Lochend Road South, Well Edinburgh – Restalrig Road, Well Edinburgh – Craigentinny Road)

Patients worried about the closure of their local Lloyds Pharmacy in Sainsbury’s are being invited down to meet the team one of their local Well pharmacies, which are just down the road.

Well Pharmacy, the UK’s largest independent pharmacy chain, has taken steps to make sure that its pharmacies across the country could add the capacity to support former Lloyds Pharmacy patients, including offering roles to some staff displaced by the closures.

And the CEO of the chain, Seb Hobbs, has urged locals to pop into any of the pharmacies to have a chat with the team about their healthcare needs the next time they are passing.

He said: “We were all really sorry to hear about the closures, as we know people really rely on having a local pharmacy that they can depend on.

““We want to make sure patients know there is an established and trustworthy pharmacy nearby that can support their healthcare needs, dispense their prescriptions and provide a full array of community pharmacy services. Our local team would be delighted to meet you, so please pop in anytime.”

Lloyds revealed recently that it planned to close all 237 of its pharmacies within the retailer’s stores, meaning that local patients will need to find a new pharmacy and its many members of staff now face an uncertain future. 

The cost of convenience? That’ll be £800 please – Which? reveals the extra cost of shopping local

Shoppers who regularly buy groceries from local supermarket convenience stores instead of bigger supermarkets are likely to pay hundreds of pounds more over the course of a year, new research from Which? has found. 

The consumer champion analysed the prices of own-label and branded items at the two largest traditional supermarket convenience chains, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local, and compared the costs with the same items at their larger equivalents or bought online.

The results highlight the eye-watering costs people face if they live in an area where larger stores are scarce or online delivery access is poor.

Which?’s research found that shoppers buying the same 75 items at Tesco Express, including Anchor Spreadable Butter, a Hovis white bread loaf and own-brand milk would be spending an extra £15.73 on average a week than those shopping online or at a larger Tesco store – £817.91 more over the course of a year.

At Sainsbury’s, Which? compared the prices of 69 groceries including Heinz tomato soup, McVities biscuits and Birds Eye Potato Waffles and found that shoppers using Sainsbury’s Local instead of shopping online or going to a larger store would have spent an extra £477.93 over the year.

While supermarket prices fluctuate all the time, Which?’s analysis revealed steep mark ups at both Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express stores on individual items. 

In the worst case included in Which?’s research, own-label sweet potatoes were 95p on average when bought online or at a big Tesco but £1.30 on average at Tesco Express – a difference of 37 per cent.

Which? also found Mr Kipling Bakewell slices were £1.27 online or at larger stores, but cost £1.62 at Tesco Express – 28 per cent more.

At Sainsbury’s the worst offender was Heinz Cream Of Tomato soup, which was £1.15 online and at the bigger store but £1.37 at Sainsbury’s Local – a 19 per cent mark-up.

Similarly Birds Eye Potato Waffles were £1.71 at Sainsbury’s, both online and at bigger stores, but £2.01 at Sainsbury’s Local.

Not all items were more expensive at convenience stores compared to big supermarkets. Anchor Spreadable Butter Tub (500g), Colgate Total Original Toothpaste (125ml) and Magnum Almond Ice Cream (4 pack) were all 3 per cent cheaper on average at Sainsbury’s Local compared to larger Sainsbury’s stores and online. Tesco’s own-label unsalted butter block (250g) was 2 per cent cheaper on average at Tesco Express than at larger Tesco stores and online.

The large differences in price show how challenging food shopping can be, especially for people who are more vulnerable to food insecurity, don’t shop online, or don’t have easy access to a larger supermarket. 

In November, Which? published the Priority Places for Food Index, developed with the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds, which showed that seven in 10 UK Parliamentary constituencies have at least one area in need of urgent help accessing affordable food – meaning that people living in these areas are most at risk in the cost of food crisis.

While supermarket convenience stores offer a local lifeline for many, or are an easy alternative when looking to avoid doing a big shop, Which?’s research shows that at a time when grocery prices are soaring, many shoppers face higher costs than they would do if they went to a larger supermarket or shopped online.

Which? is campaigning for supermarkets to do more to support consumers through the current cost of living crisis in a range of ways.

This includes ensuring that affordable ranges are available, for example by offering a range of budget lines for affordable essential items that enable a healthy diet across their stores including convenience stores and particularly in locations where people most need support.

As well as ensuring budget range availability in all stores, Which? is calling for supermarkets to make unit pricing clearer, more legible and consistent so that people can more easily understand the best deals. Offering targeted support by focussing their marketing budgets and promotions to support those struggling, with offers, vouchers and loyalty card benefits targeted at the places and households where people are most in need.

As part of its Affordable Food For All campaign, Which? has published a 10-point plan of steps supermarkets can take across these three key areas to help ensure affordable food is available to everyone who needs it.

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Food Policy, said: “Convenience stores offer a local lifeline for some shoppers, but Which? research shows shopping at a supermarket convenience shop rather than a bigger store comes at a cost – at a time when soaring grocery prices are putting huge pressure on household budgets.

“We know the big supermarkets have the ability to take action and make a real difference to people struggling through the worst cost of living crisis in decades. That’s why we’re calling on them to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food lines at a store near them, can easily compare the price of products to get the best value and that promotions are targeted at supporting people most in need.”

Which? recently launched its Affordable Food For All campaign calling on supermarkets to step up and help consumers keep food on the table. The consumer champion has defined how this can be achieved in a 10-point plan that sets out specific steps supermarkets can take in three main areas: clear and transparent pricing, access to affordable food ranges across all stores and more targeted promotions for consumers who are struggling.

Alongside the University of Leeds Consumer Data Research Centre, Which? has developed the Priority places for food index which shows where in the UK people are the most vulnerable to food insecurity.

RAISING THE STEAKS: Morrisons unveils Valentine’s Day Surf n Turf deals for £5 per person

–  Shoppers can choose from Oysters and Beef Brisket, Langoustines and Beef Sirloin or Scallops and Flat Iron at purse pleasing prices

–  All offers are available until Valentine’s Day 

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Seafood and steak lovers rejoice! Morrisons has revealed its best deals on surf n turf yet – just in time for Valentine’s Day. 

For £5 per person, couples can recreate a fine dining experience from the comfort of their own home – combining mouth-watering flavours of land and sea on one delicious plate. 

For a truly pearl-fect match, couples can select the Counter Oysters (£1 each or 6 for £5 from 9th Feb) and Morrisons Flat Iron (£4.00) for a perfect premium main, especially for the day of love. Add a touch of luxury with a bottle of Charles de Villers Champagne Brut (down to £12 from £24 for My Morrisons members).

Not a time to be shell-fish, couples can treat their loved one to delicious Langoustines (£1.25) combined with tender Beef Sirloin (£15/kg My Morrisons, £17.50/kg) for a decadent meal to impress. Top off the meal with a glass of the delicately fruity Morrisons Pinot Noir (£4.79)*,which was commended at the 2022 International Wine Challenge.

If that wasn’t all, Morrisons fans will adore juicy King Scallops (£1 each or 6 for £5.00) served with Morrisons 100% Beef Brisket (£7.49) for a deliciously meaty treat. The Best Chilean Chardonnay (down to £6.99 from £8.25), with notes of citrus and richness on the palate, is the ideal accompaniment. 

Shoppers can mix and match across fish and meat deals to create their ideal pairing and get something they can both enjoy. All deals will be available in-store until Valentine’s Day, giving lovers plenty of time to get their hands on these great deals.