Discount chain Aldi plans to sell US$250 treadmills

Chicago

THERE is sure to be a run on discount retailer Aldi's latest product.

The grocery chain plans to sell ProForm treadmills alongside its usual assortment of cereal, produce and snack foods.

And at US$249.99, according to its website, it will be well below the going rate for such a sought-after piece of exercise equipment, which generally costs anywhere from several hundred bucks to more than US$10,000 - when they can be found.

The pandemic has caused intermittent shortages of treadmills and similar items over the last year as consumers buy up the equipment that they used to rely on their gyms for.

The treadmill will not be a regular item at Aldi - it is part of the company's so-called "Aldi Finds", which are weekly deals on merchandise the retailer is able to source for lower-than-normal prices. The constant rotation of items, which generally include packaged food and home furnishings, spark return visits by treasure-hunting shoppers.

The expansion of the German retailer in the United States, alongside its rival Lidl, has intensified grocery competition in recent years. Both companies have a similar model of offering discount prices on a narrower range of products than the average grocery store.

While it is not uncommon to see exercise products such as weights in the Aldi Finds aisle, the treadmill is somewhat unusual for a retailer where space is at a premium. Aldi sales floors are generally about 10,000 square feet - a fraction the size of a Walmart or a Costco.

It is the first time Aldi is offering a treadmill in more than 10 years, and exercise items are often offered at the start of the year, the company said in an emailed statement. "We've also offered other large items in the past, including stationary bikes, gas BBQ grills and furniture."

Consistent with Aldi's no-frills model, shoppers should expect to organise transportation of the bulky item themselves. BLOOMBERG