The discounter Aldi Nord wants to close several branches earlier in the evening during the energy crisis. The opening hours of "numerous markets" would be adjusted, the company announced on Twitter on Tuesday evening. Beginning in November, these markets would close at 8 p.m. The measure, which is intended to contribute to saving energy, initially applies to the winter period of 2022/2023. So far, many Aldi Nord markets in big cities like Hanover or Hamburg have been open longer, around 9 p.m. Aldi Nord did not say how many and which markets are affected by shorter opening hours.

Instead of 9 or 10 p.m., the affected branches would close at 8 p.m. from November, a company spokesman said on Wednesday. However, markets that have longer opening hours are exempt from this. "This applies, for example, to markets in shopping centers and branches where customer frequency is particularly high between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.." Customers would be informed about the changes prominently in the stores and online.

Energy is a major cost item in retail, especially for refrigerating goods and lighting. However, shorter opening hours are controversial in the industry. Rewe boss Lionel Souque recently said that shortening the opening hours had not yet been considered. In principle, the goal of the Rewe Group is "to make the greatest possible contribution to the savings required nationwide without creating restrictions for our customers," it said at the beginning of September. Rewe probably shares this goal with most other retailers. Rossmann recently promised that the cost-cutting measures would "barely be felt" by customers.

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