Aldi is the common brand for two separate German discount supermarket groups, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd, which trace their origins to a food store opened by the Albrecht family in Essen in 1913. The two divisions have operated as legally and financially separate companies since the 1960s, yet both use the Aldi name and closely related visual identities. The word “Aldi” itself derives from the founders’ surname Albrecht and the German word “Diskont,” meaning discount.
Design and History
The first logo to carry the Aldi name was introduced in 1975, a white sans-serif logotype set against a dark blue background in a rectangular frame. The familiar stylized “A” symbol with a three-lined frame was originally introduced in 1982, and was last refreshed in 2006 before the most recent redesign. [1]
In March 2017, Aldi Süd unveiled a new corporate logo, describing it as reflecting “the significant developments that the company in recent times.” The redesign was developed together with the Germany-based consultancy Illion Markensocietaet. [2] [3] The rollout began in China in March 2017, where the logo was supplemented with Chinese characters, and was scheduled to reach all other Aldi Süd markets from June 2017. [4]
The 2017 update retained the blue background and yellow, orange and red border, but changed the Aldi “A” to feature more of a “wave” design, and altered the font used for the word “Aldi.” [2] The new logo slims down the bright borders, adds shading and lighting effects to the stylized “A,” removes the blue frame around the central “A,” and makes the lettering of the word “Aldi” less angular and dense. [5] The redesign was described as the first “substantial change” to the logo since the design was introduced in 1982, following a smaller tweak in 2006. [5]
Kirsten Geß, communication director at Aldi Süd, said the fresh visual design of the new logo was “ideally suited to the current modernisation process of ALDI SÜD,” pointing to developments in the product range, store redesigns and new initiatives such as a pop-up store. [6] An Aldi spokesperson said the logo was designed to “reflect the contemporary image of ALDI and key developments it has recently undertaken,” adding that “the principle of simplicity is reflected in the new logo.” [7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2017 redesign kept Aldi’s trademark colour palette of red, blue, yellow and orange, applied “in a more dynamic and contemporary style.” [5] The typical colours of the corporate logo, described as red, blue, cyan, yellow and orange, remained unchanged, and the well-known light blue “A” continued to form part of the logo while also appearing as a standalone design element in the modernized identity. [4]
The 2017 logo bucked the flat design trend common in branding at the time, instead opting for a 3D look with a colour gradient. The familiar “A” logomark remained, but the shape of the letter was squashed into a more abstract version, with the recognisable blue stripes carried into the new design. [6] The sharp blue lines within a box forming the “A” were replaced by smoother “ribbons,” and the white “ALDI” block letters received a similar curved re-work. [7]
Typography and Design
The 2017 redesign introduced a curved typeface for the word “Aldi,” building on a design first introduced in 1982. [6] The new lettering was described as less angular and dense than the previous version, with the white “ALDI” block letters receiving a curved treatment to match the smoother “ribbon” lines of the “A” symbol. [5] [7]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
