WE can throw our hands up all we want about an over-saturation of supermarkets in Tamworth.
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But at the end of the day, us shoppers will be the big winners.
An application has been lodged to Tamworth Regional Council to develop a $6.4 million Aldi supermarket on Peel Street.
It could take the city’s supermarket count to 10 – three of which belong to the German discount grocery chain.
Aldi has already well and truly staked its claim in Tamworth.
The company opened its Centrepoint store in 2012, and then lodged a development application (DA) in February of this year to develop a $5.39 million second store off Scott Road.
Three months later, and Aldi representatives have made the move to develop the 1715-square-metre vacant block of land on Peel Street, between the Elgas headquarters and the BP service station, into a third Aldi store for the city.
The latest DA is no doubt part of the company’s plans to open 25 new stores a year on the east coast.
Those plans are not without their critics.
Opponents might argue growth could only intensify the fierce supermarket giant war across the country, and also take away business from the few independent grocers that remain.
But on the upside, increased competition brings with it the frantic bid to get feet through the door – and that comes with cheaper prices.
More supermarkets mean more variety and cheaper produce.
Mayor Col Murray is right when he says competition is what holds prices to order.
Development also brings with it jobs.
The latest Aldi store is mooted to employ up to 20 full-time and part-time staff.
While Aldi has remained tight-lipped on whether the latest DA is in addition to the one lodged in February, either way there will be at least two of the discount chain stores.
That is on top of the seven others in Tamworth.
Competition is healthy, but have we reached the point of over-saturating the local market?
Some may argue that the money is better spent elsewhere or on something else, but why knock it if it’s going to stop us reaching further into our hip pockets?
It might be a risky business move, but that’s the nature of the game.
