Aldi and Save-a-Lot Discount stores such as Aldi and Save-a-Lot have continued to gain popularity with shoppers from all walks of life. In fact, these two discount store chains are currently undergoing major expansion.

Back in the days when the economy was still doing very well, what one would see in the parking lots of these discount stores were old and beat-up cars. Nowadays, even Hummers and Lexus’ can be seen parked in the stores’ parking lots. This alone is proof that discount stores have started moving into the shopping mainstream of America. These stores have expanded their customer base from people who are financially challenged and are on a fixed income to people who could afford to shop at more expensive supermarkets.

According to SupermarketGuru.com’s analyst Phil Lempert, discount stores are a good place to shop, especially with the current faltering economy. Food analysts say that even when the economy recovers, these customers may well continue to shop at these discount stores if the experience that they get is positive every time they shop there. Also, more and more consumers are becoming less brand conscious. They are beginning to patronize less popular store brands that offer excellent quality products.

What makes discount stores work despite a struggling economy is that they do not spend so much on employing a number of people, they operate relatively small establishments, and they offer fewer items, the majority of which are more reasonably priced store-owned brands. These stores do not have the added features of a fresh bakery or seafood department. Despite the limited selections available, shoppers still appreciate discount stores as they allow them to save and cut down a lot on their grocery budget.