ALDI - Pre-requisites and Assumptions - Case Study Example

Assessment Client Inserts His/her Name Client Inserts Grade Course Client Inserts Tutor’s Name 10/10/2012 Introduction ALDI is a grocery enterprise that was started in 1913. The food supermarket is reputed as the top most retail outlet worldwide (ALDI, 2012). ALDAI has a goal of “providing customers with the products they buy regularly and ensure that those products are of the highest possible quality at guaranteed low prices” (ALDI, 2012). The company focuses on consumer safety, health and wellbeing as well as product sustainability (ALDI, 2012; b). Its first store was established in Essen, Germany in 1913 but the retailer has developed to open several branches in different part of the world. Today ALDI has about 700 stores outlets selling fresh products of the food industry such as cheese, yoghurt, sausages and meat. The stores are located in different countries serving millions of people (ALDI, 2012; c). ALDI takes a number of Cooperate Responsibility Services (CSR) with a focus of: minimising energy efficiency in their trade, reduce the environmental impact of its business aiming to lower carbon footprint (ALDI, 2012; b). ALDI is currently undertaking a project that targets to reduce obesity levels in consumers. PROJECT BACKGROUND Obesity has become a global epidemic to children. The conditions stems from unhealthy feeding habits. According to Krem.com (2012), biological, behavioural and environmental factors are associated with obesity. The condition, results from imbalance of energy in which case, the patient consumes too much calories while not engaging in sufficient physical activity. According to report by Australian Institute of health and Welfare, over 60% of Australian adults were overweight by June 2011(The Conversation.edu, 2011). It is also observed that, behaviour and environment plays a major role in causing overweight (Krem.com, 2012). To this end, modification of these conditions can be a prevention line. Jerry Balentine (2012) observes that “obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration; it is a chronic medical disease that can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and gallstones. It is difficult to treat and has a high relapse rate – over 95% of obese who lose weight regain it within five years”. ALDI, informed by the public concern of growing cases obesity and the feeling to serve clients better, is embarking on a program to reduce it significantly among the consumers. Background of Proposal With a considerable knowledge about the health repercussions of obesity, the increasing cases of this chronic condition and the fact that obesity can be minimised, ALDI seeks to embark on a CSR project that will see a significant reduction in overweight in coming years. The grocery targets residents of Victoria as a starting point with a projection of reducing obesity rate by year 2014 within the suburbs of the town. The project targets the external environment and in particular the human activities as a sure way of reducing obesity given the high reoccurrence rate of this condition. This project is very important both to ALDI and consumers. The company will be able to enlarge its market base since it will attract so many beneficiaries of this offer and for a long period of time. ALDI business will expand since it will provide the healthy food supplements to customers over and over. On the other hand, consumers will acquire skills on healthy living and on how to increase life span. The project is aimed to work as a marketing and socially interactive component. The Project as a Marketing Component Marketing officers from the grocery will be engaged in door to door campaigns against obesity. They will also visit public forums and institutions like schools, hospitals and sales depots. The company will also use mass media in this campaign while it may also sponsor community sporting activities to raise awareness on some of the non-medical practises that help reduce obesity. Products of ALDI will be promoted alongside the obesity campaign since prevention and control of obesity calls for nutritional and physical activity approaches (Katz et.al, 2005). This will widen and improve awareness of the food supplements sold by the company. Project as a socially Interactive Component Certain activities of the campaign like sporting activities and public rallies will bring together ALDI officers and their customers. This will add to the CSR projects taken by the grocery allowing unlimited interaction between the consumers and company officials. Interests of both parties will be identified more vividly in the event. PROJECT DEFINITION Nature of the Project This project will involve designing health lessons associated with diabetes – causes, prevalence, prevention and control. The design of the lessons will be informed by the theme ‘’healthy living’’ and will incorporate products sold in our outlets. As a CSR project, the lessons will be delivered to the targeted population by staff of ALDI in a manner that will ensure that the entire targeted population is addressed. The company will hire medical experts to give orientation to the staff on medical perspectives of obesity. The staff will then disseminate this knowledge in addition to nutritional knowledge to the target population. Project Aim The aim of this project is to reduce obesity cases in Australia by 10-20 % starting with the Brunswick area by the end of 2014. Upon success, the project will expand to other areas. This aim is consistent with ALDI mission statement and corporate co-values in the following ways: i) Expansion of client base: The CSR project targets to reach out to many. Given its focus on human health and added to the widespread concern about obesity, this project stands to attract traffic to ALDI products and outlet stores. The company, from its campaigns, will effectively benefit from an improved public approval and affiliation. ii) Sponsorship Acquisition Obesity is today a health disaster globally with several local international organizations including doctors, local authorities, education providers, charities, campaign groups and the public. For instance The United Kingdom doctors under the umbrella of Academy of Royal Medical Colleges on 16th April 2012 launched an anti-obesity campaign (Ingredients Network, 2012). The United Nations – CDC project and the Public Health Department of the government are staging campaigns to reduce it. ALDI, therefore, stands to receive support in mergers and financial sponsorships both locally and abroad. iii) Improved Reputation The anti-obesity campaign project will boost reputation of ALDI Company. The co-values of customer service, safety of food and nutrition sensitivity will be more pronounced in this project. iv) Investor Attraction This project stands to attract several investors both in the economic and medical fronts. Upon creating awareness, the CSR project will initiate demand of consumer goods and services associated with obesity reduction. Since a larger percentage of the population (above 60%) is affected, the demand will be so immense that ALDI together with competing companies in the food industry will not sufficiently feed the demand. Investors in gymnastics, educational services, and health products among others will, therefore, emerge. Project Scope The CSR project will be taken between years 2012 and 2014. This includes period of designing teaching materials, organizing the teaching personnel and the door to door operation. Advertisements by way of mass media such as TV will also be done during this time. The project targets residents of Victoria city in Australia. In addition, non- residents who will be in the town during this period but are included. It is expected that by year 2014, between 10% and 20% of obese residents will have acquired adequate skills necessary for healthy living. The project is limited to Victoria since it will be sponsored solely by ALDI holdings with limited resources and that the project will be a pilot study. However, in the case of interest by several other organizations and in case of success to this initial project, ALDI will expand the anti-obesity campaign to other regions. Pre-requisites and Assumptions ALDI has operated CSR initiatives in the past and hence understands how such projects are designed and carried out. The retailer has enough personnel and finances for this project. However, it will seek to hire a few medical personnel to help in the project. It will also solicit for funding in case of need from friendly partners and potential donors. The client base is very large since the company has several outlets hence famous. It will also be able to capture so many since the project will address a health condition of concern by many. It is also assumed that the government, through its officers, will cooperate and allow ALDI use public facilities like hospitals, stadiums and schools among others. List of References ALDI.com. 2012. About The Company. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/company/about_us.htm ALDI.com; b. 2012. Aldi Corporate Responsibility Policy. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/company/14339.htm ALDI.com; c. 2012. ALDI History. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/company/3777.htm Balentine R. Jerry. 2012. Obesity Facts. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.medicinenet.com/obesity_weight_loss/article.htm#obesity_facts Creagh, Sunanda. June 20, 2011. Over 60% Australian Adults Now Overweight or Obese. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://theconversation.edu.au/over-60-australian-adults-now-overweight-or-obese-1924 David L. Katz, et.al. October 7, 2005. Public Health Strategies for Preventing and Controlling Overweight and Obesity in School and Worksite Settings A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5410a1.htm Ingredients Network. 16th April 2012. UK doctors to campaign against obesity. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://www.ingredientsnetwork.com/news-content/full/uk-doctors-to-campaign-against-obesity KREM. Com.2012. Factors Contributing to Obesity. October 11, 2012. Available at: http://ww2.krem.com/Global/story.asp?S=2009937 Read More