People are just realizing Aldi never plays music in their stores - but they have a very good reason
Aldi has revealed why it does not play music in its stores after scores of shoppers flooded internet forums seeking answers.
The supermarket chain said its decision is aimed at keeping costs low for customers as it can pass on the savings it makes by not having to pay to license music.
The revelation comes after shoppers flocked to Reddit forums to complain about the store's lack of tunes and said they were shocked by how quiet it is inside.
But an Aldi spokesperson has since told Southern Living: 'No detail is overlooked in Aldi stores when it comes to saving money for our customers, and that includes our decision not to play music'.
Aldi does not have music in any of its stores, which helps the supermarket chain save money and offer frequent sales for customers
If Aldi were to have music, the company would be required to obtain music licenses in order to not face lawsuits from music rights organizations or record companies
The German supermarket chain is well-known for its bargain basement discounts, and has implemented a series of other schemes to help off-set its low-cost deals.
Among these is its shopping cart rental policy that costs shoppers 25 cents.
'This 25-cent deposit ultimately saves our customers money because we don’t have to hire extra staff to collect grocery carts,' Aldi's website states.
Expanding further about the decision not to play music, a spokesperson told Southern Living: 'We’re committed to passing every cent of savings on to Aldi shoppers, whether that’s through our quarter cart system or our Aldi exclusive brands, and so when we realized we could save even more on music licensing costs, it was a no-brainer'.
It is not an easy process for business owners to license music due to various requirements.
An average music licensing fee can cost anywhere between $250 and over $2,000, and it's led to businesses signing up for commercial streaming services, according to Cloud Cover Music.
Factors that decide the final cost of music licensing for businesses include its size and number of locations.
There are also several different types of music licenses and agreements.
Some businesses have signed up for commercial streaming services to avoid paying expensive music licensing fees
Broadcast Music Inc (BMI) is currently the largest music rights organization in the US, and it has the rights to more than 22 million songs.
If select Aldi stores obtained a BMI music license, those locations would be allowed to play songs by artists that the music rights organization represents.
Other songs that aren't part of BMI would need a separate license, which would hike up the cost.
However, music in businesses like supermarket chains is considered a public performance.
This is explains why the only way a store can legally play music that's not on a streaming service is to get a license, which can be costly.
