Retail giant Aldi to cut hundreds of jobs in Germany

German supermarket chain Aldi is set to cut hundreds of jobs at its headquarters over the coming years, the retail giant told dpa on Friday.

Aldi did not give an exact figure, but dpa understands that up to 500 jobs in accounting, HR and purchasing will be affected.

In Germany, the Aldi business has been divided into Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord since the Aldi brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht set up two separate companies in 1961.

Aldi Süd operates in the west and the south of the country, while Aldi Nord runs supermarkets in northern and eastern Germany - a divide that is sometimes referred to as the Aldi equator.

The job cuts affect the Aldi Süd business.

The company did not give specific reasons for the move, but said Aldi has always aimed to streamline processes and continues to develop them.

Aldi Süd currently employs 2,000 people at its headquarters in the city of Mühlheim an der Ruhr, north of Dusseldorf.

Nationwide, the company runs some 2,000 supermarkets employing a total of 50,000 workers, making it one of the biggest food retailers in Germany.