Aldi Video Interview Questions UK: What to Expect and How to Answer Them

Getting an Aldi video interview invitation is genuinely good news — it means your application stood out from hundreds, sometimes thousands, of others. But here’s where many candidates stumble: they assume the hard part is over and walk into the recording unprepared.

The Aldi video interview is structured, scored, and unforgiving of vague answers. There’s no recruiter to prompt you, no opportunity to clarify a question mid-answer, and no second chance to recover from a poor response. What you say — and how you say it — is assessed cold, against a fixed competency framework.

This guide is built around what actually works. It covers every likely question, how to structure your answers using the STAR method, what Aldi’s assessors are specifically looking for, and the technical basics that too many candidates overlook. If you put in the preparation this guide outlines, you’ll walk into that recording in a significantly stronger position than the majority of applicants.

What Is the Aldi Video Interview?

The Aldi video interview is a pre-recorded, asynchronous screening assessment used in the early stages of Aldi UK’s recruitment process. Candidates record responses to pre-set questions on a digital platform — most commonly HireVue — which are then reviewed and scored by Aldi’s hiring team against a defined competency framework. Every applicant answers the same questions under identical conditions.

This format is used across multiple Aldi UK roles, including Store Assistant, Deputy Store Manager, Store Manager, and the Area Manager Graduate Programme. It replaces the initial telephone screening that many retailers still rely on, and it’s a far more revealing assessment than most candidates expect.

Key Facts About the Aldi Video Interview Format

• Duration: 20 to 40 minutes in total
• Number of questions: Typically 4 to 8
• Format: Competency-based and motivational questions
• Platform: HireVue (or a comparable pre-recorded video tool)
• Attempts per question: Usually 1 to 2
• Preparation window: 30 seconds to 1 minute before recording begins

Understanding this format before you begin is critical. Without the natural rhythm of a live conversation, your answers need to be structured and self-contained from the very first sentence. There’s no warm-up, no small talk, and no prompting — just you, the question, and the clock.

Why Aldi Uses Pre-Recorded Video Interviews

Aldi receives tens of thousands of applications for UK roles every year. Pre-recorded video interviews allow their recruitment team to screen large candidate pools efficiently while maintaining a consistent, standardised assessment process across every applicant.

From a candidate’s perspective, this format has genuine advantages. You complete it from home, at a time that suits you, with no travel required. But the absence of a live interviewer also removes every social cue you’d normally rely on — there’s no nod of encouragement, no follow-up question to guide you back on track, and no way to gauge whether your answer landed well.

The candidates who perform best in Aldi video interviews are those who treat it with the same level of preparation they’d bring to a formal face-to-face interview — because that is exactly what it is.

Most Common Aldi Video Interview Questions

These questions appear most frequently across Aldi UK video interviews for roles including Store Assistant, Deputy Store Manager, Store Manager, and the Area Manager Graduate Programme. Use this section to build a prepared answer for each one before your recording date.

Motivational and Values-Based Questions

Why do you want to work for Aldi?

This is the question that sorts serious candidates from those who’ve simply clicked “apply” on every supermarket vacancy they could find. Aldi wants to hear that you understand their business model — low prices, operational efficiency, lean staffing, and consistent quality — and that you’ve specifically chosen them for a reason.

Avoid saying you “enjoy working in retail.” That applies to any employer. Instead, reference specifics: Aldi is now the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket by market share, they consistently lead the industry on staff pay, and their own-brand product strategy delivers quality at prices their competitors can’t easily match. Show them you’ve done the work.

What do you know about Aldi as a business?

This question is a basic competency check, and failing it signals a lack of genuine interest. Key facts to weave naturally into your answer:

• Aldi was founded in Germany in 1946 by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht
• The business operates over 1,000 stores across the UK
• Their model centres on a streamlined own-brand product range rather than the broad multi-brand approach used by competitors
• Aldi has committed to sustained UK store expansion and regularly announces significant investment in new locations
• They are widely recognised for above-minimum-wage pay and for publicly stated sustainability commitments

Why do you want this specific role?

Connect the role’s responsibilities directly to your background, experience, and genuine ambitions. If you’re applying for the Area Manager Graduate Programme, explain precisely what draws you to the structured training timeline, the rapid progression to responsibility, and the operational scope of the role. Generic enthusiasm is easy to detect and scores poorly. Specificity and authentic motivation score well.

Competency-Based Questions

Tell me about a time you worked under pressure and delivered results.

This is consistently the most frequently asked competency question across all Aldi roles in the UK. Retail is a high-pressure environment — that’s not incidental, it’s the nature of the work. Aldi needs evidence that you perform when the stakes are real, not just when conditions are comfortable.

Use an example from work, university, or volunteering that involved a genuine deadline, a resource constraint, or an unexpectedly difficult situation. The more specific and quantifiable, the better.

Describe a time you dealt with a difficult customer or colleague.

Conflict resolution and sustained professionalism under pressure are non-negotiable in any retail environment. A strong answer demonstrates:

• Emotional control when the situation became tense
• Active listening to properly understand the other person’s position
• A clear, solutions-focused approach rather than escalating the conflict
• A positive outcome — ideally one that resolved the issue for both parties

One important note: avoid placing all blame on the other person. Aldi values candidates who show self-awareness, maturity, and the ability to reflect honestly on how they contributed to resolving a difficult situation.

Give an example of when you showed leadership.

Leadership in this context doesn’t require a management title or a formal position of authority. Taking initiative on a project, mentoring a new team member, stepping up during a crisis, or organising a team when direction was lacking — all of these count. What matters is that you took ownership, influenced others constructively, and achieved a positive result through your actions.

Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly to change.

Every retail environment changes constantly — new systems, unexpected staff shortages, shifting priorities, unplanned promotions. Aldi wants evidence that you’re solutions-focused and adaptable, not resistant or unsettled when circumstances shift. Describe a specific change, your immediate response to it, the actions you took, and the outcome that followed.

Describe a time you went above and beyond for a customer.

Customer focus is central to Aldi’s culture at every level. A strong answer includes a specific scenario, a clear description of the additional effort you made, and — wherever possible — a measurable or observable positive outcome. “The customer specifically asked to speak to my manager to thank me” is significantly stronger than “they seemed quite happy.”

Situational and Scenario-Based Questions

How would you handle a situation where a team member wasn’t pulling their weight?

This question assesses your people management instincts and your understanding of appropriate process. Aldi expects you to:

• Address the issue directly and constructively — do not ignore it or hope it resolves itself
• Take time to understand the reason behind the underperformance before drawing conclusions
• Follow the appropriate workplace process rather than escalating immediately or making it personal
• Keep the focus on performance improvement and team impact, not personal frustration

If you noticed a safety hazard in the store, what would you do?

Health and safety compliance is a legal obligation in UK retail, and Aldi takes it seriously. Walk through a clear, methodical response:

1. Isolate the hazard immediately to prevent any risk to customers or colleagues
2. Alert the relevant manager or the designated responsible person
3. Follow the store’s health and safety protocol as trained
4. Document the incident in line with store and legal requirements

Process-driven answers score highly here because they demonstrate that you treat safety as a genuine priority rather than a box-ticking exercise.

How to Answer Using the STAR Method

The STAR method is the most effective framework for structuring competency-based answers in any video interview — and it’s particularly well-suited to Aldi’s assessment format. It ensures your responses are logical, evidence-based, and easy to score, which is precisely what Aldi’s assessors are trained to look for.

What Is the STAR Method?

The STAR method is a structured interview response technique that organises answers into four components: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It is widely used in UK graduate recruitment and retail management assessment to evaluate candidates’ competency through specific, real-world examples.

• Situation — Set the context. Where were you, and what was the challenge or problem?
• Task — What was your specific responsibility within that situation?
• Action — What did you personally do? Always use “I” rather than “we.”
• Result — What was the outcome? Quantify it wherever possible.

STAR Method Example Answer

Question: Tell me about a time you worked under pressure.

“During my final year at university, I was working part-time at a busy café while completing my dissertation. In the weeks before Christmas, two colleagues left without notice, leaving us significantly understaffed during our most demanding period of the year. Rather than waiting to be told what to do, I immediately volunteered for additional shifts, redesigned the weekly rota to redistribute tasks more efficiently, and personally trained two new hires within a week. As a result, we maintained our usual service standards throughout the Christmas rush without any customer complaints, and my manager formally recognised my contribution in my end-of-year performance review.”

This answer works because every component of STAR is present and clear. The situation is specific, the task is defined, the actions are personal and detailed, and the result is measurable. That is the exact structure Aldi’s assessors are scoring against.

Expert Insight

Recruiters who assess video interviews at this level of volume are experienced at spotting answers that sound rehearsed but lack genuine substance. The most effective STAR answers feel like a conversation — they’re structured, yes, but they’re told as a story, not recited as a formula. Practise your answers aloud, not just in your head, until the structure feels natural rather than mechanical.

STAR Method Tips for Aldi Specifically

• Keep each answer between 90 seconds and 2.5 minutes — long enough to be thorough, short enough to stay focused
• Always use “I” to make your individual contribution unmistakably clear
• Quantify outcomes wherever you can — specific numbers, timescales, and results are far more convincing than general claims
• Get to the situation quickly — don’t spend 45 seconds setting up context before reaching the actual content of your answer
• Prepare at least six to eight distinct STAR examples before your interview date, covering pressure, leadership, conflict, customer service, teamwork, and change

Aldi’s Core Values and How to Reflect Them

Aldi’s recruitment scoring framework is directly tied to their internal values. Candidates who understand these values — and who reflect them authentically in their answers — consistently score higher at every stage of the UK recruitment process.

The Three Core Aldi Values

Simplicity

Aldi removes unnecessary complexity from everything they do. Their product range is streamlined, their store layouts are deliberate, and their operational processes are designed to be efficient above all else. In your answers, show that you value clarity, efficiency, and straightforward problem-solving over overcomplicated approaches.

Real-world example to use: If you’ve ever simplified a process at work, eliminated a bottleneck in a team workflow, or found a cleaner way to communicate previously confusing information — that’s the kind of example that resonates directly with this value.

Consistency

Aldi’s business model depends on rigorous, unwavering consistency. The same standards, the same quality, the same experience — across every store, every shift, every interaction with every customer. Demonstrate reliability and a track record of delivering results repeatedly under varying conditions, not just once in ideal circumstances.

Responsibility

Taking ownership is fundamental to every Aldi role at every level of the business. Show that you follow through on commitments, that you hold yourself accountable when things don’t go as planned, and that you don’t look for someone else to blame when situations become difficult. Responsibility, in Aldi’s culture, also means proactively identifying problems and solving them before they escalate.

When your STAR examples authentically reflect these three values, your answers naturally align with the competency framework Aldi’s assessors use to evaluate and score every response.

Technical Tips for Your Aldi Video Interview

The content of your answers is what ultimately determines whether you progress. But a poor technical setup can seriously undermine even the strongest responses — and first impressions in video format are formed within seconds. Get the basics right so that nothing distracts from what you’re actually saying.

Environment and Setup

• Choose a quiet room where interruptions are genuinely unlikely — close the door, silence your phone, and let anyone in the house know you’re recording
• Use a neutral, uncluttered background — a plain wall is ideal; a busy bookshelf or cluttered desk introduces visual noise that draws attention away from you
• Ensure consistent, strong lighting; natural light coming from in front of you (not behind) works best
• Never sit with a window behind you — backlighting will silhouette your face and make it difficult to assess your expressions

Camera and Audio

• Use a laptop or desktop rather than a phone wherever possible — it conveys a more considered, professional approach
• Test your microphone and internet connection in advance — a dropped connection mid-answer is a stressful and avoidable problem
• Speak clearly and at a measured, deliberate pace; nerves cause most people to rush without realising it

Dress Code

• Dress as you would for a formal face-to-face interview — smart casual to business attire, depending on the level of role you’re applying for
• Avoid bright patterns or overly busy colour combinations, which can appear distracting on camera
• What you wear signals how seriously you’re taking the process — and Aldi’s assessors will notice

During the Interview

• Look directly at your camera lens, not at your own image on the screen — this creates genuine eye contact with the viewer
• Keep answers within the 90-second to 2.5-minute range per question
• Do not read directly from written notes — it is immediately visible on camera and significantly reduces how confident and credible you appear
• Have a glass of water within reach — a brief, natural pause to collect your thoughts is far better than rushing into a poorly structured answer

Before You Begin

• Run a full test recording on your device and watch it back critically
• Read each question in full before your preparation window begins
• Keep brief bullet-point prompts nearby if they help you stay on track — but treat them as a safety net, not a script

Common Mistakes That Get Candidates Rejected

Understanding what not to do is as strategically important as knowing what to do. These are the most common reasons candidates fail at the Aldi video interview stage in the UK.

Giving vague, generic answers

“I’m a hard-working team player who thrives under pressure” is a statement, not evidence. It adds nothing to your score and tells assessors nothing about your actual capability. Every claim you make needs a specific, real example to support it. If you can’t back it up with a story, don’t make the claim.

Saying “we” instead of “I”

This is one of the most frequently made errors in competency-based video interviews. Aldi’s assessors are scoring your individual contribution — not your team’s collective achievement. If your answer focuses on what your team did rather than what you specifically brought to the situation, it won’t score well regardless of how impressive the outcome was.

Failing to research Aldi specifically

If your answer to “Why Aldi?” could apply equally to Tesco, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, or any other UK supermarket, it will score at the lower end. Demonstrate specific knowledge of Aldi’s business model, their market position, their values, and why those things matter to you personally.

Answering too briefly or significantly exceeding the time limit

Both signal poor communication skills. An answer that’s too short suggests a lack of depth and preparation. An answer that runs too long suggests an inability to prioritise information and communicate it efficiently — a significant concern in a role that demands operational clarity. Aim consistently for structured, focused answers in the 90-second to 2.5-minute range.

A poor technical setup

Bad audio quality, a distracting background, or an unstable internet connection creates a negative impression before a single word of your answer has been assessed. These are entirely preventable problems. Test everything the day before, not ten minutes before you begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Aldi video interview in the UK?

The Aldi video interview is a pre-recorded, asynchronous screening assessment used in the early stages of Aldi UK’s recruitment process. Candidates record answers to pre-set competency-based questions on a platform such as HireVue. Responses are reviewed and scored by Aldi’s hiring team against a defined framework. The format is used across multiple roles, from Store Assistant to Area Manager Graduate Programme.

How long does the Aldi video interview take in the UK?

Most candidates complete the Aldi video interview in 20 to 40 minutes. You typically answer between 4 and 8 questions, with a preparation window of 30 seconds to 1 minute before each recording begins. The exact duration varies depending on the specific role you’ve applied for.

What platform does Aldi use for video interviews?

Aldi most commonly uses HireVue for pre-recorded video interviews in the UK. You’ll receive an email with a link to the platform after passing the initial application screening. Before starting, test your camera, microphone, and internet connection to avoid any technical issues during the recording itself.

Can I retake the Aldi video interview questions?

Aldi typically allows one to two attempts per question, and you’ll be informed of the number available before recording begins. Use your preparation window to organise your thoughts and plan your answer structure rather than relying on a second attempt to recover from a poor first response.

What do Aldi recruiters look for in video interview answers?

Aldi recruiters score candidates against specific competencies tied to the role being applied for. They look for structured, evidence-based STAR answers that demonstrate relevant real-world experience, clear alignment with Aldi’s core values of simplicity, consistency, and responsibility, and confident professional communication. Specificity, self-awareness, and the ability to quantify results all contribute to a stronger score.

Is the Aldi video interview the same for every role?

No. The questions are tailored to the level and nature of the role. Area Manager Graduate Programme candidates face more leadership, strategic thinking, and commercial awareness questions. Store Assistant and Deputy Store Manager applicants are more likely to be assessed on customer service, teamwork, and operational competencies. The pre-recorded video format is consistent across roles, but the content differs meaningfully.

How quickly does Aldi respond after the video interview?

Most UK candidates receive a response within one to two weeks of completing the video interview. If successful, you’ll typically be invited to an in-person assessment centre or a face-to-face interview with a regional recruiter. If you haven’t heard back after two weeks, it’s reasonable to follow up with the recruiter who contacted you initially.

Should I use notes during the Aldi video interview?

You can keep brief bullet-point prompts nearby as a structural aid, but you should never read directly from a written script. Reading is immediately obvious on camera and significantly undermines how natural, confident, and credible you appear to assessors. Use your preparation window to structure your thoughts — then speak to the camera, not to a piece of paper.

Conclusion

The Aldi video interview consistently rewards the candidates who prepare most thoroughly — not necessarily those with the most impressive CVs or the longest employment history. The questions aren’t designed to catch you out. They’re designed to reveal whether you can think clearly under pressure, take genuine responsibility, communicate with confidence, and align authentically with how Aldi operates as a business.

aYour preparation should focus on three things. First, build a bank of real, specific STAR-method examples drawn from your own experience — enough to cover pressure, leadership, conflict, customer service, teamwork, and adaptability. Second, research Aldi’s UK business model, market position, and values in enough depth that your motivation for applying feels genuinely informed rather than generic. Third, ensure your technical setup is professional, tested, and completely distraction-free before you begin.

The candidates who succeed at this stage are the ones who walk into the recording knowing exactly what they want to say, how they’re going to structure it, and why it directly answers what Aldi is asking. That level of preparation is entirely achievable — and this guide gives you everything you need to get there.