ParkingEye at Aldi: What You Need to Know
ParkingEye is the dominant parking operator at Aldi stores across the UK. The standard arrangement is a 90-minute maximum stay enforced by ANPR cameras that photograph your number plate on entry and exit. If the system calculates that you stayed longer than 90 minutes (plus any grace period), a parking charge of typically £70 to £100 is generated and sent to the registered keeper.
Why 90 Minutes Is Often Not Enough
Aldi's business model is built around efficiency, but a 90-minute parking limit does not account for the realities of a busy shopping trip. If you arrive during peak hours, you may spend 10 to 15 minutes finding a space and walking to the entrance. A full trolley shop at Aldi takes 30 to 45 minutes. Add another 15 minutes for loading the car. That is already 55 to 75 minutes before you factor in any queuing at the checkout, visiting the Specialbuys section, or using the in-store bakery or toilet facilities.
If you also popped to an adjacent store (as many Aldi locations share car parks with other shops), 90 minutes becomes unrealistic. This is a legitimate point to raise in your appeal, particularly if you were a genuine Aldi customer with a receipt to prove it.
The Store Manager Route
Before going through ParkingEye's formal appeal process, it is worth speaking to the Aldi store manager directly. Some Aldi stores have a process for requesting that ParkingEye cancel charges for genuine customers. Bring your shopping receipt, explain the situation, and ask the manager to contact ParkingEye. This does not always work, but it costs nothing and can resolve the issue quickly.
Not all Aldi managers are aware of this process or willing to engage with it. If the store cannot help, proceed with the formal appeal to ParkingEye and, if rejected, to POPLA.
ParkingEye's Court Threat
ParkingEye is one of the few private operators that regularly pursues unpaid charges through the County Court via their solicitors DCB Legal. This is important context: while most private parking operators rely on threatening letters, ParkingEye does sometimes follow through. However, they do not take every case to court, and charges with procedural flaws (late NtK, inadequate signage, ANPR errors) are less likely to be pursued.
If you have strong appeal grounds, use them. The risk of court action should not deter you from challenging a charge that you believe is invalid.
How to Build Your Aldi Appeal
Start by checking the NtK date against the date of your visit. If more than 14 days elapsed, the NtK is late and the charge fails on this ground alone. Next, photograph the signage at your local Aldi on your next visit. Check every entrance, and look for any signs that are obscured or missing. Then gather your shopping receipt as evidence of being a genuine customer. Finally, check the ANPR images; if they are unclear or the timestamps seem wrong, challenge the evidence.
Submit your appeal to ParkingEye clearly stating each ground, with evidence attached. Keep copies of everything. If rejected, escalate to POPLA within 28 days.