Aldi have unveiled ambitious plans to open 100 new supermarkets and upgrade more than 100 existing stores across the UK in the next year as part of a £1.3billion investment.
We've put together everything announced by the discount chain on Monday (September 28).
What have Aldi announced?
The discount supermarket said it plans to create 4,000 jobs next year as part of the expansion plan, which is part of long-term plans to grow to a portfolio of 1,200 stores by 2025.
Aldi will drive investment into creating and upgrading stores, distribution centres and innovation across its operations, it said.
Other investments include the rollout of its new ‘click and collect’ service which was successfully piloted and launched to customers in the Midlands last week. More details on the 'click and collect' rollout are expected in the coming months by the retailer.
'Aldi sales increased in 2019'
The update came as Aldi reported that sales increased by 8 per cent to £12.28 billion in 2019.
Meanwhile, it saw pre-tax profits jump by 49 per cent to £271.5 million for the year.
The retailer, which has seen sales continue to grow through the pandemic amid strong demand for groceries, committed to keeping its prices “the lowest in the market” amid pressure on household budgets.
Major grocery rivals, including Tesco and Morrisons, have pushed their prices lower in recent months in a bid to stem strong growth by Aldi and fellow German discounter Lidl.
However, both Aldi and Lidl have failed to benefit substantially from the surge in demand for online orders and home deliveries since the pandemic fully impacted the UK.
In May, Aldi revealed plans to deliver groceries to homes in the UK for the first time through a partnership with Deliveroo.
What have Aldi said?
Giles Hurley, chief executive for Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “The response to the challenge presented by the Covid-19 pandemic was both heroic and historic.
“If there is a positive to take from the situation, it’s that supermarkets, suppliers and shoppers can overcome the greatest of challenges when we work together.
“With the UK’s economic outlook increasingly uncertain, families are more concerned about their grocery bills than ever.
“We’ve seen before that our customers need us most in times of financial hardship, which is why our commitment to remain Britain’s lowest-priced supermarket is more important than ever.”
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