Aldi has announced intentions to launch 40 new stores in the UK this year, investing £370 million in locations like Southam in Warwickshire, Hastings in East Sussex, and Amersham in Buckinghamshire. This initiative is part of a broader £1.6 billion two-year investment strategy unveiled last year, aiming to reach 1,500 UK stores in the long run.
CEO of Aldi UK and Ireland, Giles Hurley, emphasized the company’s commitment to providing high-quality, affordable groceries for all. The supermarket plans to fill existing gaps in areas without Aldi stores through the 2026 expansion efforts, aligning with the goal of establishing 1,500 stores across the UK.
Aldi’s dedication to offering quality food at affordable prices has been recognized by consumer group Which? for the fifth consecutive year, naming Aldi the UK’s most economical supermarket. Moreover, Aldi recently secured top honors in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ survey for the seventh time, reaffirming its reputation as the preferred choice for British shoppers in terms of value.
In a move to support its workforce, Aldi announced an increase in pay rates for store employees, with hourly rates for store assistants set to rise to £13.35 nationally, reaching up to £14.30 with tenure. For employees within the M25, rates will increase to £14.71 per hour, going up to £15.03 with service, effective from March 1, 2026.
Earning the title of the cheapest supermarket in the UK for 2025, Aldi maintained this position for ten out of 12 months, while Lidl claimed the top spot twice last year. The average monthly price gap between Aldi and Lidl throughout the year was just 77p. In December, Aldi offered the lowest prices for a list of 68 items, with an average cost of £123.60, closely followed by Lidl at £123.70. Comparatively, Asda and Tesco Clubcard members paid £134.89 and £135.84, respectively, for the same basket of items in December.