Aldi is opening seven new stores across the UK in November, creating up to 210 jobs. The openings include two locations in London, plus sites on the Isle of Wight and in Derbyshire, with up to 30 roles available at each store.
Expansion plans and investment
The new openings form part of Aldi's £370 million investment in its UK estate this year, as the supermarket works toward a long-term goal of operating 1,500 stores nationwide.
Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “Demand for new Aldi stores remains strong, and we want more shoppers to be able to enjoy our high-quality products at low prices.
“Opening seven stores in November is another big step in our growth plans. It will create hundreds of local jobs and bring Aldi’s value to thousands more shoppers across the country.”
Full list of store openings
The seven stores will open on the following dates:
- Basildon, Essex – November 12
- Newport, Isle of Wight – November 19
- Matlock, Derbyshire – November 19
- Stepney Green, London – November 19
- Willesden, London – November 26
- Orrell, Wigan – November 26
- Waterlooville, Hampshire – November 26
Regulatory changes and market position
The announcement follows the competition watchdog's decision last week that Aldi and Lidl will face the same rules as other major supermarkets to prevent them from blocking rival stores from being built.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the German discounters will be classed as “large grocery retailers” under current industry rules, which have applied to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose since 2010. The rules were introduced to stop large grocery chains from using land contracts to make it harder for rivals to open nearby, particularly through restrictive covenants and exclusivity arrangements.
Aldi is currently the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain with a 10.5% share of the grocery market, while Lidl is the fifth largest with an 8.6% share, according to recent data from Worldpanel by Numerator. Both chains stressed the move will not affect their continued store expansion programmes across the UK.
An Aldi spokeswoman said: “The CMA’s decision does not change our commitment to invest in the UK and work towards our long-term ambition of 1,500 stores, bringing high-quality, affordable food to more communities, while ensuring that we comply with any relevant obligations under the Controlled Land Order.
“We will invest a record £900 million next year in 40 new stores and continued improvements to our distribution network.”
