German discount supermarket Lidl has celebrated a "record-breaking" Christmas trading period in the UK, revealing a significant surge in sales and customer numbers.
Unprecedented Festive Turnover and Footfall
The retailer announced that sales for its UK business jumped by an impressive 10% in the crucial four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. This performance eclipsed the 7% growth it achieved during the same period the previous year. The sales drive generated a turnover exceeding £1.1 billion for the discounter.
Driving this success was a remarkable influx of shoppers. Lidl reported that nearly 51 million customers visited its stores in the festive run-up, representing an 8% year-on-year increase and a new record high. This equated to almost four million more shoppers than the previous Christmas.
Key Drivers of Festive Success
Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive of Lidl GB, attributed the strong results to the chain's unwavering focus on value and quality. "By continuing to invest in low prices and champion British food, all without compromising on quality, we’ve seen loyalty soar," he stated.
The company's loyalty scheme, Lidl Plus, was a major contributor, with a 28% jump in active members recorded in November. Specific product lines saw extraordinary growth:
- Sales of Comte de Senneval Champagne, priced at £9.99 for Lidl Plus members, skyrocketed by 260% in the busiest week.
- The revamped Deluxe party food range enjoyed triple-digit sales growth.
- Nearly 100 tonnes of pistachio-based products were sold, capping a resurgent year for the nut.
- 30 million mince pies were sold from September onwards, indicating earlier festive preparations.
December 23rd stood out as the single busiest day for shopper numbers. In the final week before Christmas, sales of seasonal produce leapt by 70%, with easy-peeler clementines seeing a nearly 40% rise in demand.
Market Momentum and Future Expansion
Lidl's update fires the starting gun on the retail sector's festive trading reports, with rivals like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Next, and Marks & Spencer set to follow next week. The discounter is currently Britain's sixth-largest grocery chain and has been making the biggest market share gains in the sector recently.
Industry experts from Worldpanel suggest that if Lidl maintains its current momentum, it could soon overtake Morrisons to claim fifth place in the UK grocery rankings. Mr McDonnell confirmed the group's commitment to expansion, noting it opened around 40 new shops in 2025, taking its total UK estate to over 1,000 stores, and pledged to "continue to grow our footprint."
