Discount supermarket Lidl has announced plans to open 19 new stores across the UK in the next eight weeks, a rate of roughly one store every other day. The rapid expansion is expected to create 640 jobs.
The German-owned chain, which opened its first UK store in 1994, now operates over 1,000 branches and 14 regional distribution centres, employing more than 35,000 people. It currently holds an 8.1% share of the UK grocery market, according to Worldpanel data.
New locations range from Calne in Wiltshire to Brough in Yorkshire. On opening days, shoppers will receive complimentary food samples and have the chance to win prizes. Meanwhile, Lidl is also investing £40 million into refurbishing over 70 existing branches, including new tills and larger freezers.
The expansion follows a record Christmas for Lidl, with turnover exceeding £1.1 billion—a 10% increase year-on-year. Shopper numbers rose 8%, with nearly 51 million customers visiting its stores. Sales in the final 12 weeks of last year reached £2.9 billion, up 10.2%.
Lidl's market share is now close to overtaking Morrisons, which stands at 8.3%. However, it still trails fellow discounter Aldi, which holds a 10.5% share. Despite this, Aldi was recently named the cheapest supermarket of 2025 by Which?, with Lidl just 10p behind in the December basket comparison.
