German discount supermarket Lidl has reported a phenomenal and record-breaking Christmas trading period, attracting an unprecedented number of British shoppers and generating over £1.1 billion in turnover.
Unprecedented Festive Footfall and Sales
The retailer's UK arm saw sales surge by 10 per cent during the crucial four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. Nearly 51 million customers passed through its doors, marking an 8 per cent increase in shopper numbers compared to the previous year. This represents almost four million additional shoppers choosing Lidl for their festive essentials.
Ryan McDonnell, chief executive of Lidl GB, hailed the results. "2025 was a record-breaking Christmas for Lidl – with more customers choosing to shop with us than ever before," he stated. "By continuing to invest in low prices and champion British food, all without compromising on quality, we’ve seen loyalty soar."
Best-Selling Products and Seasonal Trends
The data reveals fascinating insights into British Christmas habits. Shoppers began their preparations earlier than ever, with a staggering 30 million mince pies sold from September onwards. The busiest single day was December 23.
In the final week before Christmas, sales of seasonal produce jumped by 70 per cent year-on-year, with 11,000 tonnes sold. Easy-peeler clementines were particularly popular, seeing a nearly 40 per cent rise in demand. The festive period also capped a resurgent year for pistachios, with customers buying close to 100 tonnes of pistachio-based products.
Premium items flew off the shelves too. Sales of Comte de Senneval Champagne, priced at £9.99 for Lidl Plus members, rocketed by 260 per cent in the busiest week. The revamped Deluxe party food range also enjoyed triple-digit sales growth.
Driving Growth and Future Expansion
A key driver behind this success was the Lidl Plus loyalty scheme, which experienced a 28 per cent jump in active members during November. The retailer's physical expansion also played a crucial role. Having opened around 40 new stores in 2025, Lidl's total UK estate now exceeds 1,000 shops.
Mr McDonnell confirmed the group would "continue to grow our footprint." This momentum positions Lidl strongly within the competitive grocery sector. According to experts at Worldpanel, Lidl is now Britain’s sixth-largest grocery chain and has made the biggest market share gains recently. Analysts suggest it could overtake rival Morrisons to claim fifth place in the coming months if its growth continues.
These figures from Lidl effectively kick off the crucial festive trading updates from the UK retail sector, with giants like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Next, and Marks & Spencer set to report their own results in the following week.
