Aldi to open 35 new UK stores starting in weeks – first locations revealed
ALDI is set to open dozens of new stores across the UK this year.
The discount supermarket will be bringing new stores to both Preston and Derby later this month.
Towns such as Castle Gresley and Bardon are also set to welcome a new Aldi soon.
Aldi is now the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket and opened its 1,000th UK store in Woking last year.
The openings form part of Aldi’s long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK.
The supermarket is set to invest £550million in expanding its UK footprint this year alone.
Aldi said that each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.
Here’s a list of the first six stores set to open in the coming months under these plans:
- Portway, Preston
- Meteor Retail Park, Derby
- Castle Gresley, Derbyshire
- Swinfen Vale, Bardon
- High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
- Stoke Gifford, Bristol
Aldi has yet to confirm when these stores will open to shoppers.
Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK, said: “After attracting more new customers than any other supermarket in the last 12 months, we are more determined than ever to expand our presence across the country.
“We want to make high-quality food accessible to all, and shoppers know they’ll always get more for their money when shopping at Aldi.”
Aldi is also increasing staff pay in the coming months.
From June 1, store assistants will receive a starting pay of £12.40 per hour, and those based within the M25 will receive £13.65 per hour.
It comes just days after Aldi revealed a list of 13 locations where it wants to open new stores.
The supermarket has said that it’s particularly keen on opening stores in and around London, where demand is high.
It plans to open 100 new branches inside the M25, creating 3,500 new jobs and unveiling a list of 13 areas where it wants to expand.
Of course, the list of locations is hypothetical, which means stores are not guaranteed to open in the following areas:
- Bromley
- Beckenham
- Richmond
- Walthamstow
- Wanstead
- Winchmore Hill
- Notting Hill
- Chelsea
- Kensington
- Chiswick
- Highbury
- Hackney
- Barnet
Aldi is scoping out sites big enough to house its 20,000 square-foot stores, each needing around 100 parking spaces.
The supermarket chain is also looking for sites to accommodate Aldi Local stores, which are around 5,000 square feet in size.
How can I save money when shopping at Aldi?
IT'S always worth keeping an eye out for any red sticker products, which staff add to items when they've been reduced in price.
Aldi usually adds these to products in the morning, so you should head to your nearest branch as early as possible for the best discounts.
Keep an eye out for slashed-price fruits and vegetables as well – the retailer tends to reduce six items every two weeks.
Get ahead of the crowd by signing up for Aldi’s newsletter and following the retailer on social media as well.
It often announces upcoming deals via the two channels so you can snap up the best prices before anyone else.
If you’re looking to save money on takeaways, Aldi’s “fakeaways” could help too.
The retailer most recently launched a KFC-inspired box that it claims is 62% cheaper than the chicken shop.
Aldi’s expansion comes as several other retailers are looking to open branches across the UK.
Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.
WHSmith has turned its focus to the travel side of its business, with plans to open new sites in airports, railway stations and hospitals.
Lidl is also looking to open 12 new stores across the UK as it bids to raise £91million in funding from investors.
Wilko, which collapsed into administration last year, has also reappeared on the high street.
It has opened branches in Plymouth and Exeter in recent months and plans to open two more in Rotherham and St Albans in the coming days.