Aldi has announced it will invest £1.6 billion over the next two years to open 80 new stores across the UK, responding to growing demand for affordable groceries as consumers continue to seek ways to cut costs.

The discounter, which currently operates around 1,060 stores, previously announced plans to scale to 1,500 stores nationwide and is on track to open 21 stores over the next 13 weeks, according to company statements and recent press releases.

Industry data from Kantar shows that approximately 70 per cent of UK households now shop at Aldi, with the retailer’s sales rising by 4.8 per cent this year and its market share reaching 10.8 per cent. Earlier in 2025, Aldi overtook Asda to become the UK’s third largest grocer by value of food and drink sales.

Aldi reported financial results for the 12 months to December 2024, with revenues increasing to £18.1 billion from £17.9 billion the previous year. The company, frequently ranked as the UK’s cheapest supermarket by Which?, attributes its sales growth to more families choosing to do their weekly shop in store, as well as an uptick in top-up visits.

Chief executive Giles Hurley said that since Aldi’s UK launch 35 years ago, the retailer has established a presence in nearly 800 towns and cities. He emphasised that the latest investment will bring Aldi’s offering to even more communities.

“Shoppers are still finding things difficult and that’s why we’re staying laser focused on doing what Aldi does best – offering customers great quality products at unbeatable prices,” Hurley said. “Nobody else is making the same commitment to everyday low prices – no clubs, no gimmicks, no tricks – just prices our customers can trust and quality they can depend on.”

Recent industry commentary suggests that Aldi’s expansion strategy is likely to intensify competition among UK supermarkets, particularly as inflationary pressures persist and consumer spending remains cautious. Analysts note that Aldi’s focus on physical store growth, rather than online-only channels, continues to differentiate its approach in the sector.

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