Lidl will invest £500 million this financial year to open 40 new stores across the UK, as part of a broader strategy to expand its presence in high streets, retail parks, and mixed-use town centres. The discounter has also identified hundreds of additional potential sites for future development.
This expansion will push Lidl beyond 1,000 stores in Britain, reflecting its rapid growth trajectory. It currently operates more than 980 outlets and 14 distribution centres, employing 35,000 people nationwide.
The company’s announcement follows government planning reforms aimed at reducing barriers to new developments, which Lidl credits for enabling its accelerated rollout. The retailer opened 23 new stores in the previous financial year, making this year’s target a significant step up.
Lidl’s expansion is set against a backdrop of strong sales growth. Recent data from Kantar shows a 9.1% increase in Lidl’s UK sales over the 12 weeks to 24 March, raising its grocery market share to 7.8%, and bringing it closer to overtaking Morrisons for fifth place.
The investment is expected to create new jobs and further opportunities for suppliers, underlining Lidl’s growing influence in the UK retail and logistics sectors.
