The discounter Aldi has seen increases in sales, profits and market share in Great Britain and plans to invest 1.3 billion pounds there within two years. Aldi plans to open around 100 new branches by the end of 2021 despite the corona epidemic, the chain announced. The aim is to add another 4,000 to the 3,000 jobs that have already been created in the Corona crisis. In addition, around 100 shops are to be modernized and distribution centers expanded in order to be able to participate in the growing online business.
Aldi, the fifth largest supermarket chain on the British market, had already announced that it would create around 1200 new stores there by 2025. The company had increased sales by eight percent to 12.3 billion pounds last year. The operating profit climbed 49 percent to just under £ 300 million. At the same time, one million new customers could be won, according to the discounter. In recent years, Aldi and Lidl have been the fastest growing supermarket chains in the UK.
Giles Hurley, CEO of Aldi UK and Ireland, told the UK Guardian: "As the UK’s economic prospects become increasingly uncertain, families are more concerned than ever about their grocery bills."During the unsettling Brexit negotiations and the devastating corona epidemic in Great Britain, Aldi had fought for a market share of around eight percent there.The chain now also wants to increasingly deliver groceries to consumers' homes - they had ordered more and more goods over the Internet during the corona crisis.Aldi, which does not offer a nationwide delivery service, introduced a click and pick-up service last week.In cooperation with Deliveroo, Aldi is also testing a fast delivery service.