Aldi has promised shoppers it will continue to offer the lowest food prices in the UK to help households get by amid soaring living costs.
The retail giant attracted an extra 1.5 million customers to its stores over the past 12 weeks as squeezed shoppers switch to the budget brand.
Aldi said more of its existing customers have changed their grocery spend and are now using it as their first and only supermarket choice.
In its annual trading update, Aldi said trading boomed in the past six months despite the slow down of sales growth in the UK and Ireland last year.
It came amid the lifting of pandemic restrictions and the rising cost of living which affected shopping habits.
Aldi is making record sales according to the latest data which shows 18.7% growth in sales and a market share of 9.3% – the highest at any point during its 32-year history.
It means the brand is now Britain's fourth largest supermarket, having recently overtaken Morrisons.
The percentage of households shopping at Aldi also rose to 65%, making it Britain’s third most popular supermarket.
Aldi's Specially Selected range had increased 29% in the last 12 weeks as customers switched from the more expensive supermarkets in search of more affordable, premium quality food.
The company said its buying teams were working tirelessly to counter the impact of inflation and maintain its discount against traditional full price supermarkets.
Their hard work has brought strong results, with Which? recently confirming the company as the UK's cheapest grocer.
The consumer group found a basket of 47 everyday items has a price difference of £13.53 against Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, making them on average 18% more expensive.
Aldi, which operates over 970 stores, said it planned to open 16 more before the end of the year.
Other investment, as part of its ongoing £1.3billion two-year pledge, will include expanding or relocating dozens of existing stores and developing its network of distribution centres and technology infrastructure to support growth.
Its expansion is set to create over 6,000 new jobs this year, adding to the 4,500 permanent roles created last year.
Giles Hurley, CEO for Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “The cost-of-living crisis is worsening, and it’s being felt by millions of households across the UK.
"It's in times like these when our customers rely on us the most, which is why we're focusing on continuing to deliver our longstanding price promise by offering the lowest possible prices in Britain, every single day.
“It’s also a time when Aldi comes into its own. From our carefully selected range to our smaller format stores to our trademark efficiency, we can leverage our unique approach for the benefit of all of our customers.
Mr Hurley said Aldi's discount is "as compelling as ever" and a driving force behind shoppers switching to the supermarket, according to independent research.
He vowed to do "whatever it takes" to maintain Aldi's discount compared to traditional full price supermarkets and to keep prices as low as possible.
Commenting on last year’s profit reduction, he said: "Preserving our price discount and rewarding our people will always be more important to us than short-term profit."
The supermarket boss explained how being privately owned means Aldi can keep its promises "even when times are tough."
He continued: “It also means we can continue to invest in the UK, with 16 new stores planned over the next 12 weeks alone, including Broadstairs, Luton, Lincoln and New Southgate in London.
"As well as bringing our award-winning quality and low prices to even more households, this will also help to create thousands of much-needed jobs whilst boosting British farming and manufacturing.”
