Aldi has said it will create 2,400 more jobs as part of plans to “almost double” its number of stores in London. The supermarket giant said it will significantly grow its current estate of 60 shops within the M25 as part of its multimillion-pound expansion programme.
Aldi has rapidly grown its UK business in recent years through new store openings, taking it to almost 1,000 sites.
The group also became the UK’s fourth largest supermarket in recent weeks, overtaking Morrisons, after recording strong sales growth amid increased demand from customers facing higher household bills. Aldi said plans to create the raft of jobs through the new London stores will be additional to its announcement last week that it will create 6,000 jobs across the UK this year through its wider growth ambitions.
The retailer said on Monday that it is targeting empty office blocks and new housing locations for potential development. It said it is offering property agents a finder’s fee of either 1.5% of freehold price or 10% of the first year’s rent for leasehold sites, in a bid to help identify new sites.
Aldi is looking for locations big enough for its standard 20,000sqft stores, which typically need around 100 dedicated parking spaces. It is also on the lookout for smaller locations for its Aldi Local format stores.
Ben Shotter, regional managing director at Aldi, said: “We strongly believe that access to affordable, high-quality food is a right, not a privilege. But we’re conscious that there are still many areas, particularly in the capital and within the M25, that don’t have access to an Aldi.
“As a result, too many people have to make do with big prices at the big supermarkets. We want to give more people a new Aldi store with our award-winning products at unbeatable prices. We are looking for locations across the UK, but particularly in London.”
