Grocery retailer Aldi has announced an expansion plan across the UK as part of its ongoing store opening programme, creating 1,000 new in-store jobs.
The programme is set to continue throughout 2025.
The UK's fourth-largest supermarket has revealed an updated list of priority locations where it is seeking sites for new stores. This follows a public invitation to suggest areas in need of an Aldi store, with thousands of suggestions received and analysed to inform future store searches.
The list of priority locations for new Aldi stores includes Braintree, Hitchin, Pickering, South Croydon and Worthing.
Aldi UK national real estate managing director Jonathan Neale stated: “We want to make high-quality, affordable food accessible to everyone, and that means opening new stores in the communities that need them most.
“The response from the public has been invaluable in helping us identify where demand is greatest, and where we need to focus our efforts on finding the sites that can become new stores.”
Aldi currently operates more than 1,050 stores in the UK and has a long-term target of 1,500. The summer schedule includes opening ten stores in locations such as Caterham, Sheffield, and Fulham Broadway in London.
The expansion is part of a £650m ($873.7m) investment in 2025 to bring its value proposition to more communities.
Each new store will require a space of around 20,000ft² with 100 parking spaces, ideally near a main road to ensure good visibility and access.
Aldi is also exploring opportunities for its Local store format in Central London, focusing on Zones 1 and 2. These stores will have a minimum of 5,000ft² of trading space and a further 3,000ft² for ancillary use.
