Aldi has announced an increased investment in the UK, with plans to spend £900m and open over 40 new stores next year. This follows a year in which the company's sales rose by 5% to a record £19bn.
Despite the sales growth, profits for the budget supermarket chain, which operates 1,092 stores in the UK and Ireland, decreased by £2.6m to £433m. This reduction occurred as Aldi cut prices amidst rising cost inflation.
Giles Hurley, the head of Aldi's UK and Irish operations, stated that the German-owned business has "increasing confidence around growing our business." He noted that Aldi is already the third-largest UK supermarket by items sold and customer numbers, though Asda holds that position by value of sales.
Aldi is set to open 42 stores this year, with 30 opening in the next 10 weeks, and plans a similar number for next year. The company aims for a long-term total of 1,500 outlets across the UK and Ireland.
Hurley also commented on consumers "feeling the pinch" due to persistent inflation, suggesting that Aldi's range of cheap groceries has attracted 425,300 more customers. He highlighted the difficulty in assessing the outlook for grocery inflation, which was 2.8% in August, until the impact of drought and extreme heat on UK crop yields becomes clear.
Aldi spent £14bn with British suppliers in 2025, with approximately 80% of its sales coming from them. The supermarket has committed to sourcing at least half its products through long-term supplier agreements by next year.