Discount retailer Lidl has overtaken Co-op to become UK’s 6th largest supermarket, according to the sales data released by Kantar for the 52 weeks to 20 February 2022.
The German supermarket has grown rapidly since it came to the UK and has been making great strides across the discount grocery landscape, with rising inflation and increasing costs adding to its appeal.
This February, Lidl was also named as the fastest growing grocer, with sales increasing by 3.3% as an additional 1.3 million customers walked through the doors, compared with the same period last year.
“We are extremely proud that more customers are choosing to shop at Lidl,” said Lidl GB’s CEO Ryan McDonnell.
“But it’s also not a surprise, because it has always been our firm belief that no one should have to pay a premium for good food. This belief is at the core of everything we do, whether that’s keeping prices low or making our offer as accessible as possible through the opening of new stores.”
Read more: Discounters Aldi and Lidl continue to grow as grocery inflation hits 4.3%
Kantar’s data revealed that Lidl is now the UK’s 6th largest supermarket.
Lidl now has over 27,000 employees and more than 900 stores and 13 distribution centres across England, Scotland and Wales. It has also confirmed it will have opened 1,100 stores by 2025.
“It’s clear that shoppers still want and value [an] in-store experience, despite the impact the pandemic has had on shopping habits,” McDonnell added.
“So that’s exactly what we will continue to give them. In February alone we opened 13 new stores, and our expansion plans continue at pace. As households navigate the increasing cost of living, it is our absolute promise that we will continue to offer them the best value in the market.”
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