Almost 40 new Aldi stores have been placed on hold following planning objections from rival supermarkets, including Tesco and Asda.
The 37 proposed new stores – roughly the amount the German retailer would expect to open in a year – have been blocked or delayed following planning objections or legal challenges raised by local competitors.
Aldi has attracted record numbers of new shoppers in the past six months as consumers look for low prices amid the cost-of-living crisis, meaning delays to its expansion plans will affect potential trade and profit projections.
The discount supermarket – which become Britain’s fourth largest retailer earlier this year – had aimed to have 1,000 UK stores by 2022 but currently has only 970, with another 16 to be opened this year.
Existing supermarkets – including Tesco and Asda – have raised challenges to the discount retailers opening near their existing stores, despite maintaining they do not object to new openings due to any potential loss of trade.
The delays caused by planning objections process can add a year or more to an application process which can already take as long as 18 months.
It was recently revealed that Aldi took £170 million of sales from major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons over the summer, as it continues to increase its market share across the UK.
Lidl also achieved a new record market share of 7.4% for the 12 weeks to 27 November, while Aldi was the fastest growing retailer with sales up 24.4%, according to the most recent Kantar data.
New Aldi stores are being delayed or blocked by competitor objections and legal challenges in: Accrington, Amersham, Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Bacup, Bishop Auckland, Braintree, Castle, Douglas, Caterham, Chadderton, Cleckheaton, Daventry, Farnborough, Flitwick, Horley, Horncastle, Horwich, Kirkintilloch, Lower Gornal, Macduff, Maghull, March, Market Harborough, Necessity Brae, Orpington, Pelsall, Prescot, Queenborough, Romford, Sheerness, Shrewsbury, Skelmersdale, Stourport on Severn, Straiton, Sutton Coldfield, Tarleton and Taunton.
