Lidl is slowing its new store openings until 2026, according to a construction graduate affected by recent property job cuts at the discounter.
The slowdown has allegedly been put in place to let the German discounter’s warehouse distribution structure catch-up with the rest of its 950 stores in the UK.
However, it has also extended to recruitment as Lidl has been taking on fewer new starters other than in departments essential to its operations, like stores and logistics.
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The discount supermarket has been opening an average of 50 stores a year in the UK for the last few years, but in February it cut its official projection for 2023 to 25.
The slowdown led to 12 construction graduates losing their jobs in January, who learnt of the construction slowdown in November.
A source told The Grocer: “They went from about 50 sites year to 12 for the financial year 2022-23. They said it was going to be seven in 2023-24 and that it wouldn’t resume until 2026.”
The source said Lidl had also “basically stopped recruitment” other than for stores and logistics roles.
In comparison, the other German discounter Aldi recently claimed it would create more than 6,000 new jobs in 2023 as it continues with its UK expansion.
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Yes this is accurate. They have also made numerous experienced and long standing construction consultants, head office project managers and numerous graduates redundant. Lidl GB has been making loss for many years, and the German owners – Schwarz, have effectively pulled the plug on the UK business for a couple of years.