Lidl backs British berry sector with £500m investment
Lidl is set to invest £500 million in the British berry sector, in a bid to increase volumes of UK-grown berries through new long-term sourcing agreements with suppliers.
The discounter said the investment represents the value of sourcing contracts that will be agreed with British berry growers over the next five years.
The new agreements are intended to provide greater certainty for suppliers as they face rising production costs and increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.
The move comes as the retailer reports that demand for berries continues to grow, particularly in healthier-eating categories.
Sales of British blueberries at Lidl have increased by more than 200% over the past three years, while blackberry sales have risen by almost 93% over the same period. Volumes of its Deluxe Blush Strawberries range increased by 50% last year.
According to British Berry Growers chair Nick Marston, Lidl’s British berry volumes increased from around 11,500 tonnes in 2023 to more than 15,700 tonnes in 2025, representing growth of more than 36% in two seasons.
He added that the retailer now accounts for around 12.6% of all British berry tonnage sold through British Berry Growers members.
“We are backing British farming with a £500million vote of confidence in our British berry growers,” said Lidl GB chief commercial officer Richard Bourns.
“By extending our long-term agreements, we’re providing the security suppliers need to build a resilient future.
“It is our clear ambition to be the first-choice partner for British growers. By building a framework providing long-term security, we enable our growers to confidently invest, innovate and scale alongside us.
“And by investing in these partnerships we are making fresh, healthy produce more accessible to our customers – offering the best British berries at unbeatable prices.”
The announcement forms part of Lidl GB’s wider £30bn commitment to source from the British food and farming industry by 2030, as the retailer continues to expand its position in the UK grocery market.
