Aldi has become a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, highlighting its commitment to supporting ex-military colleagues and their families.

The discount grocer will be offering numerous initiatives to help recognise former military personnel within the business, including a dedicated community hub for veterans within Aldi, helping colleagues to connect with others with military experience and access a wider support network.

Other initiatives will see the supermarket endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment, and continuing to attend specialised recruitment fairs for the Armed Forces community.

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Aldi will also be sharing its ex-service colleague’s stories on its internal platforms to raise awareness, educate and provide representation and role models to all members of staff across the business.

Aldi UK HR director Kelly Stokes said: “The sacrifices made by those who serve in the armed forces and their families who support them is something we do not take for granted.

“We understand that transitioning from the military to a retail job is a big adjustment, but we are committed to helping ex-military colleagues while ensuring the skills gained during their time in the forces are embraced within the business.”

Last year, Lidl become the first discounter to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, in a pledge to uphold both current and past armed forces members and their families.