Discounters Lidl and Aldi have today (5 December) unveiled new stores across the country as part of their wider expansion drives, as the two supermarkets gear up for Christmas.

Lidl’s new stores are located in Shinfield, Bovey Tracey, Downham Market, and Stirchley and come as a multi-million-pound investment into the discount grocer’s estate network, creating an additional 160 jobs.

Last month Lidl opened four new stores in Bristol, Hemel Hempstead, Ipswich, and Hoxton, and is due to open an additional two new branches next week in Forest Gate and Caterham.

The new store openings form part of the retailer’s rapid expansion plans, which will see it open a further eight new stores at the beginning of 2025, to be followed by around 40 more in the next financial year.

Lidl chief development officer Richard Taylor said: “As we head into December, opening six stores in a single day highlights the incredible momentum behind our expansion in our 30th year.

“This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering affordable, high-quality products to more households across the country, especially at a time of year when value matters most.”

Fellow German discounter Aldi has also opened four new stores, which will create 100 new jobs across Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, Hetton-le-Hole in Tyne and Wear, Ashton-in-Makerfield in Greater Manchester, and Macduff in Banffshire.

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This comes after series of openings in recent weeks including in Sedgley in the West Midlands, Horsham in West Sussex and Muswell Hill in London, as part of Aldi’s £800m investment drive in expanding its UK footprint.

Aldi communications director Richard Thornton said: “Our new store openings are a testament to our ongoing investment in the UK, and we’re thrilled to bring Aldi’s unbeatable prices to even more communities just in time for Christmas.

“To be opening four new stores in one day is an outstanding effort from the team and shows just how serious we are about bringing more stores to communities up and down the country.”

Lidl chief development officer Richard Taylor said: “As we head into December, opening six stores in a single day highlights the incredible momentum behind our expansion in our 30th year.

“This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering affordable, high-quality products to more households across the country, especially at a time of year when value matters most.

“Our teams are relentlessly pursuing expansion opportunities and, with every store we open, we’re taking another step towards making this vision a reality.”