Aldi is set to open 16 new stores across Britain in the coming months as part of a £370 million expansion programme aimed at strengthening its presence in the UK grocery market and further challenging established supermarket chains.
The German-owned discount retailer said the new openings will span England and Wales, with locations including Watford, Hoxton in east London, Hattersley in Greater Manchester, Balsall Common in the West Midlands, and multiple sites in London, Wales and regional towns.
Other confirmed locations include Orpington, Marble Arch, Ashford, Rayleigh, Wigan, Sudbury, Malton, Port Talbot, Sutton Coldfield, Bishops Cleeve near Cheltenham, and Newport in both the Isle of Wight and south Wales.
Aldi currently operates more than 1,080 stores across the UK and has set a long-term target of reaching 1,500 outlets. The latest investment forms part of a wider plan that includes 40 new store developments scheduled for 2026, with a focus on expanding into towns and suburban areas that currently lack nearby branches.
Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK, said the expansion reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to making affordable groceries more widely available. He said the £370 million investment would help bring Aldi stores to more communities while also supporting local employment through competitive wages.
Alongside new store openings, Aldi is also upgrading its existing estate. The company is refurbishing 25 stores this summer, with improvements including expanded floor space, energy-efficient refrigeration systems and modernised store layouts. Selected branches will also feature updated bakery sections, health and beauty aisles and expanded fresh food areas.
The retailer said these upgrades are designed to improve efficiency and customer experience while also contributing to its sustainability goals through reduced energy consumption.
Price reductions remain a key part of Aldi’s strategy. The company said it has invested more than £200 million in price cuts so far this year, including a further £60 million reduction across fresh, frozen and household products introduced this week.
Aldi has also positioned itself as one of the UK’s highest-paying supermarket employers, using its wage structure as part of its recruitment strategy as it expands into new communities.
The latest expansion comes amid continued growth for discount supermarkets in the UK. Market data from Kantar shows that Aldi and rival Lidl have both continued to increase their share of grocery sales, outpacing broader market growth while traditional supermarket chains compete more heavily on promotions.
However, Aldi’s expansion strategy is also dependent on planning approvals, with the company previously calling for faster decision-making processes to speed up store development. It has argued that delays in local planning systems can slow investment and job creation.
While the addition of 16 stores marks a significant step in its expansion plan, the company still faces a substantial gap in reaching its long-term target, with much of its future growth reliant on securing permissions and completing developments across the UK.
