Aldi reveals 23 potential sites in £1.6bn UK expansion

Aldi has published the locations of 23 potential new stores as part of a record £1.6 billion expansion in the United Kingdom and Ireland, saying it plans to open 80 stores across 2026 and 2027.

The German-owned supermarket group said the sites form part of a wider programme to grow its estate from just over 1,050 stores towards a long-term target of 1,500. Aldi reported £18.1 billion in sales in the UK and Ireland last year, up from £17.9 billion in 2023, while pre-tax profits fell to £435.5 million from £552.9 million as the business invested in lower prices, infrastructure and higher staff wages. Market research firm Kantar and data firm Worldpanel have estimated Aldi's market share at about 10.8 percent.

Aldi said the newly disclosed locations include towns and neighbourhoods across England, Wales and Scotland. Targeted places named by the retailer include Amersham, Buckinghamshire; Northallerton and Malton in North Yorkshire; Hastings, East Sussex; Watford and Orpington in Greater London; Newport in South Wales and the Isle of Wight; Ashford, Kent; Bishopbriggs and Dumbarton in Scotland; Edgware Road, Willesden, Hanworth and Kentish Town in London; Telford, Shropshire; Balsall Common and Dudley in the West Midlands; Hattersley in Greater Manchester; Driffield and Egremont in northern England; Exmouth in Devon; and Yate in South Gloucestershire.

Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK & Ireland, said the expansion is driven by sustained demand for lower-priced groceries and a shift among some shoppers to make discounters their regular supermarket. "Shoppers are still finding things difficult and that's why we're staying laser-focused on doing what Aldi does best — offering customers great quality products at unbeatable prices," he said.

Hurley also urged caution over policy changes that could raise operating costs for supermarkets, warning ahead of the UK government's scheduled November 26 Budget that measures affecting business costs should be considered "very, very carefully." He pointed to recent rises such as an increase in employer National Insurance contributions and a new packaging levy, saying such measures have already "rippled through to prices on the shelf edge."

Retailers and trade bodies have warned that further increases in the cost of doing business could add to food inflation and risk store closures or job losses. The Food and Drink Federation has warned that food inflation could reach 5.7 percent by the end of December, while the British Retail Consortium reported food price inflation of 4.2 percent in August.

Aldi said it had been affected by a fierce price war between discounters and traditional supermarket chains, which helped push down profits even as sales rose. The company said investments in pricing, store rollout and staff pay were aimed at protecting customers from higher household costs.

The retailer did not provide a detailed timetable for each new opening, and any individual store will remain subject to planning approval and local conditions. Aldi said it had published a map and list of targeted sites to inform communities and landowners as it proceeds with its expansion plans.

The planned growth will extend Aldi's presence in London, the Midlands, the North of England, Wales and parts of Scotland and southern England, reinforcing the company's long-term strategy to increase its physical footprint to reach more towns and cities across the UK and Ireland.