UK: Lidl to open more than 50 new stores

Lidl, the discount supermarket chain, has announced plans to open more than 50 new stores across Great Britain over the next 12 months. The expansion is part of a £600 million ($750 million) investment in British infrastructure aimed at strengthening the company’s store network and unlocking regional growth.

The move is expected to create approximately 2,000 new jobs. Key upcoming sites include Abbots Langley near Watford, Warrington in Cheshire and Thornbury in Gloucestershire, all of which are scheduled to open this summer. To support the growing estate, the company is also developing its logistics infrastructure, including a new warehouse in Leeds and an extension of its Belvedere distribution site in London, announced last year as part of a broader £435 million ($589 million) warehousing investment.

Lidl CEO Ryan McDonnell commented: “Our expansion translates directly into […] jobs and gives British suppliers the certainty they need to invest in the future”.

The announcement follows a busy start to the year for the retailer, which opened 19 stores in just eight weeks. That activity was part of a £43 million ($53.75 million) modernisation programme involving more than 70 existing sites.

Source: Lidl