Aldi’s expansion plans in the UK include the opening of 40 new stores this year. The budget-friendly supermarket is investing £370 million to establish new locations in Southam, Hastings, and Amersham. This initiative is part of a larger £1.6 billion investment program announced last year, aiming to reach a total of 1,500 UK stores.
Recent store openings in 2025 included Kirkintilloch, Eastbourne, Fulham Broadway, and Deeside. Giles Hurley, Aldi UK and Ireland’s CEO, emphasized the company’s commitment to providing high-quality, affordable groceries to all customers. Aldi’s ongoing expansion aims to address areas without an Aldi store, aligning with the long-term goal of 1,500 UK stores.
Aldi has been recognized as the UK’s most economical supermarket by consumer group Which? for the fifth consecutive year. Additionally, the supermarket secured The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ award for offering the best value to British shoppers for the seventh time in a row.
In a move to support its staff, Aldi announced an increase in pay rates for store colleagues starting from March 1, 2026. These adjustments include raising store assistant rates to £13.35 an hour nationally and up to £14.30 with service. For employees within the M25, rates will be £14.71 per hour, rising to £15.03 with service.
Aldi’s affordability was further highlighted by its consistent position as the cheapest supermarket throughout 2025, as confirmed by Which? consumer rights magazine. The average monthly price gap between Aldi and Lidl was merely 77p for the whole year. In December, Aldi maintained its affordability, offering a list of 68 items for an average cost of £123.60, slightly lower than Lidl’s average of £123.70 for the same items. Comparatively, Asda and Tesco Clubcard members paid £134.89 and £135.84, respectively, for the identical basket of goods in December.