Lidl to create 700 new UK jobs as part of massive expansion drive

Group plans to open over 50 new stores and regenerate 30 existing stores this year

Earlier in 2018 Lidl announced plans for a major new regional distribution centre in Luton (Lidl)

Discount retailer Lidl has announced that it is creating 700 new UK jobs as it continues to step up its challenge to the country’s big four supermarkets, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons.

The German group on Thursday said that its store count in Britain had now reached 700 with new outlets opening in Edinburgh, Stockton, Hull, Polegate and Rosehill, south London, this week. It’s opened 19 stores over an eight-week period this year as part of Lidl’s £1.45bn expansion and development investment throughout 2017 and 2018.

“As the UK’s fastest growing supermarket, surpassing 700 stores is yet further proof of our ambitious rate of expansion across Britain,” said Ingo Fischer, Lidl UK’s board director for expansion and development.

“It’s great that more people than ever before have access to our high quality, fresh and locally sourced products at incredible value, and that as a result, we’re able to create more jobs for local communities up and down the country.”

This year, the group plans to open over 50 new stores and regenerate 30 existing stores.

Earlier in 2018 it also announced plans for a major new regional distribution centre in Luton. A further five new warehouses are already in the pipeline.

Lidl enjoyed a stellar Christmas in the UK, helping it to grow its market share to around 5 per cent according to analytics firm Kantar Worldpanel. Over the crucial festive season sales grew by 16 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.