Aldi 'set to double UK stores'
German discount supermarket giant Aldi said on Monday they would open 40 new stores in the UK by 2013 and double its outlets over the next decade, as it targets increasingly price-conscious middle class customers.
Aldi opened 29 new shops across the UK last year – and plans to have a further 40 open by the end of next year. After that, the company hopes to open a between 35 and 40 each year, the British Financial Times newspaper reported on Monday.
The coming two years of expansion which will cost the company around £181 million, is expected to create around 4,500 jobs and bring the total number of UK Aldi stores to more than 500.
And over the next 10 years, this number should double providing the supermarket remains the UK's fastest-growing. Last year sales rose by nearly 30 percent and more customers made the chain their choice for a weekly shop instead of just popping in for odds and ends, the paper said.
Roman Heini, UK joint managing director, told the paper that new stores accounted for four percent of growth last year and that stores were attracting a more affluent customer-base with more premium products.
“We’ve seen a shift in the socio-demographics,” said Heini, who added that he thought people were moving away from other supermarkets to come to Aldi.
“We still have many white spots on the map, so we still see more opportunities,” said Heini.
DPA/The Local/jcw
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Aldi opened 29 new shops across the UK last year – and plans to have a further 40 open by the end of next year. After that, the company hopes to open a between 35 and 40 each year, the British Financial Times newspaper reported on Monday.
The coming two years of expansion which will cost the company around £181 million, is expected to create around 4,500 jobs and bring the total number of UK Aldi stores to more than 500.
And over the next 10 years, this number should double providing the supermarket remains the UK's fastest-growing. Last year sales rose by nearly 30 percent and more customers made the chain their choice for a weekly shop instead of just popping in for odds and ends, the paper said.
Roman Heini, UK joint managing director, told the paper that new stores accounted for four percent of growth last year and that stores were attracting a more affluent customer-base with more premium products.
“We’ve seen a shift in the socio-demographics,” said Heini, who added that he thought people were moving away from other supermarkets to come to Aldi.
“We still have many white spots on the map, so we still see more opportunities,” said Heini.
DPA/The Local/jcw
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