Aldi’s expansion plans for the UK in 2026 include the opening of 40 new stores with an investment of £370 million. Locations for the new stores will include Southam in Warwickshire, Hastings in East Sussex, and Amersham in Buckinghamshire as part of Aldi’s goal to reach 1,500 stores in the long term.
Giles Hurley, Aldi UK and Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to providing high-quality, affordable groceries to all customers. The supermarket’s recent achievements include being named the UK’s cheapest supermarket for the fifth consecutive year by Which? and winning The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ survey for the seventh time, showcasing its value to British shoppers.
Aldi has also announced an increase in pay rates for store colleagues, with hourly rates for store assistants set to rise nationally to £13.35 and up to £14.30 with service. For those within the M25, rates will be £14.71 an hour, increasing to £15.03 with service, effective from March 1, 2026.
In 2025, Aldi was recognized as the cheapest supermarket by Which? for ten months, with Lidl taking the title twice. The average price difference between Aldi and Lidl throughout the year was only 77p. In December, Aldi remained the most economical choice for a list of 68 items, with an average cost of £123.60, closely followed by Lidl at £123.70. Comparatively, Asda’s average cost for the same items was £134.89, and Tesco Clubcard members would have paid £135.84 or £139.12 without a Clubcard.
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