Lidl to open more than 50 stores creating close to 2,000 jobs

Lidl has said it expects to open more than 50 new stores in the next 12 months as part of a £600 million investment plan.

The UK’s sixth-largest supermarket chain said the move is set to create close to 2,000 jobs across the UK.

New store openings will include sites such as Abbots Langley near Watford, Warrington in Cheshire, and Thornbury in Gloucestershire which are all set to open this summer, the company said.

Lidl said it will host more than 150 property partners and agents later this month to share its future growth plans as it targets new freehold, leasehold or long leasehold properties across Great Britain.

The firm has more than 1,000 stores across Britain, employing more than 35,000 workers.

Ryan McDonnell, chief executive of Lidl GB, said: “As we grow, we want to positively impact our British communities.

“We’re not just opening doors, we’re unlocking regional growth.

“Our expansion translates directly into high-quality jobs and gives British suppliers the certainty they need to invest in the future.

“Above all, it advances our social purpose of making affordable, healthy food accessible to everyone.”

Employment minister Kate Dearden said: “This kind of investment is exactly what we want to see from big employers – creating thousands of good jobs that pay fair wages and boost the standard of living in communities across the country.”

It comes after Lidl reported a 10% surge in sales over a “record-breaking” Christmas, which saw nearly 51 million customers shop with the discounter in the festive run-up.