Aldi creates 35,000 jobs
ALDI is to create 35,000 jobs as it speeds up plans to double its number of British stores to around 1,000.
The dramatic expansion shows the success of the supermarket chain and its fellow German discounter Lidl in challenging established operators such as Tesco.
Aldi, which is recording annual sales growth of 27 per cent, says it will need to take on up to 1,000 apprentices every year until 2022 to meet its targets. Roman Heini, its UK boss, said the plans include buying in more British produce and expanding the fresh food range.
He added: ‘It is pleasing to know that as more and more people shop with us, they are helping to create jobs for their local area and supporting the economy.’ An independent study published yesterday showed that Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose are at least 18.5 per cent more expensive than Aldi.
The Grocer magazine found that a basket of 33 typical items costing £38.19 at Aldi was £45.26 at Asda, £49.87 at Tesco, £50.08 at Morrisons and £52.41 at Sainsbury’s.
The magazine said: ‘On the evidence of Aldi’s first guest appearance in The Grocer 33, the big four are still trailing in its wake. When it comes to basics, it’s elementary: Aldi is way cheaper.’
There were no figures for Lidl, which generally tries to match Aldi. The basket of goods at Waitrose, which is also seeing sales growth, cost £56.19 – 47 per cent more than Aldi.
Aldi is currently advertising hundreds of jobs, which start at £7 an hour for shelf fillers on part-time contracts and up to £56,500 a year for store managers. Top-flight graduates can expect a starting salary of £41,000.
Asda and Morrisons each have around 600 stores, Sainsbury’s has around 1,200 and Tesco some 3,380. Aldi has around 500 – 100 or so short of Lidl’s total.
The expansion was welcomed by David Cameron yesterday on a visit to Aldi’s HQ in Atherstone, Warwickshire. The Prime Minister said: ‘Aldi’s plans to create tens of thousands more jobs across the country are a vote of confidence in our long-term economic plan.’