ALDI PLANS NEW STORES JOBS BONUS

130 more shops open

ALDI has announced plans to open 130 new stores in the UK and create 5,000 new jobs.

The firm also revealed sales grew more than 16% across Britain and Ireland to a record £10billion in 2017.

The company also plans to open three warehouses in Sheppey, Kent, Sawley, Derbys, and Bedford.

And in a further boost for the economy, bosses revealed plans to expand its range of British suppliers, which already account for its core range of meat, eggs, milk and butter.

Giles Hurley, right, Aldi chief executive, said: “Our future investment plans underline our continued commitment to growing responsibility in the UK.

“That means having a lasting and positive impact on the economies where we operate and improving the lives of British people. In 2020, Aldi will have been serving British shoppers for 30 years. In that time, we’ve become part of the fabric of British life. We’re proud to be reaffirming our commitment.”

The news comes as Tesco plans to take on Aldi and Lidl with the launch of its new format Jack’s.

It plans to open 15 branches over the next year but Aldi is confident customers will remain loyal to its tried-and-trusted formula.

Operating profits rose 26% to £265.9million and Mr Hurley added: “Savvy customers know they can swap and save with Aldi.

“This is happening on a massive scale, with more than 1.1million new customers shopping with us throughout 2017.

“We focused on doing what Aldi does best – buying smart, staying lean, improving quality and keeping prices low.”