Lidl to create new stores and 300 jobs in Scotland
● Supermarket chain announces hundreds of jobs ● Plans to upgrade shops and build five new stores
Lidl UK will create more than 300 jobs across Scotland in the course of the next 18 months, it was announced yesterday.
The discount supermarket chain intends to recruit new staff members for branches across the country and set up five new stores as part of its expansion in Scotland.
Outlets are planned in Paisley, Dumbarton, Giffnock, and East Kildbride, in addition to Scotland’s first Lidl “metropolitan” store, which is to be built in Edinburgh.
Lidl predicts that each of the five new supermarkets will create up to 40 jobs in their respective communities.
The company will also look to take on more staff at its new regional distribution centre at Eurocentral in Motherwell, which is due to open in 2019 and supply all Lidl stores north of the Border.
A recruitment drive over the next 18 months is expected to result in 100 vacancies covering a wide variety of departments at the centre, including operations, maintenance, logistics and office support.
The chain also plans to modernise existing Scottish stores, starting with those in Glasgow, Motherwell, Aberdeen and Ayr.
It stated that these improvements will provide local communities with a larger store, updated facilities and increased employment opportunities.
These new expansions are a further sign of the supermarket’s current success. Data collected for the 12 weeks to 17 June by consumer insights firm Kantar Worldpanel shows Lidl enjoyed 10 per cent sales growth, making it the only bricks-and-mortar retailer to experience doubledigit growth.
The data company cites Lidl’s sponsorship of England’s football World Cup squad and its growing range of branded goods as drivers of expected future growth.
The supermarket’s ambitions show no signs of slowing down, as the company predicted requirements for an additional 250 jobs over time as its warehouse reaches full capacity.
Competitor Aldi also performed well in Kantar Worldpanel’s research, showing growth of 8.2 per cent.
The rival supermarket is predicting a summer sales boost, thanks to its biannual Scottish beer festival, which launched again yesterday.
Aldi estimates that the instore festival, which features beers and ales from small batch, up-and-coming and established brewers from Scotland’s craft beer scene, will bring sales of more than £110,000.
Graham Nicolson, group buying director at Aldi Scotland, said: “Since the first Scottish Beer Festival launched in 2012, the festivals have generated in excess of £2 million worth of sales for the breweries involved, helping to support Scotland’s craft beer industry.”