Discount Retail Chain Lidl UK (owned by the German Schwarz Group) welcomed a record number of new shoppers to its stores in 2022, as over 1.4 million switched to Lidl from other supermarkets in a bid to get the best value produce.
As Lidl continues to experience record growth, with Kantar recently naming it the fastest growing supermarket following a rise in sales of nearly 26%, the discounter opened over 50 new stores in 2022 and a further 15 new stores across the country in the last three months alone.
Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO, commented: “The last few years have been challenging for everyone, but we’ve made it clear that we’re more committed than ever to ensuring that every single household has access to a Lidl store. That’s why our focus is firmly on the future as we continue to grow and invest in our infrastructure, while keeping a lookout for more sites and locations across the country.
“We had over 1.4 million new shoppers coming to us from our competitors over the course of last year. This alone shows the potential for continued growth as customers refuse to pay a premium for their shopping, when they know they can get the same, if not better quality at Lidl. As we progress further into 2023, we know that more shoppers will make the switch, and whichever of our stores they choose, they know they’re getting the best value.”
Lidl GB Chief Development Officer, Richard Taylor, added: “Our store expansion has been and continues to be unparalleled. In the last three months alone, we’ve opened 15 new stores – more than any other retailer, and in 2022 we welcomed customers through the doors of over 50 new stores. But we won’t be stopping there. Our vision is to have over 1,100 stores in the future, but really there’s no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential. What’s important is that we take a strategic and sustainable approach to getting there.”
As Lidl seeks to secure sites for future stores, the discounter has also doubled down on its plans to strengthen its warehouse infrastructure, further increasing capacity across the country.
Over the last five years it has opened over 240,000 square metres of warehouse space and invested over £700m.
Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl experienced continuous growth and today has over 29,500 employees, over 950 stores and 13 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales.
It is part of the Schwarz retail group, which generated a turnover of €133.6 billion in the financial year 2021.
