Aldi claims to be the UK’s best value supermarket and has bold plans for new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and further innovations across its business.

The plans are expected to create 4,000 new jobs next year, adding to the 3,000 permanent roles the supermarket created in 2020.

In its annual trading update, Aldi said an influx of new shoppers had helped it increase sales in the UK and Ireland by 8.3% to a record £12.3bn in the year to 31 December 2019 (2018: £11.3bn), despite the grocery market growing by just 1% overall.

The latest data shows Aldi’s UK sales have continued to rise by 10%, with its market share standing at 8%. The total number of customers now shopping with Aldi stands at more than 18 million.

Under its investment plan, Aldi expects to open about 100 new stores across the UK during 2020 and 2021 in line with its long-term target of 1,200 stores by 2025.

It also plans to upgrade 100 stores under its Project Fresh initiative.

Other investments include new and expanded distribution centres and the rollout of recent innovations and developments, including a new ‘click and collect’ service which was successfully piloted and launched to customers last week.

Looking ahead, Aldi said its most important commitment to customers was to continue to keep its prices the lowest in the market as household budgets come under greater pressure.

According to The Grocer magazine, a basket of 33 everyday items at Aldi is on average 14% cheaper than the big four supermarkets, whilst the monthly price comparison survey by Which? for August showed Aldi to be 19% cheaper on a trolley of 74 household goods.

Giles Hurley, chief executive officer for Aldi UK and Ireland, says: “For over 30 years, our success has been driven by the ever-increasing number of shoppers who put their trust in Aldi every time they shop with us. This is what enables us to keep investing in Britain – in our products, our prices, our people and in the communities we serve.

“The founding principle of our UK business back in 1990 was to offer a carefully-selected range of great quality products at the lowest prices. Whilst we’re continuing to innovate to give customers an even better experience and greater convenience, our core philosophy remains unchanged.

“With the UK’s economic outlook increasingly uncertain, families are more concerned about their grocery bills than ever. We’ve seen before that our customers need us most in times of financial hardship, which is why our commitment to remain Britain’s lowest-priced supermarket is more important than ever.”

Aldi also claims to be the UK’s best-paying supermarket with a minimum hourly rate for store workers of £9.40 nationally and £10.90 inside the M25. These rates increase to £10.41 nationally and £11.15 in London after two years of service.