Aldi posts ‘record sales’ as it gains a million customers

The supermarket chain’s annual sales increased by almost £2bn to £15.5bn, following sales of £12.5bn recorded the previous year.

The results mark a new record in Aldi’s 33-year history, partly driven by it gaining around 1 million more shoppers in its stores over the past year.

The grocer’s operating profit last year increased to £178.7m, compared with £60.2m in 2021. Aldi noted that the increase was due to “an exceptional prior year” when margin fell following investment in Covid-related measures.

Data from Kantar shows Aldi sales are growing at the fastest rate of any supermarket at 17.1%, with market share at 10.1%, with the discounter having overtaken Morrisons last year to become Britain’s fourth-biggest supermarket.

Aldi said it has already invested more than £350m in price reductions this year across 650 items, with further reductions expected in the run-up to Christmas as inflation growth rate slows. 

The retailer plans to open 18 more locations before the end of the year and has committed to opening up to 500 more stores in the UK to add to the 1,000 stores already operating in the country.

It also said the rate of investment in the UK would increase in the next two-year period to more than £1.4bn to expand its distribution and store network while improving existing stores and technology infrastructure.

Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley said: “Although inflation is easing, households are still under real pressure from higher living costs. As a result, Britain is shopping very differently to how it did 18 months ago – fewer trips, more own-label products and switching supermarkets in search of better value. 

“What we’re seeing is a new generation of savvy shoppers who’ve turned their back on traditional, full-price supermarkets in favour of transparent low prices, which is what we’re famous for. That’s why we’re still welcoming more and more customers through our doors – people who come to us for our low prices but stay for the award-winning quality of our exclusive brands.

“There are still communities across the UK that don’t have easy access to quality, low-price groceries and that’s something we want to address through our expansion, with plans to increase our investment even further over the next two years to £1.4bn in new and improved stores and distribution centres, creating thousands of jobs for our colleagues and more opportunities for our 5,000 British suppliers.”