Lidl reveals plans to open 25 new stores by Christmas

Lidl has announced plans to open 25 new shops across Britain by the end of the year, despite the “disruption” to construction caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The German discount retailer’s “ambitious” store opening programme will create up to 1,000 jobs and will include new stores in Selhurst, Harrow Weald, Coleford and Llandudno Junction opening in the coming weeks.

Lidl Great Britain chief executive Christian Härtnagel said: “It is testament to the continued hard work of our colleagues that we are able to continue forging ahead with our expansion plans, despite the challenging circumstances that have been faced over the past months.

“I am incredibly grateful to all Lidl teams for their unwavering commitment to keeping the nation fed.”

Throughout the coronavirus lockdown, the retailer has continued to open new stores in locations such as Birmingham, Torquay, and Tottenham Court Road in London.

The retailer’s £1.3bn investment plans for 2021 and 2022 include opening a further 100 stores across the UK, creating around 4,000 jobs. By the end of 2023, Lidl aims to have 1,000 stores in Britain.

Despite Lidl’s ambitious plans, many Brits are looking to shift their support away from larger retailers and towards local businesses. As the Covid-19 crisis causes consumers to reconsider how and where they shop, a poll by YouGov found that over half of shoppers plan to visit their local shops before going to the supermarket post-lockdown.