Up to 640 jobs are being created at discount retailer Lidl under plans to open 19 stores over the next eight weeks as it continues to ramp up expansion plans.
The German-owned supermarket said the store openings will see it gain a presence in new parts of the UK, including locations such as Calne in Wiltshire and Brough in Yorkshire.
It follows the group last year hitting the milestone of opening its 1,000th store as it looks to add around another 40 sites in the year to February 28.
The firm added it was investing £43 million in revamping more than 70 shops across the UK.
Changes as part of the store overhaul include new tills and larger freezers to offer a larger range of products.
It is also launching new energy-saving features, such as chillers that use natural refrigerants and smart lighting systems that reduce electricity use.
Richard Taylor, chief real estate officer at Lidl’s UK operations, said: “We’re starting the new year as we mean to go on, with a major investment that reinforces our commitment to delivering the best experience for customers and creating a positive impact for the communities we serve.
“With this push, we’re set on winning more shoppers across the nation and claiming an even bigger share of the market.”
Lidl is currently Britain’s sixth-largest grocery chain, according to experts at Worldpanel, after making the biggest market share gains in the sector in recent months.
Experts believe Lidl could overtake rival Morrisons, which is currently in fifth place, in the coming months if its current momentum continues.
Recent figures from the group showed it enjoyed a strong Christmas, with a 10% surge in sales seeing it notch up more than £1.1 billion in turnover in the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve.
Here are a list of Lidl’s store openings in the next eight weeks:
– Basildon, Laindon, Essex– Birmingham, Kingstanding, West Midlands– Brough, Welton Road, Yorkshire and the Humber– Burntwood, Staffordshire– Calne, Wiltshire– Chester, Caldy Valley Road, Cheshire– Dereham, Norfolk– Havant, Purbrook Way, Hampshire– Hereford, Belmont Road, Herefordshire– Horley, Surrey– Hucknall, Watnall Road, Nottinghamshire– Stamford Hill, London– Walworth Road, London– Reading, Tilehurst, Berkshire– Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire– Salisbury, Churchill Way West, Wiltshire– Sandford, Dorset– Sutton high street, Greater London– Tring, Hertfordshire
