Discount supermarket chain Aldi creating 500 jobs with major expansion of Scots portfolio

Aldi continues expansion north of Border with plans for new stores and expanding existing premises amid high demand for purse-friendly prices.

Budget supermarket chain Aldi has announced that it is investing tens of millions of pounds in expanding its presence in Scotland, creating 500 jobs in the process, ahead of the 30th anniversary next year of it opening its first branch north of the Border. The German-headquartered retailer is bankrolling the move to the tune of more than £56 million over the next two years, including the opening of new stores in Broughty Ferry, Straiton, and Castle Douglas in 2024. Furthermore, the firm, which will boost its Scottish headcount by more than a tenth in 2024, is extending five of its existing stores, including Erskine, Port Glasgow and Alexandria, over the next two years.

The firm is harnessing increased appetite for affordable products as consumers continue to watch the pennies, and it says it this year became Scotland’s third-biggest supermarket by volume, moving it ahead of Morrisons and Sainsbury’s for the first time, while it also cites recently published Kantar data showing that its share of the UK grocery market had increased to 10.6 per cent last month from 9.7 per cent 12 months previously.

Additionally, it says it recently committed to a New Year pay rise for staff, making it the first supermarket in the UK to offer rates in line with the Real Living Wage, and it will also guarantee store and warehouse colleagues pay of at least £12 an hour.

The firm says it is 'extremely proud' that its presence in the Scottish market 'has continued to be recognised and celebrated' (file image). Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Richard Holloway, regional managing director for Aldi Scotland, said 2023 was “another excellent year” for the business, “and I am extremely proud that our presence within the Scottish market has continued to be recognised and celebrated”. He added: “We remain committed to the strong relationships we have built with our Scottish suppliers, allowing our customers the opportunity to purchase locally sourced, high-quality Scottish products at affordable prices.

“As we look to the new year, we remain committed to reaching more customers than ever before, with the opening of more stores and increased investment in Scotland. Next year will be extra special for us as we mark 30 years since we opened our first store in Scotland on Glencairn Street in Kilmarnock.

“Whether it's enhancing our product offerings, maintaining the lowest prices, supporting our dedicated teams, or contributing to the communities we serve – every investment is a testament to our unwavering commitment to Scotland.”

The latest investment news comes after the discount supermarket chain 12 months ago revealed that it was undertaking a £35m investment in its Scottish portfolio in 2023, coming after it spent £24m in 2022 creating new stores, and bringing its total branches north of the Border at the time to 104. In September of this year, its UK and Ireland business reported sales of £15.5 billion for 2022, jumping from £13.6bn in the previous year, with an operating profit of £178.7m, up from £60.2m, adding: “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.”