Discount retailer Aldi posted sales of over £10 billion in the UK for the first time ever last year, following a record performance over the Christmas period.
The German supermarket chain said total sales in the UK were over 15% higher in December compared to the same period in 2017, according to the Telegraph.
"This was our busiest-ever Christmas as millions of festive shoppers switched to Aldi from more expensive food retailers," said Matthew Barnes, CEO of Aldi UK and Ireland.
"Although we saw strong growth across all categories, the performance of our premium Specially Selected range in particular surpassed all expectations.
"This is a clear sign that shoppers knew they could indulge in Christmas treats and festive essentials at Aldi for a fraction of the price they would pay elsewhere."
Expansion Plans
Aldi currently operates 762 stores in the UK, but has plans to expand its network to 1,000 by 2022.
"We see significant capacity for further growth as there are still more than 400 towns and cities across the UK without an Aldi store," added Barnes.
The most recent figures from Kantar Worldpanel show that Aldi remains the fastest-growing supermarket in the UK, seeing 15.1% growth in the run-up to Christmas.
The discounter is now the fifth largest grocery in the country, behind the 'Big Four' supermarkets, with 6.9% market share.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
