Lidl GB is accelerating its expansion in London with the opening of three new stores in Hoxton, Forest Gate and Caterham – all before Christmas.
These latest openings come just weeks after the opening of its brand-new Fulham store and will provide more Londoners with access to the discounter’s high-quality, affordable products. Collectively, its new store openings are also bringing hundreds of new jobs to the capital, where Lidl was last year named the third largest supermarket.
In addition to its new stores, Lidl is reopening two of its existing London locations in the same period in Chessington and Dagenham, having undergone an extension and refurbishment. These developments mean that more communities will benefit from a bigger and better shopping experience.
This follows recent research from Which?, which revealed that convenience stores often come with a higher price tag, with shoppers paying significantly more for the same items compared to larger outlets, especially in London where many of these higher-priced stores are located. Lidl’s national price promise reinforces its dedication to ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, quality food, no matter where they live.
Outside of London, Lidl’s national expansion is also continuing at pace, with the discounter opening a total of 10 new stores by Christmas – from Berwick Green in Bristol to Bovey Tracey in Devon.
Richard Taylor, Chief Development Officer at Lidl GB, said: “Our plan to open three new stores in London before Christmas demonstrates our continued commitment to providing more communities across the country with access to affordable, quality food, as well as employment opportunities. But we still have big ambitions for our expansion plans to open hundreds more Lidl stores in the future. Our teams are constantly scouring the country for new sites, identifying opportunities not just in towns where we don’t currently have stores, but also in areas where existing stores are experiencing increasing demand. Our sale and leaseback deal is just the latest example of how we’re continuing to expand our footprint across the country, ensuring that even more households can benefit from a Lidl store nearby.”
The news comes as Lidl exchanges on a sale and leaseback deal with a joint venture between Roadside Real Estate Plc and Meadow Partners worth £70m. The deal includes 12 new stores in locations such as Crediton, Manchester, and Saffron Walden. This agreement reflects Lidl’s continued commitment to expanding its footprint, while also exploring innovative and flexible approaches to growth.
Lidl’s growth is underpinned by its strong performance after being named the UK’s fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket 14 times in a row. It recently revealed a wish list of future locations for new stores in London, from Camden to Clapham and Shoreditch to Notting Hill, as part of the grocer’s plans to open hundreds of new stores across the country.
