Aldi expansion to include new store in Highworth

Aldi is to invest around £13m in new and upgraded stores across Wiltshire this year, creating about 90 jobs. 

It confirmed that it expected to open new stores at Chippenham, Malmesbury and Highworth, and refurbish two existing ones in Swindon and Salisbury before the end of the year.

This investment is part of the supermarket’s long-term target to reach 1,200 stores in the UK by 2025. On average, Aldi is set to open more than one store a week this year.  

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “We have been investing in Britain for more than 30 years now, but we know that there are still areas that either don’t have an Aldi at all, or that need another store to meet customer demand.

“With shoppers increasingly looking to make sure they get unbeatable prices on their weekly shop without compromising on quality, our stores are becoming ever more popular. 

“This investment in Aldi stores over the course of this year will help make the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket more accessible to even more people, and bring us closer to our long-term goal of having 1,200 stores across the UK by 2025.”

Last summer, Aldi announced it was looking for nine new store locations in Wiltshire – including in Bradford on Avon, Salisbury and Swindon – as part of its longer-term expansion plans.

Aldi has recently increased its minimum hourly rates, paying a minimum hourly rate of £9.55 nationally, up from £9.40. 

Those working within the M25 will earn £11.07 an hour instead of £10.90. Store colleagues will now be able to earn up to £10.57 after three years nationally and £11.32 after two years in London. 

The new rates of pay are also boosted by the fact Aldi is still one of the only UK supermarkets to pay for breaks taken during shifts, which means, according to the chain, that Aldi colleagues remain the best-paid in the sector.

The supermarket has also announced plans to increase the amount of food and drink it buys from British suppliers by £3.5bn a year by 2025, as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.

Aldi is also investing £500m in new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and its supply chain in 2021, which it says will create over 4,000 jobs as well as new opportunities for British food and drink producers.