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ALDI’S RECORD £1.65BN CHRISTMAS AS SHOPPERS SEEK UNBEATABLE PRICES

5 January, 2026

Aldi has recorded its best-ever Christmas, with sales of £1.65 billion (+3% vs. 2024) in the four weeks to Christmas Eve, as millions of shoppers turned to the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket to make their money go further during the festive season.

The supermarket said that price had been the biggest priority for shoppers in 2025, with customers seeking ways to celebrate on a budget without compromising on quality. Ahead of the big day, Aldi committed to beating rivals on the price of a traditional Christmas dinner – part of a £325m investment to lower hundreds of prices throughout the year.

The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket saw total sales increase by over 5% in the week leading up to Christmas, as customers spent around £500m with the discounter. Aldi said 22nd December marked its busiest trading day – as millions of customers flocked to stock up on seasonal items ahead of the big day.

Aldi colleagues handled over 57m transactions over the four-week period to Christmas Eve, its highest ever number.

Demand for its Specially Selected premium own-label range also increased by over 12%, showing that customers were still keen to treat themselves but in a way that offered better value for money.

Popular products included award-winning festive lines such as Aldi’s Specially Selected The Ultimate Wagyu Fat Roast Potatoes, Specially Selected Double Wrapped Pigs in Blankets, as well as Specially Selected White Chocolate Ganache Pinecones.

Shoppers also celebrated with a glass of fizz, with Aldi selling over 5.5m bottles, or 33m glasses, of sparkling wine over the festive period.

Aldi also saw strong demand for home-grown produce, with sales of British-sourced meat and vegetables up as customers supported British during their Christmas shop at Aldi. As a result, shoppers bought 56 million potatoes, 37 million carrots, and half a million turkeys – all sourced from Aldi’s long-standing British supplier partners.

Giles Hurley, CEO of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “This Christmas proved once again that a great quality Christmas can still be affordable.

“We delivered a Christmas without compromise, offering customers award-winning British products at unbeatable prices. We’re grateful that more people than ever chose Aldi for their Christmas shop and trusted us to deliver both quality and value during what remains a challenging time for many. I’m immensely proud of our amazing colleagues who, once again, went above and beyond to deliver a wonderful Christmas for our customers.

“As we move into 2026, our focus remains unchanged – keeping prices low and quality high, so that every household in Britain can enjoy amazing food all year round.”

Aldi has been named the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket by consumer champion Which? for the past four years and also retained its Christmas Retailer of the Year crown at the Quality Food Awards 2025 for the sixth consecutive year.

Meanwhile, Aldi also continued its partnership with Neighbourly to support those in need during the festive season, donating an estimated one million meals to local charities, food banks and community groups across the UK.

For more information, please contact the Aldi Press Office on:
T: 0161 235 0300 or aldi@citypress.co.uk

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ALDI BACKS CHARITY CALL FOR SUPERMARKETS TO MAKE FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN STORE TOILETS

13 August, 2026
  • New Aldi-commissioned research reveals 67% of shoppers think supermarkets should provide free period products in customer toilets
  • Three quarters (75%) say free period products should be as readily available in supermarket toilets as toilet paper and soap
  • Aldi is backing charity partner Freedom4Girls’ call for other major UK supermarkets to make free period products available in store toilets where facilities allow.

Aldi is supporting its charity partner, Freedom4Girls, in calling for more supermarkets to make free period products available in store toilets, as new research reveals shoppers support supermarkets providing free access to essential period products.

Tina Leslie MBE, founder of Freedom4Girls and Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, have jointly written to the chief executives of major UK supermarkets, calling on them to make free period products available where store facilities allow.

The Aldi-commissioned survey of 2,000 UK shoppers found that 67% believe supermarkets should provide free pads and tampons in customer toilets, while 67% say they would be more likely to view a supermarket positively if it offered the service.

The research also found that three quarters (75%) of shoppers think period products should be treated as an everyday bathroom essential, just like toilet paper and soap, while 66% say supermarkets have an important role to play in supporting people who may struggle to access or afford them.

It comes after Aldi became the first UK supermarket to offer free period products in all customer and colleague toilets, with customers and colleagues able to take what they need, when they need it – no code word or loyalty scheme needed.

Since launching the initiative in March 2025, Aldi has provided one million free period products through its store toilets, helping to make everyday essentials such as tampons and pads more accessible to everyone who needs them.

Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "Access to period products should be a basic right, not a privilege. That is why we made free period products available in our store toilets for customers and colleagues, with no questions asked.

"The latest research shows shoppers support supermarkets making period products more accessible. Together with Freedom4Girls, we’ve written to the chief executives of other major UK supermarkets, encouraging them to consider introducing free period products where facilities allow.

"This is a simple, practical step that could make a real difference to customers and colleagues across the country. These products are essential, and we believe making them freely available is the right thing to do."

Tina Leslie MBE, Founder of Freedom4Girls, a menstrual equity charity dedicated to tackling period poverty, said: "Period poverty remains a huge issue in the UK, and we’re encouraged to see Aldi continuing to use its platform to push for wider change.

"Providing free period products in supermarket toilets is a practical way to help people access what they need discreetly and with dignity. We would welcome more retailers taking similar action to help tackle stigma, affordability and access."

The findings also suggest that free period products in supermarket toilets would help tackle a range of barriers, with 69% of shoppers saying the provision would help people who unexpectedly come on their period while away from home, 58% saying it would help those who cannot afford products when they need them, and 48% saying it would reduce embarrassment around asking for or buying period products.

When asked where free period products should be made available, 56% of shoppers selected supermarket customer toilets, ahead of shopping centres, transport hubs and leisure centres.

62% also said they would expect large supermarkets to provide free period products in customer toilets, while just over half (51%) said they would be more likely to shop with a retailer that made period products freely available in-store.

Among those who have or have ever had a period, 53% said they had been caught short without period products while shopping or away from home, while 93% said they had used toilet roll, tissue or another alternative because they did not have a product available.

Aldi’s in-store provision forms part of its wider commitment to supporting communities and improving access to everyday essentials. The supermarket has also donated one million period products to people experiencing period poverty through partnerships with charities including Freedom4Girls.

Customers can also donate period products through Aldi’s in-store donation points, with items distributed to food banks and charitable organisations via its community partner Neighbourly.

ENDS

*Research carried out in July 2026 by OnePoll among a sample of 2,000 UK shoppers.

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