Digital Media Centre

ALDI SETS NEW PAY BENCHMARK AS UK’S HIGHEST-PAYING SUPERMARKET

Discounter increases starting rates to £13.50 nationally and £14.88 in London –surpassing all competitors

• Aldi strengthens its position as UK’s best-paying supermarket with sector-leading rates from 1^st April
• Entry-level pay rises to £13.50 nationally and £14.88 inside the M25
• Rates increase to £14.47 nationally and £15.20 in London with length of service
• These pay increases form part of a £42 million investment in colleague pay this year
• Aldi remains only major supermarket offering all colleagues paid breaks – worth approximately £1,500 annually

Aldi has strengthened its position as the UK’s highest-paying supermarket, announcing pay rates that set a new benchmark for the grocery sector.

From 1^st April 2026, Store Assistants will earn £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 inside the M25. These rates rise to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively based on length of service.

The increase will benefit over 28,000 hourly-paid store colleagues and represents the second pay rise for Aldi teams this year, following January’s announcement of enhanced rates and extended maternity pay to 26 weeks at full pay.

Combined, these moves represent a £42 million investment in colleague pay in 2026 alone, cementing Aldi’s commitment to being the sector’s pay leader.

The supermarket’s new rates exceed those of all other competitors.

Aldi is also the only major supermarket to offer paid breaks to all colleagues – a benefit worth approximately £1,500 per year to the average store colleague and demonstrating Aldi’s comprehensive approach to valuing its teams.

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Our colleagues work incredibly hard to deliver exceptional value for our customers, and we’re rewarding that dedication with the highest pay in the sector.

“We’ve invested over £42 million in colleague pay this year because we know that every single member of Team Aldi is fundamental to our success and deserve nothing less.”

Aldi employs more than 45,000 colleagues across the UK and continues to expand rapidly, with plans to open 40 new stores in 2026 as part of a £370 million investment programme. The supermarket is investing an additional £300 million in upgrading and extending existing stores, reinforcing its position as one of Britain’s fastest-growing food retailers.

ENDS

THE £800 POSTCODE PENALTY: ALDI REVEALS OVER 200 TOWNS ARE PAYING HUNDREDS MORE FOR GROCERIES

Families in over 200 UK towns are paying up to £2,437 more per year on their grocery shopping simply because they lack access to a discount supermarket, new analysis from Aldi reveals today.

The research identifies a significant “discounter gap” across Britain, with communities from Stonehaven in Scotland to Totnes in the South West missing out on the savings that shoppers with access to Aldi enjoy.

The analysis shows that households without access to Aldi – which has been named the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket by consumer champion Which? for the past five years – pay £826 more on average, rising to £2,437 in areas dominated by the highest-priced supermarkets. These figures are based on the average monthly cost difference between Aldi and either the average major UK supermarkets, or the most expensive UK supermarket, using the prices of a typical 68-item shopping basket tracked by Which?*.

The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket has mapped 220 locations across the UK where shoppers are facing a growing ‘postcode penalty’, with many paying significantly more for groceries because they lack access to a discount supermarket. These locations span every region of the country, including 35 towns in the South East, 30 in the East of England and 25 in Scotland.

Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “No one should pay more for their weekly shop simply because of where they live. We believe every household should have access to high-quality, affordable food.

“With household budgets under intense pressure, local access to a discounter isn’t just convenient – it can save families hundreds of pounds a year. These findings show that expanding access to Aldi is one of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of living for many.”

Aldi has invested £650 million across Britain through its store opening and refurbishment programme in 2025, with each new site creating around 40 jobs.

The discounter also recently announced it would be doubling down on its investment in Britain with a £1.6 billion commitment over the next two years, opening 40 stores each year as it moves towards its ambition to have 1,500 UK stores.

ENDS

*Savings were calculated using the latest findings from the Which? cheapest supermarket survey (December), which found a typical weekly shop of 68 items cost an average of £15.89 more than at Aldi at the average Big Four supermarket, and £46.86 more at the most expensive supermarket, Waitrose. Over 52 weeks, these savings would amount to £826.15 and £2,436.72 respectively.

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

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 22^nd 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.

ALDI TO OPEN FIVE STORES IN 24 HOURS

Aldi will open five new stores in 24 hours, just in time for Christmas.

The UK’s fourth-largest supermarket, which has more than 1,070 stores, will open new stores in Uxbridge and Old Kent Road in London, as well as Northallerton, Pershore on Thursday 11^th December and a new store in Yate, Bristol on Friday 12^th December.

Shoppers in these areas will benefit from Aldi’s renowned fresh British produce and its popular range of exclusive Specialbuys. Each one will offer Aldi’s unique combination of award-winning food and great quality products, all at prices that no other UK supermarket can match.

Opening five stores in 24 hours demonstrates the scale and momentum of Aldi’s ambition as it works towards having 1,500 UK stores, bringing its low prices and high-quality products to even more communities.

The retailer, which was recently named Christmas Retailer of the Year for the sixth year running at the Quality Food Awards, is investing £650 million in new openings and refurbishments in 2025 and has committed an additional £1.6 billion over the next two years, supporting the rollout of around 40 new stores each year.

The expansion comes as Aldi was once again named Which? Cheapest Supermarket for November – a title it has held for four consecutive years – highlighting its ongoing commitment to offering unbeatable value.

Together, the five new stores will create around 200 jobs, all offering Aldi’s market-leading pay rates. Aldi also remains the only supermarket to provide paid breaks for all store colleagues, worth nearly £1,475 a year for the average store colleague.

Jon Neale, Real Estate Managing Director at Aldi UK, said: “Opening any new store is exciting, but opening five in 24 hours, just before Christmas, will make a huge difference for customers in each of these areas. It reflects the demand we’re seeing right across the UK and the scale of our ambition as we continue to grow.

“We’re committed to growing in the right places, with the right teams, bringing our low prices and high-quality products to even more communities – and we’re committed to moving as fast as we can to deliver that.”

The Aldi stores opening on Thursday 11^th December are:

• Harefield Road, Uxbridge
• Old Kent Road
• North Moor Road, Northallerton
• King Georges Way, Pershore

And the Aldi store opening on Friday 12^th December is:

• Link Road, Yate, Bristol