Aldi hails record Christmas trading as sales jump 10.6%

Discount supermarket chain Aldi has hailed record sales during the key Christmas period.

The retailer has revealed that sales rose by 10.6% in the four weeks to December 24, compared with the same period last year.

Aldi said it was boosted by increased demand for premium products and online, highlighting a 75% sales increase for its online wine and Specialbuy businesses.

The update was the first Christmas trading announcement by a UK supermarket, with rival Morrisons set to unveil its set of figures on Tuesday.

Grocery sales in December were strong amid tightened tiered coronavirus restrictions, with restaurants, cafes and pubs shut across most of the UK.

Aldi said it was also buoyed by its expanded delivery business, with thousands of customers using its Click & Collect service and on-demand collaboration with Deliveroo.

The supermarket chain has said it will spend an additional £3.5 billion a year with British suppliers by 2025 as part of expansion plans which will also see it grow its stores portfolio.

Aldi, which currently has more than 900 stores, has said it plans to open around one store every week as it targets 1,200 stores by 2025.

Last month, Aldi committed to paying back more than £100 million in business rates relief it has received during the pandemic from the state.

Giles Hurley, chief executive officer at Aldi UK, said: “We had a record Christmas with unprecedented demand for our award-winning products as customers pushed the boat out more than ever before.

“We are expecting significant sales growth this year as we open new stores and bring Aldi to more locations across the UK.

“With the vast majority of our grocery products now coming from British suppliers, our growth will lead to additional jobs and investment in our UK supply chain.”