Aldi to create 2,400 jobs as it 'almost doubles' London stores targeting empty office blocks for expansion
20 February 2023, 15:42 | Updated: 20 February 2023, 15:52
Aldi is set to "almost double" its 60 stores in London as it targets empty office blocks for its expansion.
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The retailer is looking for locations big enough for its standard 20,000 sq ft stores, with around 100 dedicated parking spaces also needed.
Aldi's overall store target in the UK is 1,200 by 2025, having already invested £700 million ($843 million) in 2022 and a further £600 million set to be invested in 2023.
It comes after it overtook Morrisons to become Britain's fourth largest grocer in 2022.
However, it is relatively under represented in the capital due to a shortage of suitable sites.
In a bid to find locations, Aldi is offering property agents a finder’s fee of either 1.5% of a freehold price or 10% of the first year’s rent for leasehold sites, for recommending a previously unknown site.
The expansion across the capital will create around 2,400 jobs, the retailer said.
Read more: M&S closures: Marks & Spender to shut several more locations - is your local shop on the list?
The supermarket said last week it would create over 6,000 jobs this year.
Ben Shotter, Regional Managing Director at Aldi, said: “We strongly believe that access to affordable, high-quality food is a right, not a privilege.
"But we’re conscious that there are still many areas, particularly in the capital and within the M25, that don’t have access to an Aldi.
"As a result, too many people have to make do with big prices at the big supermarkets. We want to give more people a new Aldi store with our award-winning products at unbeatable prices.
"We are looking for locations across the UK, but particularly in London.”
