Lidl is set to open more than 50 stores in 12 months in a £600m investment.
The plans are set to create about 2,000 jobs, according to the discounter, while bringining new Lidl stores this summer to locations including Abbots Langley near Watford, Warrington in Cheshire, and Thornbury in Gloucestershire.
Lidl’s announcement comes as it matches Morrisons in grocery market share over 12 weeks for the first time, becoming the UK’s joint fifth-biggest supermarket. It follows more than two years in which Lidl has been the UK’s fastest-growing bricks & mortar supermarket each month in Worldpanel by Numerator data.
The latest Worldpanel data last week showed Lidl and Morrisons tying on 8.3% grocery market share each in the 12 weeks to 22 March 2026, after the discounter’s sales grew 9.6% in a year.
“As we grow, we want to positively impact our British communities,” said Lidl GB Ryan McDonnell.
“We’re not just opening doors, we’re unlocking regional growth. Our expansion translates directly into high-quality jobs and gives British suppliers the certainty they need to invest in the future. Above all, it advances our social purpose of making affordable, healthy food accessible to everyone.”
It will be the fastest Lidl has opened new stores since about 2022, when it and Aldi both slowed from about 50 new stores each year to closer to 40.
Lidl has been fuelling expansion by selling yet-to-be built stores to fund their construction, and then leasing them back when complete. Along with Asda and Morrisons, Lidl was one of three supermarkets whose sale & leaseback activity drove a near record-high £1.87bn of investment in foodstore property in 2025, according to consultancy Colliers’ latest annual grocery real estate report.
Lidl said it was also cementing its logistics infrastructure, including its construction of a new warehouse in Leeds, due to be operational next year. In London, it is investing in its Belvedere distribution site, submitting plans to extend and join two separate warehouses.
Kate Dearden, minister for employment rights and consumer protection, said: “This kind of investment is exactly what we want to see from big employers – creating thousands of good jobs that pay fair wages and boost the standard of living in communities across the country.
“Lidl’s expansion plans are a real vote of confidence in our plan to grow the economy, demonstrating that responsible business growth can bring significant benefits for both businesses and workers.”
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