Lidl GB to open 50 new stores in £600m expansion as annual profits jump

Lidl GB, the UK arm of the German discounter, said on Monday it would open more than 50 new stores in its current financial year as part of a £600 million ($793 million) investment to win a bigger slice of Britain’s grocery market.

The expansion was announced alongside annual results showing a 9.9 per cent rise in 2025/26 operating profit to £345 million, on turnover up 10.8 per cent to £13 billion for the year to the end of February.

The group, which in May overtook Morrisons to become Britain’s fifth-largest grocer, said growth had been fuelled by a 12 per cent rise in sales of its Deluxe own-label range and more than 40 new stores opened during the year.

The chain expects the latest cash injection to create almost 2,000 new jobs across Britain, alongside upgrades to its warehouse network including a new site in Leeds and improvements to its Belvedere distribution hub in London.

Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell said: “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.”

The Times separately reported Lidl GB’s pre-tax profit jumped to £205.5 million from £156.8 million the previous year, with 486 million more products sold and Lidl Plus users up by nearly a quarter.