Aldi plans 900 million pounds for UK stores and distribution in 2027
Aldi plans to invest 900 million pounds in UK stores and distribution in 2027, including about 40 new supermarkets. The planned spending follows 5% sales growth across its UK and Ireland business in 2025, while operating profit stayed nearly flat. The retailer also plans longer supplier contracts, tying its expansion to a broader distribution and purchasing programme.
Economics & Markets··Morning
Forty stores enter the 2027 plan
Aldi plans to spend 900 million pounds on stores and distribution in the UK in 2027, with about 40 new supermarkets in the programme. The discount chain is expanding from a network of 1,092 stores. It also expects 42 openings during 2026, including 30 in the ten weeks after the September announcement. Those nearer openings belong to the current year, while the investment commitment is a plan for the following year. The company’s longer ambition is 1,500 stores. Chief executive Giles Hurley said suitable sites and planning approval can limit how fast new shops open.[1], [2]
Sales grew while profit stayed nearly flat
The announcement followed 19 billion pounds in turnover for Aldi’s UK and Ireland business in the calendar year ended December 2025, 5% above the preceding year. Operating profit was 432.9 million pounds, against 435.5 million pounds in 2024, and the operating margin slipped from 2.4% to 2.3%. Aldi says it spent 340 million pounds so far in 2026 reducing prices on more than 1,000 products. Hurley linked lower prices to customer gains, while The Guardian reported his count of 425,300 new shoppers. Aldi does not separately publish sales changes at established stores, so its overall growth cannot be split cleanly between new outlets and older ones.[1], [2]
Longer supplier contracts accompany expansion
Aldi also aims to buy at least half its products through long-term supplier agreements by 2027. It says multi-year contracts can help producers plan capacity and reports spending 14 billion pounds with British suppliers in 2025. About 80% of its sales come from those suppliers, according to the company. The Guardian also reported an agreement for grocery delivery through the Deliveroo app, with Deliveroo workers picking, packing and delivering orders. These purchasing and delivery changes sit alongside the planned store build-out; neither the 900 million pounds budget nor the future store count is a realized 2027 result.[1], [2]
