Aldi to create 4,000 new jobs in UK

German discounter Aldi is to hire 4,000 new workers in the UK, after committing to investing £1.3 billion into upgrading stores and distribution centres by 2022. The move follows a 49% increase in pre-tax profits to £271.5 million in 2019, reports Retail Gazette. Sales were up by 8.3% to £12.3 billion thanks to a 6% rise in new shoppers to 17.6 million.

The new investment plan foresees Aldi opening 100 new stores across the UK in 2020 and 2021, which will create 4,000 new jobs in addition to the 3,000 permanent positions created so far in 2020. Aldi’s long-term goal is to have 1,200 UK stores in operation by 2025.

Aldi chief executive, Giles Hurley, said:

“For over 30 years, our success has been driven by the ever-increasing number of shoppers who put their trust in Aldi every time they shop with us. This is what enables us to keep investing in Britain – in our products, our prices, our people and in the communities we serve. With the UK’s economic outlook increasingly uncertain, families are more concerned about their grocery bills than ever. We’ve seen before that our customers need us most in times of financial hardship, which is why our commitment to remain Britain’s lowest-priced supermarket is more important than ever.”