LIDL is set to open 25 new supermarkets across the UK this year – creating 1,000 new jobs.
The supermarket giant has promised to keep the jobs in place for the next two years.
The ambitious plans will see Lidl open a new store every week across England, Scotland and Wales until Christmas 2020.
It’s part of a £1.3billion investment for the UK that will see another 100 stores open in 2021 and 2022.
The branch openings will create an extra 4,000 jobs over the next two years.
There are around 800 Lidl supermarkets across the UK, and the retailer says it hopes to have 1,000 by the end of 2023.
The high street has suffered huge blows during the coronavirus pandemic with sales slumping to a fifth of pre-lockdown levels.
But despite this, supermarket sales are expected to surge by the end of the year – grocery stores took 51 per cent of retail sales in March.
In the face of the disruption, Lidl will continue to open four new store sin the coming weeks, in Selhurst, Harrow Weald, Coleford and Llandudno Junction.
It is also looking for sites to build stores in Winchester, Didsbury and Cardiff City Centre.
Even during the pandemic, the discounter pressed on with plans to open new sites in Birmingham, Torquay and London, and added 2,500 temporary jobs at existing supermarkets to support staff throughout lock down.
Lidl employees are paid a minimum of £9.30 an hour outside of London and £10.75 within the M25 – higher than the national living wage which is currently £8.2 for 21 to 24-year-olds and £8.72 for those who are older than 25.
More to follow…
For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online.
Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Download our fantastic, new and improved free App for the best ever Sun Online experience. For iPhone click here, for Android click here.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
