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Discounters Drive 2026 UK Supermarket Expansion as Lidl Names 19 Sites and Aldi Backs 40-Store Plan

Companies have outlined expansion programmes that hinge on local planning approvals.

Overview

  • Lidl has set out 19 planned branches for 2026, publishing a site list spanning locations such as Basildon, Reading, Salisbury and London’s Stamford Hill and Walworth Road.
  • A Birmingham opening is included on Lidl’s slate with a store planned for Kingstanding, reflecting the chain’s nationwide rollout.
  • Aldi says it will invest £370 million to target around 40 new stores this year, with confirmed locations including Amersham, Kennington, Hastings and Southam.
  • Several sites remain subject to local decisions, with Lidl awaiting a ruling on a proposed branch in Croxteth.
  • Other grocers including Sainsbury’s and the Co-op are also planning 2026 openings, pointing to a broader wave of new supermarket sites across the UK.