Aldi and Lidl recorded their best-ever sales performance in the UK last month as cash-strapped shoppers turned to the discounters to cut the cost of their Christmas celebrations.
Aldi reported sales of more than £1.5bn for the first time in the run-up to Christmas after delivering year-on-year growth of 8% over the four weeks to 24 December. The discounter revealed that Friday 22nd December was its busiest-ever trading day, with 2.5 million shoppers visiting its stores to do their Christmas shopping.
Aldi noted that the period topped another strong year for the business, with it attracting half a million more shoppers as they switched away from “every major UK supermarket”.
Looking ahead to 2024, Giles Hurley, Chief Executive of Aldi UK & Ireland, pledged to continue lowering the cost of groceries.
He said: “We’re really grateful that so many customers chose Aldi for their main Christmas shop this year. As the UK’s cheapest supermarket, we were able to help customers enjoy the Christmas they deserve and provide them with high quality products at the most affordable prices.
“As we look ahead to 2024, our promise to customers is that they will always make significant savings on every shop with Aldi because we have the lowest grocery prices in Britain.”
Meanwhile, Lidl GB revealed that demand for its Deluxe range helped it deliver its best Christmas yet, with overall sales increasing by 12% year-on-year. The record performance was supported by a surge in shoppers across the period, with 4.5 million more people coming through its doors in December. Its busiest day on record also fell on the 22nd December.
Sales of the discounter’s Deluxe lines increased by 11%, with Macarons, Christmas Pâté, and Christmas Crisps among its bestsellers. Sales of its Montaudon Champagne Brut also doubled in December, whilst Prosecco sales jumped 45%.
Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO, commented: “I’m incredibly proud of our performance this Christmas in what was the busiest trading period in our history. As the fastest-growing supermarket in the country, we welcomed more customers through our doors than ever before and ensured that we delivered the quality and price promise they have come to expect from us.”
He added: “Deluxe proved to be a standout winner this Christmas with record-breaking sales as we saw customers not only start their festive celebrations early but trade up to premium lines across all categories. As we look ahead into 2024 and even higher footfall, we remain relentlessly focused on continuing to do what we do best – which is always offering the highest quality on the market for unbeatable value.”
Earlier in the Christmas period, it was revealed that Lidl GB’s finance chief, Marco Di Costanzo, will be stepping down as the discounter struggles to achieve profitable growth.
He is departing the discounter’s British operation after two years in the role. It is reported that he will be taking up another post in Lidl’s parent company, Schwarz Group, once a successor is named in the New Year.
The news comes after Lidl GB swung to a heavy loss in its last financial year after battling to keep prices low in the face of rising costs.
Marc Houppermans of Dusseldorf-based Discount Retail Consulting is quoted by This is Money as saying: “Lidl UK is not running well. There is sales growth, but it is still loss-making.
“I assume the projected profitability targets for this year are not being reached, so someone has to be kept accountable. Normally it’s the chief executive who has to leave.”
