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Lidl UK says it plans to open 50 stores this year as part of a £600 million investment in new shops. Chief executive Ryan McDonnell called for a faster planning process, saying delays can slow investment and job creation. The company reported £13 billion in revenue for the year to February 28, 2026.
Lidl UK plans to open 50 stores this year and is investing £600 million in new shops, chief executive Ryan McDonnell said as the discounter reported revenue of £13 billion for the year to February 28, 2026. McDonnell called for a faster planning process, saying delays can hold back investment, jobs and local economic growth.
Lidl said revenue increased 10.8 per cent to £13 billion in the year ending February 28, 2026, with 40 stores opening during that period. Operating profit rose 9.9 per cent to £345 million. The results are for the financial year that ended in February; the plan for 50 openings applies to this year.
The company said it attracted 43 million new shoppers and sold 486 million more products. It reported growth in fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, and said it invested £315 million in affordable prices. Lidl also said sales of its premium deluxe range rose 12 per cent, which McDonnell linked to customers choosing to treat themselves at home.
McDonnell said Lidl sees hundreds more potential store locations, including in cities such as London and Glasgow. The company described its planned expansion as a £600 million investment in new shops. The report did not give a store-by-store schedule or specify how many of the 50 sites have received planning approval.
Planning Delays Could Slow Store Growth
The planned openings would add to Lidl’s physical presence and could bring new grocery options and jobs to the areas where stores are built. The company says planning delays and administrative bottlenecks can slow those investments. That is Lidl’s assessment; the figures provided do not quantify how many openings have been delayed or how many jobs are affected.
The expansion comes as supermarkets compete on price amid household pressure from the cost of living. Lidl says it put £315 million into affordable prices, while established rivals have also introduced price cuts and promotions. More stores could extend that competition in local markets, although the effect on prices and rival businesses will depend on the locations and scale of the openings.
Lidl’s sales growth also illustrates the discounter’s larger role in UK grocery retail. Market researcher Worldpanel put Lidl’s share at 8.7 per cent in the three months to September 6, up from 8.3 per cent a year earlier. That is a separate, more recent market measure than the company’s annual financial results.
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Lidl’s UK business has expanded substantially over the past two decades. The report says the chain held 1.4 per cent of the market 20 years ago. It overtook Morrisons in May to become the UK’s fifth-largest grocer, according to the report.
Worldpanel figures cited in the report show Lidl sales of £3.16 billion in the three months to September 6, an 8 per cent rise over that period. The same source put Aldi’s sales growth at 0.7 per cent. Those figures cover a three-month retail period and should not be confused with Lidl’s full-year revenue or operating profit.
Lidl has previously criticised delays in local planning decisions. Earlier this year, its UK chief real estate officer, Richard Taylor, said inconsistent approaches among planning authorities had delayed store openings. McDonnell’s latest call follows comments from Next chief executive Lord Wolfson, who argued that planning rules are a larger obstacle to economic growth than business rates.
The Competition and Markets Authority has also said Aldi and Lidl should not be able to block rival supermarkets from opening near their stores. The report says the two chains are set to be included with other large supermarkets under the change. McDonnell said Lidl accepts fair competition and was not concerned the change would slow its expansion.
“We would welcome reform that creates a faster, more efficient planning process.”
— Ryan McDonnell, Lidl UK chief executive
Store Sites and Delays Remain Unspecified
Lidl has not publicly listed the locations for the 50 planned stores or said how many are already approved. The report also does not set out the opening dates, the number of jobs expected, or the share of the £600 million investment allocated to individual sites.
McDonnell said planning delays can slow investment and job creation, but Lidl did not provide a count of delayed applications, an estimate of the time lost, or a financial measure of the impact. The extent to which planning reform would change the timetable for the planned openings is not clear from the information released.
The reported revenue, profit and customer figures are company results for the year ending February 28, 2026. They do not establish how Lidl’s performance will develop in the current year. Worldpanel’s market share and sales figures cover a separate three-month period ending September 6.
Fifty Openings Set the Next Milestone
Lidl says it is gearing up for what McDonnell described as its biggest Christmas yet, while pursuing the planned store expansion. The next visible milestones will be announcements of specific sites, planning decisions and opening dates. The company has not provided a schedule for those updates.
Any changes to planning rules would depend on decisions by public authorities, and no timetable for reform is given in the report. Lidl’s call adds to wider business debate over the pace and consistency of local planning decisions. Its 50-store plan will show how quickly the company can turn its investment commitment into operating shops.
For customers and competing retailers, the locations and timing will determine where the expansion has a direct effect. Lidl’s next annual results will provide a further measure of revenue and profit after the year covered by the current figures.
Key Questions
How many stores does Lidl plan to open in the UK this year?
Lidl UK says it plans to open 50 stores this year. It has not provided a site list or opening schedule in the report.
What planning changes is Lidl asking for?
Chief executive Ryan McDonnell called for a faster, more efficient planning process. Lidl says delays and administrative bottlenecks can slow investment and job creation; it has not quantified their effect.
How much revenue did Lidl UK report?
Lidl reported revenue of £13 billion, up 10.8 per cent, for the year ending February 28, 2026. Operating profit rose 9.9 per cent to £345 million over the same financial year.
Where will the new Lidl stores open?
Lidl has not announced the locations of the 50 planned stores. McDonnell said the company sees further opportunities in cities including London and Glasgow.
Source: rss
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