Lidl to open another 20 UK stores

27th Jun 2014 14:36

Discount supermarket Lidl has unveiled plans to open a further 20 stores across the UK as part of a £220m expansion plan. The news comes as recent data shows the so-called Big Four - Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrison and Asda - have been losing out on market share to the likes of Lidl and fellow low-cost grocery chain Aldi. The German group last year added 12 new shops, taking its total to 600 and helping to boost its current market share to 3.6%. It has previously said it is planning to eventually own 1,500 UK stores. The expansion of Lidl and Aldi has put huge pressure on the Big Four to lower their own prices as they struggle to hold on to customers who have been accustomed to bargain hunting during the recession. Tesco shares were down 0.79% by 14:00 following its AGM, while Sainsbury remained 0.61% higher and Wm Morrison was up 0.66%. NR