Aldi UK nets £1.65bn in Christmas sales and reveals what shoppers were buying
“This Christmas proved once again that a great quality Christmas can still be affordable” – Giles Hurley, CEO
Discount supermarket chain Aldi racked up a £1.65 billion sales haul over the festive period as price remained the “biggest priority” for cash-strapped shoppers.
The German-owned chain reported a 3 per cent rise in total sales over the four weeks to Christmas Eve as it notched up a record 57 million transactions.
Britain’s fourth biggest grocery chain said sales jumped by more than 5 per cent in the final trading week leading up to Christmas, with some £500 million rung up through its tills.
The performance for the month-long run-up marks a slight slowdown on the previous Christmas, when sales lifted 3.4 per cent.
Last week, close rival Lidl, which also has German parentage, reported a 10 per cent rise in Christmas sales as it made more than £1.1 bn in turnover over the four weeks leading up to December 24, but the two discounters do not provide same-store comparable sales for the period.
Aldi said price was “the biggest priority for shoppers in 2025, with customers seeking ways to celebrate on a budget”. But some customers also traded up to its premium own-brand range, Specially Selected, which saw sales rise by over 12 per cent.
Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “This Christmas proved once again that a great quality Christmas can still be affordable. We’re grateful that more people than ever chose Aldi for their Christmas shop and trusted us to deliver both quality and value during what remains a challenging time for many.”
The group said there had been strong demand for key festive British-sourced meat and vegetables, with customers buying 56 million potatoes, 37 million carrots and half a million turkeys. It also sold more than 5.5 million bottles of sparkling wine over the festive period.
Aldi and Lidl have kicked off the festive reporting season from the supermarket sector, with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer set to follow later this week.
Last month, Aldi said it was planning to open two more Scottish stores during 2026 and extend several other branches as part of a two-year investment programme north of the Border.
New stores are set to open in Bishopbriggs and Dumbarton this year, with extensions in the pipeline for outlets in Greenock, Perth, Linlithgow, Paisley and Stirling.
Bosses said the £43m investment over the next two years supported the retailer’s growth ambitions in Scotland amid increasing consumer demand.
During 2025, Aldi became Scotland’s second largest supermarket by volume according to Worldpanel data, as it welcomed 60 million trips through its Scottish stores.
Sandy Mitchell, regional managing director for Aldi Scotland, said: “I’m incredibly proud to reflect on another outstanding year for Aldi in Scotland. In 2025, we’ve continued to strengthen our investment across the country, welcoming more customers than ever before to our Scottish stores and providing greater access to affordable groceries.
“Our ongoing commitment to Scottish provenance and our close relationships with local suppliers remain at the heart of our success. We’re proud to champion the very best of Scotland’s produce, ensuring that high-quality, locally sourced products continue to reach more customers.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.