The north-east and Inverness could get new Lidl stores, with the supermarket classing them as “priority locations” for expansion.
The budget supermarket is looking to find locations in the Garthdee area of Aberdeen and the southern part of Inverness, as well as in the Aberdeenshire towns of Ellon and Stonehaven.
Last month, Aberdeenshire Council passed plans for a new retail park to be built in Banchory, which will include a Lidl, while the firm is looking to relocate its existing stores in Fort William and Mastrick in Aberdeen.
It comes as Lidl welcomed a record number of new shoppers to its stores in 2022, as over 1.4 million customers switched to it, with it continuing to experience record growth.
Last year, Lidl opened over 50 new stores across the UK in 2022, with a further 15 opening in the last three months alone.
Lidl GB chief executive, Ryan McDonnell said: “The last few years have been challenging for everyone, but we’ve made it clear that we’re more committed than ever to ensuring that every single household has access to a Lidl store.
“That’s why our focus is firmly on the future as we continue to grow and invest in our infrastructure, while keeping a lookout for more sites and locations across the country.”
Plans to have 1,100 stores
Lidl GB chief development officer, Richard Taylor said that despite the supermarket’s rapid store expansion, it “won’t be stopping there”.
He added: “Our vision is to have over 1,100 stores in the future, but really there’s no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential. What’s important is that we take a strategic and sustainable approach to getting there.”
Lidl’s criteria for new stores (outside of London and the M25) looks for the following:
- Unit sizes between 18,000 and 26,500 sq. ft
- More than 100 dedicated car parking spaces
- 1.5+ acres for standalone stores or up to four acres for mixed-use schemes
- Town centre or edge of centre locations and retail parks
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