// Aldi says it will create nearly 4000 new jobs in the UK by the end of the year
// It will be achieved through the opening of 1 new store per week, on average
// It has so far hired 2800 new staff and there are plans to hire an additional 1200 between now & Christmas
Aldi is set to create nearly 4000 new jobs across the UK this year as it pushes ahead with plans to open an average of one new store a week between now and Christmas.
The German discount grocer, which currently has more than 890 stores and employs around 35,000 people across the UK, has already created 2800 new permanent jobs this year.
It said it plans to create more than 1200 new jobs – in addition to the thousands of temporary roles that were available during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Aldi’s announcement comes two weeks after its main rival, Lidl, revealed plans to open one new store per week and create 1000 new jobs before Christmas, as part of a wider £1.3 billion investment plan in Great Britain for 2021 and 2022.
Aldi said it would open the new stores in towns and cities such as Sandhurst, Bristol and Edinburgh as well as many other locations up and down the country, as it continues on its journey towards its target of 1200 UK stores by 2025.
The retailer said that each new store opening would create, on average, 30 new jobs.
Store assistants at Aldi earn an industry-leading minimum hourly rate of £9.40 nationally, and £10.90 inside the M25.
This increases to £10.41 after three years nationally and £11.15 after two years within London.
Aldi’s pay rates are above the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended real living wage rates of £9.30 per hour nationally and £10.75 per hour inside the M25.
The grocery chain said additional store roles available will include managerial positions, caretakers/cleaners and store apprentices.
“As much as the disruption of the past few months has been challenging, it has also reminded us that there are still hundreds of towns across the UK where shoppers don’t have access to Aldi’s award-winning quality products and unbeatable prices,” Aldi Uk chief executive Giles Hurley said.
“I’ve been very proud of the tireless work my colleagues have put into feeding the nation. To continue doing this and meet our goals of making Aldi accessible to even more shoppers, we will need thousands more amazing colleagues across the country.
“I look forward to welcoming each and every one of them to the team.”
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