// Aldi says sales in the final four weeks before Christmas increased 10.6% year-on-year
// Aldi also saw strong growth in its online wine and Specialbuy offering, with sales in December up 75% on the previous year
Aldi has hailed record sales during the key Christmas period that was bolstered by a spike in demand for premium products.
In the four weeks to December 24, the German discount grocer said UK sales rose by 10.6 per cent compared with the same trading period a year ago.
Aldi said it was boosted by increased demand for premium products and online, highlighting a 75 per cent sales increase for its online wine and Specialbuy businesses.
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The update makes it the first Christmas trading announcement by a UK supermarket, with rival Morrisons set to unveil its set of figures tomorrow.
Aldi said it was also buoyed by its expanded delivery business, with thousands of customers using its click-and-collect service and on-demand collaboration with Deliveroo.
In addition, Christmas trading was boosted by strong demand for Aldi’s Specially Selected range, as well as its beers, wine and spirits – with the supermarket selling 4.5m bottles of champagne, sparkling wine and prosecco.
The news comes shortly after Aldi revealed it would spend an additional £3.5 billion a year with British suppliers by 2025 as part of its expansion plans.
The German supermarket chain, which currently has over 900 stores in the UK, also plans to open on average a new store every week over the coming years as it targets 1200 stores by 2025.
“We had a record Christmas with unprecedented demand for our award-winning products as customers pushed the boat out more than ever before,” Aldi UK chief executive Giles Hurley said.
“We are expecting significant sales growth this year as we open new stores and bring Aldi to more locations across the UK.
“With the vast majority of our grocery products now coming from British suppliers, our growth will lead to additional jobs and investment in our UK supply chain.”
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