Aldi reports record Christmas sales after shoppers moved to cut festive grocery bills

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Julia KolleweJanuary 5, 2026 at 11:16 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Aldi reported record Christmas sales in the UK, with a 3% increase to £1.65 billion in the four weeks leading up to December 24th, driven by shoppers seeking affordable festive groceries. The discounter saw over 57 million transactions and strong demand for its premium own-label range. Lidl, another German discount chain, also reported record-breaking Christmas sales, with a 10% increase to £1.1 billion, attracting nearly 51 million shoppers. Both retailers attributed their success to offering value and quality during a period when consumers are still struggling with the cost of living. Neither Aldi nor Lidl provided like-for-like sales figures, but both chains opened approximately 40 new stores in 2023.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tesco 40% Sainsbury’s 40% Asda 40% Giles Hurley ×260% Germany ×260% UK ×270% Lidl ×480% Aldi ×690%

Keywords

christmas sales 100% aldi 90% discount supermarket 80% grocery spending 70% cost-conscious shoppers 70% record sales 60% premium own-label range 50% food price inflation 50% lidl 40%