'Lidl's five-year investment into British food businesses to reach £21bn'

Supermarket chain Lidl GB has revealed it is on track to have invested a total of £21bn in the British food industry in the five years to the end of February 2025, exceeding its original target by 40 per cent.

Two thirds of the discounter’s products within its permanent range are from British suppliers and the investments cover a number of sectors, the company said.

Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, said: “As we celebrate 30 years of Lidl in Great Britain, it’s a fitting time to reflect on how far we’ve come.

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"One of the things we’re most proud of are the strong relationships we’ve built with British suppliers, who have grown with us over the years.

Lidl GB has revealed it is on track to have invested a total of £21bn in the British food industry in the five years to the end of February 2025, exceeding its original target  by 40 per cent.  (Photo supplied by   Lidl GB )Lidl GB has revealed it is on track to have invested a total of £21bn in the British food industry in the five years to the end of February 2025, exceeding its original target  by 40 per cent.  (Photo supplied by   Lidl GB )
Lidl GB has revealed it is on track to have invested a total of £21bn in the British food industry in the five years to the end of February 2025, exceeding its original target by 40 per cent. (Photo supplied by Lidl GB )

"Now more than ever, we remain committed to supporting British farmers, ensuring we’re a dependable partner to those who put home-grown food on Lidl shelves across the country.

"By continuing to invest in British agriculture, we’re helping to ensure our suppliers can thrive in the future.”

In a statement, Lidl GB said: “Lidl’s commitment to British produce is enhanced by its model, which offers an extensive own-brand range – approximately 90 per cent of its product offering, compared to 56 per cent across the sector – meaning it has direct relationships with more than 650 suppliers from across the country.”

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Last month, Lidl announced an investment of £1bn into the British free-range egg industry.

The discounter said this builds on existing financial incentives aimed at addressing the shortage of British free-range egg farms, with farmers in its free-range egg producer group benefitting from long-term cost of production contracts and guaranteed minimum volumes.

In July, Lidl also committed to invest £1.5bn into the British beef industry over the next five years. Alongside this, it announced a programme in partnership with its British beef suppliers, offering financial rewards to members of its Sustainable Beef Group for adopting sustainable practices.

The discounter is launching a Grassroots Farming Conference to strengthen ties with British farmers across more sectors including the pork, dairy, and beef industries.

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The inaugural conference will take place between February 19 and 20 next year, at Harper Adams Agricultural University in Shropshire and will cover topics including agricultural policy and mental health.

Speakers are set to include Alex Burrows, Chair of NACFT (The National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers); Michael Kavanagh, Director of Green Farm Collective; and Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation.

In October, Lidl revealed it it would be opening 10 more shops in the UK before Christmas as the discount retailer targets new shoppers ahead of the festive season.

The German supermarket chain also announced it has agreed to sell 12 new stores as part of a leaseback deal worth £70m

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Lidl currently has about 960 stores but has previously said it is aiming to open more than 1,100 stores across England, Wales and Scotland.

The new openings this year will create around 400 jobs and reach thousands more households, according to the retailer.

The expansion includes shops in Berwick Green in Bristol, Bovey Tracey in Devon, and Stirchley in Birmingham, as well as three in London’s Hoxton, Forest Gate and Caterham.

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