This is why supermarket giant Lidl plans to create up to 500 jobs in Leeds

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>'Hospitality sector must collaborate over Brexit'>Massive boost for Hull's economy The discounter also plans to open warehouses in Bolton, Peterborough and Luton over the next six years.

No details were provided about the precise location of the planned Leeds operation, but a spokesman said: “The new site in Leeds could lead to as many as 500 new jobs once operational.” It is part of Lidl's strategy to increase its market share in the UK.

Lidl also announced that operations had started at its new £70m Scottish distribution centre in Eurocentral.

The new warehouse, which is Lidl’s largest in Great Britain, will serve as a base for 600 existing Lidl employees, who have relocated from the retailer’s existing distribution centre in Living-. The site at Eurocentral will support Lidl’s growing store estate across Scotland, which is set to reach the milestone of 100 locations in the new year.

A further 12 new stores are planned over the next three years in locations including Dundee, East Kilbride, Cowdenbeath, Larkhall and Dumbarton.

The first Lidl store opened in Germany in 1973, employing three people and stocking around 500 product lines.

By the 1980s, the company had opened 300 stores across Germany and the firm was considering overseas expansion.

In 1994, the company opened its first Lidl supermarket in the UK, and it now has more than 600 stores around the country. It has continued to gain a bigger share of the fiercely competitive UK grocery market in recent years.

Lidl GB regional director for Scotland, Ross Millar, said: “We’re very excited to be celebrating the opening of our new Eurocentral distribution centre, which represents a pivotal moment in our ambitious growth plans across Scotland.”

Mr Millar added: “The warehouse underlines our commitment to creating more jobs for Scotland and I’d like to extend my thanks to both store and warehouse colleagues, who have worked so hard to get us to where we are today.”