Aldi reports record Christmas

The German supermarket said total UK ​December ​sales were more than 15​ per cent​ higher ​than December 2016 and it made over £10bn in sales during 2017.

The budget chain's premium range saw sales rocket 30​ per cent​, with mince pies, Aberdeen Angus beef roasting joints and Irish cream liqueur among the top-selling products.

The group's chief executive Matthew Barnes said: "This was our busiest-ever Christmas as millions of festive shoppers switched to Aldi from more expensive food retailers.

"Although we saw strong growth across all categories, the performance of our premium Specially Selected range in particular surpassed all expectations.

"This is a clear sign that shoppers knew they could indulge in Christmas treats and festive essentials at Aldi for a fraction of the price they would pay elsewhere."

Aldi sold more than 6.8 million bottles of wine, champagne and Prosecco during December​ -​ over 200,000 bottles per day.

It also sold over four million mince pies and more than 100 million packs of vegetables, including parsnips, sprouts and carrots.

The grocery chain also announced it will pay all store assistants a minimum hourly rate of £8.85 nationally and £10.20 in London from February 1, which Aldi said makes it the UK's "highest paying supermarket".

The retailer, which has 762 stores in the UK, reiterated its long-term strategy to have a network of 1,000 ​stores ​by 2022.

Mr Barnes added: "We see significant capacity for further growth as there are still more than 400 towns and cities across the UK without an Aldi store.

"Shoppers in these areas consistently tell us they would shop at Aldi if they could, and we are committed to meeting this demand for new Aldi stores."