Budget supermarket rivals Lidl and Aldi are expanding their stores around Scotland.
Both boasting of using and providing Scottish produce, new supermarkets are popping up around the country, providing a cheaper alternative to the other four big supermarket giants.
Aldi currently has 96 stores in Scotland and more than 900 across the UK. It said it was looking for freehold town and city centre or edge-of-centre sites suitable for development.
Aldi have announced that they are now planning on opening 20 stores around Scotland, taking the total to over 100 supermarkets in the country.
Along with a new one in Edinburgh, new Aldi stores are targeting areas including Dunblane, Bishopbriggs, Maryhill, Peebles and Stonehaven.
As Insider reports, the retailer has committed to investing a further £20m in six new sites, including Hermiston Gait in Edinburgh, Thornybank Industrial Estate in Dalkeith, Portlethen Retail Park in Aberdeen, J24 Retail Park in Govan, Thistle Business Park in Cumnock, and Palace Grounds retail park in Hamilton.
A new store in Gateside Commerce Park, Haddington, will open to replace the existing store. Aldi will also invest in upgrading its Rutherglen, Strathaven, Forfar and Inverness stores.
Ciaran Aldridge, national property director at Aldi UK, said: “We have been investing in Britain for more than 30 years now, but we know that there are still areas that either do not have an Aldi at all, or that need another store to meet customer demand.
“Shoppers are increasingly looking to get unbeatable prices on their weekly shop without compromising on quality - that’s why, more so than ever, we’re keen to explore all opportunities to open new stores across the country.”
Lidl have also announced that they are expanding stores and published a 'wish list', hoping to reach 'metropolitan' and edge of town areas. Those include over ten potential locations in and around Edinburgh, five in Glasgow and two each in Aberdeen, Cumbernauld, Dunfermline and Paisley.
Ross Millar, the retailer’s regional director for Scotland, said: “We want to continue to reach more shoppers across Scotland and our site requirements brochure is a testament of that.
“There are towns that will be new for Lidl and in some places, the potential to even double our sites. Each new store will have quality food and drink at great prices including produce from more than 60 Scottish suppliers.
“We look forward to opening new stores in the coming months and years and becoming part of local communities.”
All the new Lidl stores coming to Edinburgh
- Barnton / Davidson Mains
- Brunstane / Jewel
- City Centre
- Colinton / Currie
- Gilmerton
- Liberton
- Meadowbank
- Morningside
- Murrayside
- Newington / Mayfield
- Oxgangs
- Portobello
