Budget supermarket chain Aldi is set to open 80 new stores this year, including in Suffolk and Essex, and take on around 5,000 staff across the UK as part of its expansion plans.
The additional stores will take the German-owned firm’s overall UK estate to 700 outlets
It currently employs around 28,000 workers in more than 600 stores, all of whom are paid a minimum rate of £8.40 an hour, or £9.45 in London - well above the Government’s new national living wage from April of £7.40 for adults.
Among the stores in the pipeline are one at Pinewood in Ipswich, another at Colne View in Colchester and a third at Martello Park, Walton.
Babergh planners last year gave the green light to plans to build a new Aldi supermarket next to the One sixth form college on the outskirts of Ipswich on land owned by Ipswich council.
The proposals include a 1,820 sq metre store and a 105-space car park for shoppers on land between the college and land set aside for Fred Olsen Lines.
The new supermarket is set to create about 50 jobs, and should open this year.
Colchester planners gave the go-ahead last year to plans to open an Aldi supermarket in a former Staples store at Colne View Retail Park in Cowdray Avenue, which would create around 50 jobs.
As well as revamping the shop unit, Aldi wanted to build an extension to provide 40sq m of warehousing space.
Parking for the store, which will become the town’s third Aldi, will be provided from the existing 310 spaces at the retail park, which is also home to big chain stores, including Pets at Home, Halfords and DFS.
The chain also confirmed in January this year that it is pressing ahead with plans for another new store in north Essex next to a site abandoned by Tesco in Kirby Road, Walton.
If approved, the store, which would create up to 50 jobs, will have a sales area of 1,254sqm and a 102-space car park.
Tesco has planning permission for a store and petrol station twice that size on a neighbouring site, but axed its plans for the development in January in the wake of poor trading figures nationally.
Aldi regional managing director Ruth Doyle said: “To support our continued expansion and the ongoing performance of our existing stores, it’s important that we attract the right candidates across all of our roles. We’re looking for individuals with a real passion for retail who are seeking a long-term career with a growing and ambitious business.
“Aldi provides all staff with extensive training and development opportunities to ensure they have the necessary skills to make a real success of their career.”
Aldi said it had invested heavily in its Academy, based in Bolton, where recruitment specialists offer training for staff.
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