Supermarket group Aldi is to invest £300 million revamping its UK stores after posting another year of record sales.
The German chain said the investment will go towards revamping its alcohol and fresh produce offering and rolling out a new “food to go” feature.
Chief executive Matthew Barnes said the investment plan is the result of a “listening exercise” involving more than 50,000 shoppers.
Aldi said it will refurbish more than 100 of its UK stores in 2017.
The investment announcement came as the group posted 2015 results, having grown sales 12 per cent to £7.7 billion though operating profit dipped 1.8 per cent to £255.6 million, which Aldi said was down to “continued investment in prices”.
Barnes said Aldi will continue to invest in prices to maintain a “significant price advantage” over rivals.
The group said it added 761,000 new customers last year, lifting its UK market share to a record 6.2 per cent.
Aldi said its capital expenditure plans are “unaffected” by Brexit and plans to open 70 new stores in the UK next year as part of a wider plan to grow its estate from 659 at present to 1,000 by 2022.
The group will also expand two existing distribution sites, redevelop its UK head office in Warwickshire and open a new distribution centre in Cardiff next year.
Barnes said: “During the past five years we have invested close to £1.7 billion in the UK by opening more stores than any other supermarket and enhancing our distribution capabilities.
“Our future capital expenditure plans are unchanged – we will continue to make significant investments in our business, paying our employees more than any other supermarket.”