Lidl GB stumps up £600m to strengthen store network with 50+ locations planned

Lidl GB has announced that it will be opening more than 50 new stores in the next 12 months as part of a £600 million investment in its British infrastructure.

Upcoming store openings include key sites such as Abbots Langley near Watford, Warrington in Cheshire, and Thornbury in Gloucestershire which are all set to open this summer.

Lidl is also boosting its logistics infrastructure. The German discounter reports that construction of its new warehouse in Leeds is progressing well with operations due to begin next year. Meanwhile in London, Lidl is further investing into its Belvedere distribution site, submitting plans to slightly extend and join both warehouses.

Ryan McDonnell, CEO at Lidl GB, says: "As we grow, we want to positively impact our British communities. We’re not just opening doors, we’re unlocking regional growth. Our expansion translates directly into high-quality jobs and gives British suppliers the certainty they need to invest in the future. Above all, it advances our social purpose of making affordable, healthy food accessible to everyone.”

Minister for Employment Rights & Consumer Protection, Kate Dearden, says:  “This kind of investment is exactly what we want to see from big employers - creating thousands of good jobs that pay fair wages and boost the standard of living in communities across the country. Lidl's expansion plans are a real vote of confidence in our plan to grow the economy, demonstrating that responsible business growth can bring significant benefits for both businesses and workers.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.