Aldi sign

Discount retailer Aldi has said that the first quarter of 2009 has brought about an increase in the number of people shopping at its stores in the UK and Ireland, with 11 per cent more customers passing through its checkouts when compared with last year.

The Germany-based group has also said that it is set to slash prices on a number of staple products to just £0.99, including food, drink and healthcare items, Reuters reported.

'Avoiding short-term promotions offering consumers freebies and multiple products that they don't need, enables our customers to save more at the checkout,' said Paul Foley, managing director of Aldi UK and Ireland.

Aldi operates 467 stores in the UK and Ireland, with a market share of 2.9 per cent in the UK – a figure which has grown rapidly during the global economic downturn as consumers look to cut back on expenses.