Discounter hopes to reach thousands of additional households across the country

Lidl has announced plans to open hundreds of new stores across Britain.

Lidl is on a store-opening drive in Britain

Lidl is on a store-opening drive in Britain

The discounter said new store openings will see it reach thousands of additional households across the country and grow its record high market share further.

In the coming months, new Lidl stores will open in locations from Bristol to Birmingham and Berwick, while in London - where it is now the third-largest supermarket - new outlets will open in Wandsworth, Fulham, Hoxton and Canning Town.

Lidl has outlined a list of desired locations for potential new stores, with major growth mooted for cities including Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and London, and towns from Woking and Wadebridge to Dumfries and Didcot.

The past year has seen Lidl open its largest global warehouse in Luton, extend its Welsh distribution centre in Bridgend and start work on expanding its Belvedere warehouse, as well as enhance existing stores with the rollout of electronic shelf labels.

Richard Taylor, Lidl GB’s chief development officer, said: “Having fortified our infrastructure with significant investments like Luton, which is the largest warehouse in the Lidl world, we’re proud to have achieved record market share this month. We have also been the fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket for the past seven months in a row.

“With an exceptional store network and our laser focus on operational excellence, we’re welcoming more customers through our doors than ever before, which positions us perfectly for continued expansion.

“As we celebrate our 30th year, our commitment to ensuring that all households across the country have access to high-quality produce at affordable prices is stronger than ever. We’re planning to open hundreds of new Lidl stores but ultimately see no ceiling on our ambition or growth potential. This is why we’re continuing to invest in new locations whilst exploring innovative routes to expansion.

“As we look ahead, we’re excited to welcome even more new shoppers to our existing stores, as well as those we’re planning to open across the country in the coming months and years.”