* Plans 100 new stores
* To create 2,000 new jobs
* 2020 sales up 10.2%, profit down 1.2%
(Adds details)
LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The British and Irish arm of
German discount supermarket group Aldi will invest 1.3 billion
pounds ($1.8 billion) in its business over the next two years as
it attempts to accelerate its growth in market share, it said on
Monday.
The retailer plans to open another 100 new stores in
Britain, expand its logistics infrastructure, including a new
distribution centre in central England, and invest in
technology.
It said it expected to create more than 2,000 new British
jobs next year, adding to the 7,000 permanent roles created over
the past two years.
Aldi and German rival Lidl have grown rapidly over the last
decade, forcing Britain's big four supermarkets of Tesco
, Sainsbury's Asda and Morrisons to cut
prices and compete more aggressively.
However Aldi's market share edged lower during the COVID-19
pandemic, partly due to a lack of a significant online business.
It is Britain's fifth-largest supermarket group, with 920 UK
stores and an 8% market share.
The group, privately owned by Germany's Aldi Sud
, said 2020 sales rose 10.2% to a record 13.5 billion
pounds but operating profit fell 1.2% to 287.7 million pounds,
reflecting the costs of COVID-19.
CEO Giles Hurley said the firm had to deal with "some of the
most difficult conditions our sector has ever seen".
The COVID-19 crisis has prompted the group to accelerate its
push into home delivery via a partnership with Deliveroo
. It has also introduced a click-and-collect service
that's now live in 200 stores, and is trialling a checkout-free
concept store in Greenwich, southeast London.
($1 = 0.7311 pounds)
(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Kate Holton and Pravin
Char)
