Lidl GB increased turnover by 10.8 per cent to £13bn in the financial year ended 28 February 2026, with operating profit rising to £345m from £314m, according to annual results the discounter published today.
The supermarket said revenue was up from £11.7bn the previous year and that it recorded 43 million more customer visits over the period. It attributed the increase to investment in price, store expansion and digital services.
Lidl said the higher footfall produced a 486 million increase in product volumes, with growth across categories including meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables, and a 12 per cent rise in sales of its Deluxe range. It also reported more than £650m of direct switching from competitors and said the launch of its “More to Value” brand platform during the year had contributed to growth.
The company said it reached a record market share during the financial year. It became the UK’s fifth-largest supermarket in May, and Lidl said three in five households now shop with it.
Defra’s published grocery market share table, which uses Worldpanel by Numerator data, put Lidl on 8.6 per cent in the 12 weeks to 17 May, ahead of Morrisons on 8.3 per cent.
Lidl said it spent £315m on price cuts and promotions such as “Pick of the Week” during the year. Users of its Lidl Plus loyalty app rose 23 per cent year on year, and the company said it would increase funding for personalised coupons by 60 per cent in 2026 and roll out its Lidl & Go service.
The retailer said it had recently been named the cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s “Super Grocer 33” analysis.
Lidl opened more than 40 stores during the year, a period in which it also reached its 1,000th store, and invested £43m in upgrades to more than 70 existing sites. The company said the work included store remerchandising, expanded freezers, self-checkouts and energy-efficient lighting and chillers.
It plans to open more than 50 stores in the current financial year as part of a £600m investment.
The company said it had been the fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar retailer for more than three years.
Lidl said it invested £59m in pay increases for staff last year and described itself as a sector-leading employer on pay. Lidl GB has more than 35,000 employees across England, Scotland and Wales, according to the company.
It has also doubled paid paternity leave from two to four weeks on full pay, rising to eight weeks after five years of service, a change it announced in February.
Spending with British suppliers rose by £400m year on year, Lidl said, with fresh meat and poultry suppliers seeing the largest increase at 15 per cent.
Around two-thirds of its products come from British suppliers, including all of its everyday own-label beef, pork, chicken, milk, butter, cream and eggs, according to the company. Lidl has also announced a £30bn sourcing commitment to the British food and farming industry over the next five years.
Ryan McDonnell, chief executive of Lidl GB, said: “Our performance is a clear testament to the trust that millions of customers place in us every week as a direct result of the dedication of our colleagues right across the country.”
He added: “As we grow, our focus doesn’t shift – we’re constantly investing in low prices, high quality, and maximum value for our customers.”
