Lidl has revealed that it is planning to open hundreds of new stores in London and the surrounding area, many of which could be located in upmarket boroughs such as Mayfair, Chelsea and Notting Hill. .

In the all, the discounter plans to open 280 stores in central London and within the M25, significantly expanding its presence in the heartland of supermarkets such as Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The move marks a change of strategy for Lidl, which has previously shunned London’s middle-class neighbourhoods where higher rents have made it harder to make the low-cost model viable. However, the discounter pledged that prices would be the same as elsewhere in the UK. 

The assault on London is part of the group’s wider goal to double in size from its current 629 stores, which already includes 70 outlets within the M25. Lidl’s property team has launched a hunt for suitable sites in the capital of between 10,000 and 28,000 sq. ft. in size with it targeting areas including Kensington, Chiswick, Dulwich, Wimbledon, Fulham, Clapham, Waterloo and Kingston. 

Lidl’s UK Property Firector, Richard Taylor, said: “As we continue with our ambitious store expansion programme across the UK, we’re seeing strong demand, particularly within the greater London area, for an intelligent retail choice like Lidl. We are looking forward to offering our fantastic value and quality products to more customers, as well as bringing new jobs and investment across London in the not-too-distant future.”