Supermarket chain Lidl has reported a revenue increase of almost 7% over the four weeks to Christmas Eve, as customers bought 16 million pigs in blankets and a turkey every second. The company said that sales of party food had grown by a third, with champagne sales up 25%. Lidl’s Christmas sales figures were aided by the firm’s highest-ever number of customers for the period, with two million more shopping there as the company attempted to match competitors’ market share.
Last year Lidl increased the total number of its UK supermarkets to over 970. Ryan McDonnell, the UK boss of the German discount chain has stated that the company is thrilled by the rising number of shoppers and is excited to build on the current momentum. However, its sales growth rate of 7% over the key Christmas trading period marks a fall from the 12% achieved the previous year, despite Lidl seeing the highest growth in customer visits of any supermarket.
A number of supermarkets have argued that tax rises announced within the UK government budget could lead to job losses and higher prices for customers, and this includes Lidl, which has joined its rivals in the argument. Mr McDonnell has previously told the BBC that while changes to taxes and employment laws will put pressure on the business all at once, these factors won’t stop the retailer from investing in the UK
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