Lidl GB, which this year celebrates its 25th Anniversary, has announced it will be investing a record £15 billion in British suppliers over the next five years.
The investment comes as the discounter’s pace of growth continues, and will provide its suppliers with the support and ability needed to invest in and grow their own businesses.
Following its commitment to source 100% of its listed fresh poultry from UK farms, Lidl has also pledged to increase sales of British sourced fresh meat, poultry and fresh produce by over 10% across the next 12 months.
Additional initiatives from the supermarket in support of its suppliers include:
• Longer-term contracts that will help give suppliers certainty and allow them to invest for the future helping them to create new jobs and develop their business.
• A young farmers programme designed to support new talent in the farming industry.
Ryan McDonnell, Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB said: “As our business continues to grow, it’s vital that our suppliers remain at the heart of our growth plans, and that is why we are committing to investing at least £15 billion over the next five years. Our business is only ever as good as our suppliers’, so our investments and commitments are key to ensuring that they can invest and expand with us.
“Our long-term partnerships with farmers are all the more important during economic uncertainty, and with 2019 marking our 25th Anniversary, we are more committed than ever to supporting our suppliers here in Britain and offering customers British-sourced products in the future.”
Lidl GB’s commitment builds on existing initiatives to support British food and farming businesses. In March 2017, the discounter also signed the NFU’s ‘Back British Farming Charter’, which followed follows its commitment to the ‘NFU’s Fruit and Pledge’, further cementing its commitment to the British farming industry.
Lidl currently has a market share of 6% and is continuing with its ambitious expansion plans, which will see the supermarket open 50-60 new stores across 2019. In June, the discounter announced a £500m investment in London over the next five years as it opens new stores across the capital.
