Digital Media Centre

ALDI REPORTS BEST EVER CHRISTMAS

• Market-leading sales growth during Christmas helped cement Aldi’s position as the UK’s fastest growing supermarket in 2021
• The return of Kevin the Carrot in the sector’s standout Christmas TV ad helped attract half a million new shoppers in December as more people opted for an ‘Aldi Christmas’
• As household bills and living costs rise, the UK’s cheapest supermarket commits to offering shoppers the lowest grocery prices throughout 2022

The return of Kevin the Carrot in the standout TV advert of Christmas helped Aldi attract more than half a million new customers from more expensive Big Four supermarkets and propelled it to its best ever festive sales results.

Sales in December rose +0.4% compared to the previous year, when grocery spending was higher than usual due to the national lockdown and temporary closure of bars and restaurants. Aldi was the only major supermarket to grow sales in the three months before Christmas according to Kantar,¹ and its sales were also up 8.1% on 2019.²

Giles Hurley, CEO of Aldi UK, said: “Kevin the Carrot reminded Britain last year that you do not need to be extravagant to be kind, just as you do not need to spend a lot to indulge your family with a little luxury at Christmas.

“As the UK’s fastest growing supermarket in 2021, our premium Specially Selected range notched up its highest ever sales. We saw strong demand for our award-winning beers, wines and spirits. Stand out popular products included our Specially Selected Exquisite Chesham Bronze Turkey as well as our English Sparkling Wine.

“As we look ahead, the top priority for most families this year will be managing their household budgets in the face of rising living costs. As the cheapest supermarket in Britain, Aldi will always offer the lowest prices for groceries, no matter what, and continue to support our British farmers and producers.”

During the run up to Christmas, Aldi sold more than 43 million mince pies, 21 million British pigs-in-blankets and 118 million Brussels sprouts. Its shoppers also bought more than 5.5m bottles of champagne, sparkling wine and prosecco for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Aldi’s Christmas ad was deemed the year’s most effective by Kantar’s annual consumer survey. The advert, which saw Kevin the Carrot join forces with Marcus Radishford – voiced by Marcus Rashford MBE – highlighted Aldi’s support for the footballer’s campaign against child food poverty.

And the supermarket’s Christmas Food campaign also continued to grow, as it donated 1.8m meals this Christmas to local charities, food banks and community groups through its partnership with Neighbourly.

Behind the scenes, Aldi colleagues worked tirelessly in the run up to Christmas to ensure customers could get the products they were after at a price they could afford, every time they came to store.

Giles Hurley added: “There’s no doubt that 2021 was a long and difficult year for lots of people, but our amazing colleagues stopped at nothing as they came together to deliver the Christmas that our customers deserved.

“Of course, that is nothing new at Aldi, which is why we have always given our teams Boxing Day off so that they can enjoy the whole of Christmas with those dearest to them. It’s a well-deserved thank you and we look forward to doing exactly the same in 2022.”

Last year, Aldi announced plans to create 2,000 jobs in 2022 and invest a record £1.3bn over two years, opening 100 new stores as well as distribution centres, and refreshing existing stores as it continues to grow its share of the UK grocery market.

From next month, all store colleagues will be paid a minimum of £10.10 an hour nationally, or £11.55 for those inside the M25, ensuring Aldi remains the best-paying UK supermarket.

Ends

¹ Kantar, 12 weeks to 26/12/2021

² Aldi sales data