Latest news with #JonathanNeale
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Aldi announces major update for all its members of staff in 'supermarket first'
The supermarket has announced its latest pay increase for staff, which will come into effect from September 2025 Aldi is set to become the first supermarket to pay store assistants at least £13 an hour. The grocer has announced its latest pay increase for staff, which will come into effect from September 2025. London staff within the M25 will earn at least £14.33. Based on their length of service, long-serving staff will see their pay rise to £13.93 nationally and £14.64 inside London. Aldi store assistants are currently paid a minimum of £12.75 an hour nationwide, and £14.05 an hour within the M25. The new minimum rate further exceeds the Real Living Wage of £12.60 an hour that was set by the Living Wage Foundation in October last year. The Real Living Wage is a voluntary pay for workers over the age of 18, whose employer is signed up to the Living Wage Foundation. Aldi says it is also the only retailer to offer all colleagues paid breaks, which is worth approximately £1,385 a year for the average store colleague. Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland, said: 'Our people are the driving force behind our success across the UK. This latest investment in pay is a reflection of their hard work and the incredible contribution they make every single day. 'We're proud to remain the UK's highest-paying supermarket and will continue to support our colleagues in every way we can.' It comes after the supermarket published an updated list of priority locations across the UK where it wants to open new stores. Aldi has more than 1,050 stores and is working towards a long-term target of 1,500. This latest expansion is part of a £650million investment this year. Each site should be able to accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store with around 100 parking spaces and ideally be near a main road with good visibility and access. The supermarket is also on the lookout for sites to accommodate its Aldi Local store format in Central London in zones one and two, which typically have a minimum size of 5,000 sq ft of trading space, along with an additional 3,000 sq ft of ancillary space. Ten new stores will open in summer including Caterham in Surrey, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, and Fulham Broadway in London. Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: 'At Aldi, our goal is to ensure everyone has access to high-quality food at unbeatable prices, and we're committed to achieving that with our ambitious store opening plans. 'We're targeting 40 new store openings in 2025, while many of our current stores will also be getting a refresh to enhance the customer experience, meaning we can consistently offer the best value for money to even more shoppers across the UK.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Aldi fits solar panels at more County Durham stores in £7.7m scheme
Aldi is rolling out solar panels across more County Durham stores as part of a £7.7 million investment in renewable energy. Stores in the region will be among those to benefit from the supermarket's latest green upgrade, which forms part of Aldi's on-site renewable energy programme. The UK's fourth largest supermarket is installing advanced 144 kWp solar systems at 41 stores before the end of 2025 and a further 49 stores the following year. (Image: Aldi) Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK, said: "By expanding the use of solar panels across our UK stores, we're making practical, long-term changes to how we power our operations, which will help us generate more of our energy on site from renewable sources. "By investing in our estate now, we're strengthening the resilience of our operations and helping ensure we can keep delivering great value for customers across Britain in a more sustainable way." In County Durham, solar panels have already been spotted at Aldi stores in Crook, Stockton and Spennymoor, with the Peterlee location also set to benefit. Each new solar installation is expected to generate around 100,000 kWh of electricity annually. The programme is part of Aldi's broader commitment to increasing its use of renewable energy and improving energy security across its sites. READ MORE: 'Real possibility' of County Durham locations merging due to 'overdevelopment' Huge solar farm between Darlington and Stockton approved by Government Pub owner 'over the moon' after being shortlisted in Echo's best pub All future new Aldi stores will be fitted with the advanced solar systems as standard. The retailer has also made other sustainability improvements, including converting more than 30 per cent of its owned HGV fleet to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in September last year. Aldi has also introduced chiller doors in its stores, reducing energy consumption by around 20 per cent per site.
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow Aldi to receive new solar panels in UK rollout
The new installations are part of a £7.7 million investment in on-site renewable energy, with 90 existing stores set to benefit—including the Shettleston Aldi in Glasgow. The supermarket chain, now the fourth largest in the UK, will install advanced 144 kWp solar systems at 41 stores by the end of this year, with an additional 49 stores to follow in 2026. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Tesco brings back free fruit for kids and makes big Clubcard changes Each site is expected to generate around 100,000 kWh of electricity per year—enough to power an average home for 37 years, according to Ofgem data. All future new store developments will also include solar technology as standard. Jonathan Neale, managing director of national real estate at Aldi UK, said: "By expanding the use of solar panels across our UK stores, we're making practical, long-term changes to how we power our operations, which will help us generate more of our energy on site from renewable sources. "By investing in our estate now, we're strengthening the resilience of our operations and helping ensure we can keep delivering great value for customers across Britain in a more sustainable way." Read more: Major British institution with Glasgow branch 'to close more than 100 locations' The solar panel programme is part of Aldi's broader commitment to increasing renewable energy use across its operations. In addition to these installations, Aldi has also converted more than 30% of its owned HGV fleet to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a more sustainable fuel. The retailer has also introduced chiller doors at its stores to cut energy consumption by around 20% per site.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Aldi making major change at supermarkets across UK where thousands of people shop
The new solar installations will generate an average of 100,000 kWh annually, with the move part of Aldi's commitment to increasing its renewable energy usage on site and strengthening its energy resilience Aldi is ploughing ahead with £7.7 million plans to install cutting-edge solar panels across 90 additional UK stores before the end of 2026. Not just that, but all forthcoming new outlets will be fitted with the panels as standard under Aldi's fresh store launch initiative. The initiative forms part of the retailer's pledge to boost renewable energy generation on-site and safeguard its store portfolio for the future. Aldi has revealed plans to deploy solar panels to 90 further existing UK branches as part of a £7.7 million boost to its on-site green energy scheme. Britain's fourth biggest supermarket chain is fitting state-of-the-art 144 kWp solar systems across 41 outlets by the end of 2025, with another 49 branches scheduled to get the technology the following year. 'It's time for action to close UK's fruit and veg gap - and use Tesco Clubcard to do it' Aldi competes with rivals including Lidl, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and others. The fresh solar installations will produce an average of 100,000 kWh each year, with the step forming part of Aldi's broader pledge to boost its renewable energy consumption on-site and bolster its energy security, reports Birmingham Live. Additionally, all planned new outlets will be equipped with the advanced solar systems under the supermarket's new branch opening scheme. The news also reflects Aldi's efforts to improve its sustainability, as it launched lighter wine bottles across its range earlier this month. The supermarket is making all necessary changes to cut its use of packaging, as well as reduce its environmental footprint. Jonathan Neale, managing director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, commented: "By expanding the use of solar panels across our UK stores, we're making practical, long-term changes to how we power our operations, which will help us generate more of our energy on site from renewable sources." He added: "By investing in our estate now, we're strengthening the resilience of our operations and helping ensure we can keep delivering great value for customers across Britain in a more sustainable way." Beyond securing power from renewable sources, Aldi transformed over 30% of its owned lorry fleet to operate on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in September last year, forming part of its broader commitment to slash its carbon emissions. The retailer also employs refrigerator doors in outlets, reducing energy usage by approximately 20% per location.
Daily Mirror
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Aldi 'copying Lidl' with new in-store section as shoppers say 'hope we get one'
In a post on the Aldi UK Shoppers Facebook page, one shopper was stunned that her local Aldi in Gosport, Hampshire, now has an in-store bakery Aldi shoppers are just realising that some branches have in-store bakeries - with some saying it reminds them of rival supermarket Lidl. The budget grocer opened its first in-story bakery over five years ago and they're now available in 25 stores. In a post on the Aldi UK Shoppers Facebook page, one shopper was stunned that her local Aldi in Gosport, Hampshire, now has an in-store bakery. She said: 'I was quite shocked today when I saw my local Aldi now has a bakery! I had no idea this was going to happen! Has anyone else noticed any bakeries open in their Aldi's? Perhaps I'm just late to the party.' The post attracted hundreds of comments from other shoppers, who said they wish their nearest store had one. Others compared the new section to Lidl, which is well-known for its bakeries. One person said: 'Oh my days I hope we don't get one.' Another said: 'Copying Lidl.' A third person posted: 'I've always said that's the one thing missing.' A fourth said: 'Our one in Otford has had one for a few weeks now, it's actually quite good.' It comes after Aldi published an updated list of priority locations across the UK where it wants to open new stores. This expansion is part of a £650million investment this year. Each site should be able to accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store with around 100 parking spaces and ideally be near a main road with good visibility and access. The supermarket is also on the lookout for sites to accommodate its Aldi Local store format in Central London in zones one and two, which typically have a minimum size of 5,000 sq ft of trading space, along with an additional 3,000 sq ft of ancillary space. The supermarket has also revealed that ten new stores will open in summer including Caterham in Surrey, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, and Fulham Broadway in London. Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: "We want to make high-quality, affordable food accessible to everyone, and that means opening new stores in the communities that need them most. "The response from the public has been invaluable in helping us identify where demand is greatest, and where we need to focus our efforts on finding the sites that can become new stores." Aldi store assistants received a pay increase earlier this year, with hourly rates rising to at least £12.75 and £14.05 within the M25. It has also committed to a further pay increase for store colleagues from September 2025. This will take its minimum rates of pay to £12.85 per hour nationally and £14.16 per hour for those within the M25.
