Aldi to Double Store Presence and Create 35,000 Jobs as part of £600m Investment

Budget supermarket chain Aldi has announced its intentions to create up to 35,000 new jobs in the UK.

The jobs will come as the company hopes to expand its retail presence twofold by having 1,000 shops in the country by 2022.

A £600m investment was confirmed when Prime Minister David Cameron visited the German brand's British headquarters in Warwickshire.

Aldi said in a statement: "This includes plans to create at least one apprenticeship position per store, per year, which would see the employment of between 600 - 1,000 apprentices each year as Aldi strives towards 1,000 stores.

"Apprentice training and development will be supported by a new Apprenticeship Academy located at Aldi's offices and distribution centre in Bolton, which is due to open in March 2015."

Group managing director, Matthew Barnes, added: "Our expansion plans mean that we can accommodate growing shopper numbers, while ensuring that there is an Aldi store only a short drive away from people, no matter where they live in the country.

"We are opening our doors across the UK, making it even easier for people to shop and save with us."

Cameron said: "Aldi's plans to create tens of thousands more jobs across the country are a vote of confidence in our long-term economic plan to back business, create more jobs and secure a brighter future for Britain.

"This news will mean more financial security for hardworking families and opportunities for young people who want to get on in life."

Aldi has 4.8% of the market share according to Kantar Worldpanel's latest report, although this, along with Lidl's share, is rising as the budget stores continue to snap away at the big players such as Tesco and Asda.