Fresh off the back of opening its milestone 1,000th UK branch in Woking last month, Aldi has now published a list of 12 locations nationwide where it will be opening brand-new stores before the end of 2023.
Part of the supermarket retailer‘s nationwide expansion plans of opening an average of one new store a week, every week, before Christmas is here, also adding to the long-term target of having a total of 1,500 stores serving in the UK, the Greater Manchester town of Oldham is set to get itself two new Aldi stores in the coming weeks.
Aldi revealed where 12 new stores will open in the UK before Christmas / Credit: Aldi
One of them, on Lees Road in the busy Lees area of the town, is even set to open its doors this month – with another on Broadway Green in Chadderton coming before the new year.
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The locations of 12 new Aldi stores
Chip Lane, Taunton
Lees Road, Oldham
Pompey Centre Retail Park, Portsmouth
Portrack Lane, Stockton
Fforestfach Retail Park, Swansea
Farnborough Gate, Farnborough
Becket Way, West Bridgford
Causeway Park, Staines-upon-Thames
Gateway Retail Park, Reading
Alvis Retail Park, Coventry
Broadway Green, Chadderton
Westway Retail Park, Cumbernauld
Each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.
Aldi currently has 1,000 UK stores and employs more than 36,000 people – with its starting pay for Store Assistants currently being an industry-leading £11.40 per hour nationally, and the retailer still remaining the only supermarket in the UK to offer paid breaks too.
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Each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average / Credit: Aldi
The news that Oldham’s set to get itself two new Aldi stores comes after the retailer launched a massive recruitment drive last month, and revealed that it’s looking for a whopping 3,000 new staff members, both temporary and permanent, to join its teams at stores right across the UK ready for the busy Christmas period.
“We’re welcoming more and more customers through our doors each week,” Aldi’s Real Estate Director, George Brown, explained, “Which is why we’re investing in new stores up and down the country to bring our great value groceries to even more people and meet the growing demand for Aldi.
“Shoppers know they’ll always get more for their money when they shop with us, and we’re confident Aldi’s success will continue to grow.”
Featured Image – Aldi
Shopping
Bershka is finally opening in Manchester, alongside supersized Zara
Daisy Jackson
Bershka is finally heading to Manchester for the first time, as its parent company signs a major flagship deal with the Trafford Centre.
The new deal with Inditex also means a new, supersized Zara store in a new location within the popular shopping centre.
And it’s upsizing its current Pull & Bear shop into a new site too.
The Trafford Centre has announced that Bershka will be opening there for the first time this summer.
The Spanish fast fashion brand is famed for its affordable, trend-led fashions.
All three new stores will be occupying their own flagship spaces on Peel Avenue, promising a ‘better shopping experience’ with larger stores.
Bershka is finally opening in Manchester, alongside supersized Zara
Simon Layton, centre director at Trafford Centre, said: “This exciting new deal with Inditex demonstrates that Trafford Centre is going from strength to strength, and highlights our wider commitment to improving the customer experience for our guests.
“The addition of Bershka to complement the already hugely popular Zara and Pull&Bear means our guests can enjoy an unrivalled fashion experience on their visit to Trafford Centre.”
Bershka, as well as the new larger Zara and Pull & Bear stores, will open at the Trafford Centre in Manchester in late summer 2025.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers
Emily Sergeant
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ for autistic and neurodiverse customers shopping in its stores across the UK.
Supermarket shopping isn’t always the most pleasant or manageable of experiences for everyone, especially for those who are autistic or neurodivergent – with bright lights, loud sounds, strong smells, and crowds of people making it a rather overwhelming and overstimulating atmosphere.
This is why Morrisons has decided to collaborate with the National Autistic Society to introduce dedicated ‘Sensory Support Boxes’ at its stores nationwide, as a way to both mark World Autism Acceptance Month, and help autistic and neurodivergent customers have the positive shopping experience they deserve.
These boxes have been carefully-developed in consultation with the National Autistic Society to ensure they include the most helpful items.
A range of toys like fidget balls, spinners, and squish mats can all be found inside the boxes – which will be eventually be available in all 500 Morrisons supermarkets by May – to help encourage calmness and focus.
All that customers wishing to access the items need to do is simply speak to a colleague at the customer service kiosk of their local Morrisons store.
More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers / Credit: Morrisons
Speaking on the decision to introduce the Sensory Support Boxes into UK stores, Joseph Clark-Bland, who is the Community Manager at Morrisons, said: “It’s a priority for us to ensure all Morrisons customers feel welcomed and understood.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in creating a more inclusive shopping environment for autistic people, their families and all neurodivergent people across the UK.
“World Autism Acceptance Month has been a key moment for Morrisons for many years, and we look forward to supporting even more customers via our new Sensory Boxes.”
The introduction of the Sensory Support Boxes comes after Morrisons first trialled a ‘Quieter Hour’ in some of its stores back in 2018, before rolling it out nationwide in 2024 due to its success and positive feedback.
Emily Sergeant -
19th October 2023 
