Lidl toasts bumper festive trading

German discounter Lidl reported record festive sales in the UK, as shoppers snapped up pink prosecco and mince pies.

The chain, part of the privately-owned Schwarz retail group, said on Wednesday that overall sales were up 17.9% on 2019 in the four weeks to 27 December. Customer spend also increased, with the basket size improving 24.8% year-on-year.

Lidl said the sales hike was a record and made it the fastest-growing retailer compared to the UK’s big four supermarkets - Tesco, J Sainsbury, Wm Morrison and Asda - and main competitors.

Traditional festive goods proved the most popular, with around 17,000 Deluxe Luxury Mince Pies being sold hourly and a total of one million bottles of pink prosecco bought over the four-week period. Mulled wine and panettone were also big sellers, Lidl added.

Christian Härtnagel, chief executive of Lidl GB, said: "Despite this Christmas being a difficult time for many across the country, we are pleased to have been able to help our customers enjoy themselves by offering high-quality food at the lowest prices on the market.

"Our record sales and significant basket size growth just demonstrates the strength of the Lidl appeal."

Looking ahead, Härtnagel added: "We remain committed to our expansion and investment plans."

The grocer, which has more than 800 stores in the UK, opened four shops in December. It is targeting a total of 1,000 British stores by 2023 as part of a £1.3bn investment programme in the country.

Grocers have so far reported strong festive trading, as lockdown restrictions closed bars and restaurants along with non-essential stores, prompting shoppers to spend more at supermarkets.