Aldi has announced plans to open 40 new stores across the UK in 2026 as part of a £370 million investment programme aimed at expanding access to low-cost groceries. Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, said the retailer had identified clear gaps in its store network. “We recognise there are still areas across the UK without an Aldi store,” he said. Hurley said the expansion reflects the company’s belief that affordable food should be accessible to everyone. The £370m investment for 2026 forms part of Aldi’s wider £1.6 billion two-year expansion programme, unveiled last September, which includes plans to open a total of 80 new UK stores over that period.