Aldi opening 40 new UK stores in 2026 including multiple East Midlands sitesThe discount supermarket chain has announced plans to open 40 new stores as part of a £370m investment across the UKView 2 Images The popular supermarket chain aims to open 1,500 UK stores (Image: KenWiedemann via Getty Images)Aldi has announced ambitious plans to open 40 new stores as part of a £370million investment programme across the UK, earmarking multiple sites across the East Midlands. ‌This initiative is part of Aldi's £1.6billion two-year investment plan announced last year, as the retailer progresses towards its long-term ambition of 1,500 stores nationwide. The move follows a busy year of store openings in 2025, which saw Aldi launch fresh branches across the country, reports the Express. ‌Aldi’s expansion drive has the East Midlands firmly in its sights, with prospective stores planned to open in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. "But we recognise that there are still areas without an Aldi store, so our expansion plans for 2026 are designed to address some of these gaps as we work towards our long-term goal of 1,500 UK stores.