George Osborne, right
hailed Lidl's store opening plans, duriing a visit to the supermarket
chain's store in Chessington, Surrey with UK managing director Ronny
Gottschlich.
Photograph: Rex
The threat to the big four supermarkets from discount chains stepped up a notch on Fridayas Germany's Lidl unveiled plans for a £220m expansion in the UK.
The
company will open 20 more stores by the end of this year, taking its
total to 620. It said the move would create a total of 2,500 jobs in the
stores, at its headquarters in Wimbledon, south London, and at a
distribution centre in Northfleet in the Thames estuary.