- Lidl said it sold 11,000 tonnes of produce in the week before Christmas
Lidl saw 51million customers flock through its doors during the festive period, dubbed by the German supermarket chain as ‘record breaking.’
The number of shoppers at Lidl in the Christmas period was 4million higher than the previous year.
The chain, which does not publish like-for-like sales figures, said its British arm made more than £1.1billion in turnover in the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve.
Shopper numbers rose 8 per cent year-on-year to a record high, with Lidl notching up almost four million more customers than the previous year.
Lidl said 23 December was its busiest day for shopper numbers, though it added that customers began their preparations earlier than ever, with 30million mince pies sold from September onwards.
It said 11,000 tonnes of seasonal produce was sold in the final week before Christmas Eve, up 70 per cent year-on-year. Easy-peeler clementines were among the products in high demand, with sales up nearly 40 per cent.
Stocking up: Lidl saw 51m customers flock through its doors during the festive period
Other best-sellers included its Comte de Senneval Champagne, at £9.99 for Lidl Plus members, which saw a 260 per cent increase in sales in its busiest week. It also reported triple-digit growth for its overhauled Deluxe party food range.
Pistachio demand capped a resurgent year for the nut as Lidl customers bought nearly 100 tonnes of pistachio-based products over the festive season.
Ryan McDonnell, chief executive at Lidl GB, said: ‘2025 was a record-breaking Christmas for Lidl – with more customers choosing to shop with us than ever before.
‘By continuing to invest in low prices and champion British food, all without compromising on quality, we’ve seen loyalty soar.
‘As the fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket, we’ve expanded to reach more customers nationwide and offer outstanding value this Christmas.’
The sales increase beat the 7 per cent growth Lidl recorded over the same month the previous year.
The figures see the group fire the starting gun on festive trading updates from the retail sector, with supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury’s following suit next week, alongside Next and Marks & Spencer.
Lidl said its loyalty scheme, Lidl Plus, was a key driver behind the festive sales success, with a 28 per cent increase in the number of active members in November.
McDonnell added that the group would ‘continue to grow our footprint’, after opening around 40 shops in 2025, taking its total store estate to more than 1,000 in Britain.
Lidl is currently Britain’s sixth-largest grocery chain, according to experts at Worldpanel, after making the biggest market share gains in the sector in recent months.
Experts believe Lidl could overtake rival Morrisons, which is currently in fifth place, in the coming months if its current momentum continues.
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