New Aldi Stores Opening 2026: Full UK Location List, Expansion Plans, and Store Closures
Aldi confirmed 16 new UK store locations on 16 June 2026 as part of its £370 million investment in expansion this year — the latest in a series of batches announced throughout 2025 and into 2026. The June announcement included stores across London, the Midlands, Wales, the North of England, and notably two Newport locations — one on the Isle of Wight and one in South Wales — in the same batch. This guide covers the full confirmed 2026 opening list, Aldi’s broader 1,500-store UK ambition, Project Fresh refurbishments explained, and how to find out if Aldi is planning to open near you.
For Aldi’s seasonal opening hours including bank holidays, Christmas, and Easter, see our guide to Aldi opening hours and bank holiday times — including the Easter Sunday closure rule that catches many shoppers out.
The 16 New Aldi Stores Announced on 16 June 2026
Aldi’s official press announcement on 16 June 2026 confirmed the following UK locations as next in line for new stores. Specific opening dates for each location had not been confirmed at the time of announcement — Aldi indicated they would open in the coming months, with dates appearing on the Aldi store finder closer to each opening.
| Location | Region | Notes |
| Hattersley | Greater Manchester | |
| Newport | Isle of Wight | Separate from South Wales Newport |
| Bishops Cleeve | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | |
| Newport | South Wales | Separate from Isle of Wight Newport |
| Orpington | London | |
| Hoxton | London | |
| Ashford | Kent | |
| Watford | Hertfordshire (London border) | |
| Rayleigh | Essex | |
| Balsall Common | West Midlands | |
| Marble Arch | London | Central London location |
| Malton | North Yorkshire | |
| Port Talbot | Wales | |
| Sutton Coldfield | West Midlands | |
| Wigan | Greater Manchester | |
| Sudbury | Suffolk |
The announcement also followed the recent opening of Aldi’s Salford Quays store in Greater Manchester. Jonathan Neale, Aldi UK’s managing director of national real estate, confirmed the £370 million investment in new stores in 2026 is designed to bring Aldi’s value to more communities while supporting local economies through job creation and its above-industry-average pay rates for colleagues.
New Aldi Newport: Isle of Wight or South Wales?
The search query ‘new Aldi Newport’ reflects genuine interest in both of Aldi’s planned Newport locations, which were announced simultaneously in the same June 2026 batch — the first time two Newports have appeared in the same Aldi expansion announcement.
Newport, Isle of Wight
A new Aldi on the Isle of Wight would give island residents access to Aldi without needing to travel to the mainland. The Isle of Wight has historically had limited access to major discount supermarkets, and local interest in an Aldi opening has been high for several years. The confirmed opening will be a first for the island.
Newport, South Wales
Newport in South Wales — the Welsh city near Cardiff and the Severn Estuary — is a separate location entirely. Aldi already has a presence across South Wales, and the Newport opening adds to its coverage in this area. Newport was previously identified by Aldi’s national real estate team as a target market for expansion, and the June 2026 announcement brought that confirmed.
Both Newport locations are confirmed for opening in the months following the June announcement. Exact opening dates will appear on the Aldi store finder at aldi.co.uk as each opening approaches.
Aldi UK Expansion 2026: The Full Picture
The June batch of 16 stores is part of a significantly larger programme. The scale of Aldi’s UK expansion in 2026 and beyond is one of the most substantial retail investment stories in Britain:
| Aldi Expansion Metric | Detail |
| 2026 investment | £370 million in new store openings |
| 2026 target | Approximately 40 new UK stores |
| 2026-2027 combined | £1.6 billion — 80 new stores across both years |
| Current UK store count | Approximately 1,080 stores (mid-2026) |
| Long-term target | 1,500 UK stores — ~420 more locations needed |
| 2025 investment | £650 million — approximately 40 new stores |
| 2024 investment | £800 million |
The trajectory is consistently upward — Aldi has been increasing both the volume of new openings and the capital investment per year for several consecutive years. The 1,500-store target, if reached, would represent a roughly 40% increase from the current store base and would see Aldi operating in a significant number of towns and cities where it currently has no presence.
Aldi 2025 New Store Openings: What Opened Last Year
The 2026 expansion builds directly on 2025, during which Aldi opened approximately 40 stores across the UK. The 2025 openings spanned multiple batches across the year:
Summer 2025 openings (announced June 2025)
Brighouse (West Yorkshire), Oldbury (West Midlands), Caterham (Surrey), Sheffield, Deeside (Wales), Fulham Broadway (London), Diss (Norfolk), Hilton (Derbyshire), West Denton/Newcastle, and Market Harborough (Leicestershire).
Further 2025 summer openings
Eastbourne, Nelson/Treharris (Wales), Shoreditch/Commercial Street (London), Houghton le Spring (Tyne and Wear), Meadowfield/Durham, Litherland/Liverpool, and Brimington/Chesterfield.
Late 2025 batch (November to December 2025)
Philadelphia/Tyne and Wear, Litherland/Sefton/Liverpool, Market Rasen, Kirkintilloch/Scotland, Billericay, Kentish Town/London, Arbroath/Scotland, Cheadle, Baillieston/Scotland, Hove, Pershore, Yate/Gloucestershire, Northallerton/North Yorkshire, Uxbridge/London, Daventry/Northamptonshire, Old Kent Road/London.
The geographic spread of 2025 openings — spanning Scotland, Wales, the North, Midlands, London, and the South East — reflects Aldi’s strategy of filling gaps in coverage rather than concentrating new stores in already well-served areas.
Is Aldi Closing Down? Project Fresh Refurbishments Explained
Searches for ‘Aldi closing down’ and ‘Aldi store closures 2026’ regularly spike when individual stores close temporarily for refurbishment. The reality is unambiguous: Aldi is not closing down. The company is in the most active expansion phase in its UK history, investing hundreds of millions of pounds annually in new openings. A nationwide closure programme would be entirely inconsistent with this trajectory.
What does happen — and this accounts for virtually every ‘Aldi closure’ sighting — is a programme called Project Fresh. This is Aldi’s ongoing store refurbishment initiative, under which individual stores close temporarily, typically for 14 to 21 days, to undergo a significant refit. A Project Fresh refurbishment typically involves:
- A new entrance lobby design and updated exterior signage bringing older stores in line with Aldi’s current visual identity
- Additional car parking spaces where the site allows
- New sustainable refrigeration units — part of Aldi’s environmental commitments to reduce its energy consumption and carbon footprint
- An improved in-store bakery section with expanded fresh bread and pastry offering
- Relocation of the Specialbuys middle aisle for improved customer flow and easier navigation
- Expanded chilled food sections with increased range in fresh produce, dairy, and ready meals
When an Aldi in your area temporarily closes for a Project Fresh refit, it is being upgraded — not closed permanently. Stores reopen with improved facilities, and Aldi places local notices in advance. The Aldi store finder at aldi.co.uk shows affected stores as temporarily closed and typically displays an expected reopening date once it is confirmed.
Why Do Some Aldi Stores Close Permanently?
Permanent Aldi store closures are rare but do occasionally happen. The most common reasons are a lease reaching its end without renewal terms being agreed, a site no longer meeting Aldi’s commercial or operational criteria after a period of time, or the availability of a better-located replacement site in the same area. In most cases where a permanent closure occurs in a given town or city, Aldi’s national real estate team actively seeks a replacement site in the same catchment area — consistent with its overall expansion strategy rather than a withdrawal from the market.
Permanent closures should not be confused with temporary Project Fresh closures, which are far more common and are the source of most ‘Aldi closure’ reports on social media. Checking the official Aldi store finder and Aldi’s press centre for your specific store is always the most reliable way to confirm whether a closure is temporary or permanent.
How to Find Out if a New Aldi Is Opening Near You
If you are hoping for a new Aldi in your area, there are several practical ways to track progress:
- Aldi store finder (aldi.co.uk/store-finder): Updated as new stores are confirmed and approach their opening date. New stores appear on the map once an opening is imminent, and temporarily closed stores show a projected reopening date where available.
- Aldi UK Press Centre (aldipresscentre.co.uk): Aldi publishes all new store announcements directly on its press centre, typically in batches of 10-16 locations. Batch announcements are made several times per year and include all confirmed upcoming openings.
- Location suggestion tool: Aldi actively invites the public to suggest locations where they would like to see a store. Popular suggestions with strong local demand are reviewed by the national real estate team and can genuinely influence where the next batch of expansion sites is identified.
- Local council planning portal: Aldi typically submits a planning application to the relevant local authority before making a public announcement. Searching your local council’s planning portal for ‘Aldi’ as an applicant can provide early notice of intentions in your area — often several months before a formal announcement.
- Local news: Regional news sites and local newspapers regularly cover new planning applications and confirmed openings in their areas, often reporting on new Aldi planning submissions well before the official press release.
Aldi Colleague Pay Rates 2026
The June 2026 expansion announcement also reiterated Aldi’s current pay rates for store colleagues, following a £42 million investment in colleague pay in 2026. Aldi consistently positions its pay as above the industry average for supermarket roles — a key part of its strategy to attract and retain staff as it continues to expand rapidly.
| Role | Pay Rate | Notes |
| Store assistant (starting) | £13.50 per hour | National rate |
| Store assistant (with service) | £14.47 per hour | Based on length of service |
| Store assistant (within M25) | £14.88 per hour | London rate |
| Store assistant (M25 with service) | £15.20 per hour | London rate with service |
Aldi’s pay rates have risen consistently year on year alongside its expansion programme. The company has been a frequent signatory to the Real Living Wage and has positioned competitive pay as a core part of its employer brand — an important factor when recruiting large numbers of new colleagues for 40 new stores per year.
Aldi Ashford 2026
Ashford in Kent was included in the June 2026 batch, confirming plans for a new Aldi in the town. Ashford is a growing town in Kent with significant recent housing development and major transport links via the international rail station — the profile of a location Aldi’s real estate team typically targets for expansion. An exact opening date for Ashford had not been confirmed at the time of announcement and will be updated on the Aldi store finder as the opening approaches.
Aldi Wigan 2026
Wigan in Greater Manchester is also confirmed in the June 2026 batch. Aldi already has a presence across Greater Manchester, and the Wigan opening adds to its footprint in the borough. Wigan’s town centre and retail environment have been undergoing regeneration, and a new Aldi opening supports the broader picture of retail investment in the area. Opening date to be confirmed via the store finder.
For the official Aldi store finder and new opening announcements, see aldi.co.uk store finder. For all Aldi press releases including confirmed new store batches, see the Aldi UK Press Centre.
For Aldi’s full garden furniture, hot tub, and Specialbuys outdoor range for 2026, see our guide to Aldi garden furniture and hot tubs 2026 — covering what is in stock, when it lands, and how Specialbuys work.
Bottom Line
| Stores announced June 2026 | 16 new UK locations confirmed 16 June 2026 |
| Newport confusion | Two Newports — Isle of Wight AND South Wales — both confirmed |
| 2026 investment | £370 million — approximately 40 new stores this year |
| 2026-2027 target | £1.6 billion — 80 new stores combined |
| Long-term target | 1,500 stores UK-wide (from ~1,080 currently) |
| Is Aldi closing down? | No — Project Fresh temporary refurbs cause most ‘closure’ sightings |
| How to track new openings | aldi.co.uk/store-finder + aldipresscentre.co.uk + local council planning portal |
| Colleague pay (national) | £13.50 starting — £14.47 with service |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the new Aldi stores opening in 2026?
The 16 stores confirmed on 16 June 2026 are: Hattersley (Greater Manchester), Newport (Isle of Wight), Bishops Cleeve (Cheltenham), Newport (South Wales), Orpington, Hoxton, Ashford, Watford, Rayleigh (Essex), Balsall Common (West Midlands), Marble Arch (London), Malton (North Yorkshire), Port Talbot (Wales), Sutton Coldfield (West Midlands), Wigan (Greater Manchester), and Sudbury (Suffolk). Further batches are expected throughout the remainder of 2026 as Aldi works toward its target of approximately 40 new UK openings this year.
Is Aldi opening a store in Newport in 2026?
Yes — two. The June 2026 expansion announcement included both Newport on the Isle of Wight and Newport in South Wales as confirmed new locations, making it the first time two Newports appeared in the same Aldi announcement batch. Opening dates for both will be confirmed via the Aldi store finder as each approaches its opening.
Is Aldi closing down in 2026?
No. Aldi is in an active expansion phase, investing £370 million in new UK stores in 2026 alone and targeting a total of 1,500 UK stores from the current base of approximately 1,080. Temporary closures that appear as shutdowns are almost always Project Fresh refurbishments, which last 14-21 days and reopen improved. Permanent closures are rare and are typically followed by efforts to find a better-located replacement site in the same area.
What is Project Fresh at Aldi?
Project Fresh is Aldi’s ongoing store refurbishment programme, under which individual stores close temporarily — usually for 14 to 21 days — for a significant refit. Typical upgrades include a new entrance, additional parking, sustainable refrigeration, an improved bakery, and a reorganised Specialbuys middle aisle. Stores reopen with improved facilities. Project Fresh closures are temporary and are completely separate from any permanent closure.
How do I suggest a new Aldi location?
Aldi accepts location suggestions from the public via its website. Suggestions with strong demonstrated local interest are reviewed by its national real estate team and can genuinely influence where expansion sites are identified. You can also monitor your local council’s planning portal — Aldi typically submits planning applications months before making a public announcement, making planning searches a useful early indicator.
How many Aldi stores are there in the UK?
Aldi has approximately 1,080 stores in the UK as of mid-2026, with a long-term expansion target of 1,500 stores nationwide. At the current rate of approximately 40 new openings per year, reaching 1,500 stores would take around a decade from the current base — though the pace of expansion could increase if planning approvals and site availability allow.