The discount supermarket sold 55 million mince pies and 22 million pigs in blankets in what it is calling its best Christmas ever in the UK.

Total sales rose 7.9 per cent year-on-year in the four weeks leading to December 24 - setting a new £1 billion record for the UK arm of the German-owned supermarket chain.

Aldi UK chief executive Giles Hurley said: "More customers than ever before shopped with us this Christmas because they knew Aldi offered unbeatable value on premium products and the lowest prices on festive essentials."

Mr Hurley put strong festive performance down to strong growth across all key categories and particularly strong demand for alcoholic beverages and fresh British meat.

Sales in the beers, wine and spirits category increased by more than nine per cent year-on-year, with sales of sparkling wine up more than 14 per cent.

He added that sales of their "premium Specially Selected range surpassed expectations, as customers snapped up these products for a fraction of the price they would have paid elsewhere".

Aldi currently has an eight per cent stake in the UK market, operating 874 stores nationally. Putting continued pressure on its rivals, the firm is on target to have 1,200 stores open by 2025.

Results are also predicted to be released in the next week from the big four: Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda.