Aldi is set to invest more than £550m into expanding and improving its store and distribution network this year.

The grocery discounter will open new supermarkets as well as upgrade its existing shops and warehouses to support its growth across the UK, according to Retail Gazette.

Aldi said its new stores opening this year will create over 1,500 new jobs across the country, with further opportunities at its current supermarkets, head office and warehouses. There are five major stores located in Gloucestershire.

The £550m investment into strengthening Aldi's UK network forms part of a £1.4bn commitment to support its operations over the next two years.

Giles Hurley, CEO of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: "We're continuing to welcome more and more new customers through our doors - with people coming for our low prices but staying for our award-winning quality and British sourcing.

"However, there are still areas of the country that don't have an Aldi, or that need more or larger stores to meet demand. That is what our 2024 expansion plans aim to address.

"We now have more than 1,000 stores across the UK but there are plenty more Aldi stores still to come, in 2024 and beyond."

The rapid expansion across the UK comes as the German discounter continues to gain market share from the traditional supermarkets, achieving 9.3% of the market last month.

In December, the supermarket chain created a new national real estate team as it looks to deliver its plan to open 500 new stores across the UK.