The German discount supermarket operator Aldi has revealed plans to create 35,000 new jobs in the UK.

The group told prime minister David Cameron, who visited Aldi’s headquarters yesterday, that it aimed to have 1,000 stores by 2022 and would open 54 this year and 60 to 65 next year.

Aldi confirmed plans, first announced in September, to invest £600m as it expanded operations in Britain.

Expansion

Matthew Barnes, group managing director of Aldi UK, added: "Our expansion plans mean that we can accommodate growing shopper numbers, while ensuring that there is an Aldi store only a short drive away from people, no matter where they live in the country.

"We are opening our doors across the UK, making it even easier for people to shop and save with us."

Aldi has a 4.8% share of the UK grocery market, according to Kantar Worldpanel - higher than Lidl’s 3.5% and closing in on Waitrose’s 5.1% share.

By comparison, Tesco has a 28.8% share and Asda is second with 17.4% for the 12 weeks to September.