The expansion would more than double the retailer’s annual contribution to the Northern Ireland economy
Lidl stock image(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
Lidl has confirmed plans to open at least another 16 stores in Northern Ireland as a new report found that the company’s economic contribution to Northern Ireland could rise by almost half a billion pounds a year if it is allowed to go ahead with major expansion plans.
The supermarket chain, which currently operates 44 stores in Northern Ireland, wants to grow to more than 60 by 2032. The move would be backed by a £500 million investment programme.
A new independent study by KPMG estimates that, once the new stores are fully operational, Lidl’s expanded network could support an extra £475 million a year in gross value added (GVA). That would take its total annual contribution to the Northern Ireland economy to more than £835 million.
However, the retailer said the plans are “entirely contingent on the Planning system”.
Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland (left), and Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland (right), pictured at Stormont.
The findings were presented at Stormont on Tuesday morning, where senior representatives from the retailer met Ministers, MLAs and civil servants.
The report examines the potential economic and social impacts of Lidl’s proposed store developments, including job creation, support for local suppliers, and wider community benefits.
According to the study, between 2026 and 2031 more than 16 new stores would open. During this construction and development phase, the activity is expected to support £281 million in GVA.
It also estimates that around 2,966 jobs would be supported during this period, measured in job-years. That would equate to £118 million in wages and £36 million in income tax revenues.
From 2032 onwards, once the additional stores are fully up and running, the expanded network is expected to support around 2,372 jobs each year. These roles would generate £67 million in wages annually, £17 million in income tax and £3.2 million in non-domestic rates.
Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: “Having opened our first store in Northern Ireland 26 years ago, we know the importance and the impact of sustained, long-term investment in the local economy. “Our store development pipeline is a material investment that supports the Northern Ireland Executive’s economic and social priorities. Furthermore, evidence shows that retail-led investment of this nature converts private capital into local jobs, wages, tax revenues and improved access to essential goods, delivering public value without additional public spending. “Alongside this significant economic impact, locally and across the region, each new Lidl store brings stronger local connections and increased capacity to support employees, charities and grassroots organisations in communities across Northern Ireland. “We have clearly outlined our commitment to Northern Ireland and our ambition to grow here,” he continued. “This study reinforces our potential economic and social impact in the region – underpinned by our £500 million expansion investment – but our ability to realise this impact is contingent entirely on the Planning system.”
In December 2025, Lidl expressed concerns about major delays in securing planning permission for its proposed second store in Derry at Crescent Link Retail Park, which has spent more than six years in the planning system.
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