Pigs in blankets and fizz help boost Lidl Christmas sales

Lidl had its most successful Christmas trading period on record, the supermarket chain said, boosted by a rise of a third in party food sales.

Revenue rose almost 7% to more than £1bn over the four weeks to Christmas Eve as customers bought 16 million pigs in blankets and a turkey every second.

Sales were also helped by an increase in the number of its shops this year, although there are signs that growth may be slowing.

Meanwhile, the chain has joined many of its rivals in arguing that tax rises announced in the Budget could lead to job losses and higher prices for customers.

The supermarket chain's Christmas sales figures were aided by its highest-ever number of customers for the period, with two million more shopping there as it attempts to match rivals' market share.

The firm said it had the highest growth in customer visits of any supermarket last year.

Customers also seemingly opted for the German discount chain while they were looking to save money on alcoholic drinks, as champagne sales rose by a quarter.

Its UK boss Ryan McDonnell said that he was "thrilled" by the rising number of shoppers.

Despite this, the 7% sales growth rate seen over the key Christmas trading period in 2024 marks a fall from the 12% achieved the year before.

Lidl also grew its total number of supermarkets in the UK to more than 970 last year - meaning the sales figures are not a "like-for-like" comparison.

In December, however, industry analysts at Kantar reported that Lidl was the fastest growing bricks-and-mortar grocer over the past quarter, as it closes in on Morrisons' position as the UK's fifth largest supermarket group.

Looking ahead, Mr McDonnell said that the firm was "excited to build" on this momentum.

He previously told the BBC that while tax rises and changes to employment rights would put "a lot of pressure on business all at once", these factors would not dissuade the retailer from investing in the UK.

A Treasury spokesperson said in response to an open letter from November - signed by Lidl, Tesco, Amazon, Greggs, Next and dozens of other chains - that it had to "make difficult choices to fix the foundations of the country". The GMB Union said that retailers were "pleading poverty".