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Aldi has begun initial operations at its new Distribution Centre in Bardon, Leicestershire, following a £500 million investment in what the retailer describes as the UK’s largest supermarket warehouse.
Major Aldi Investment Strengthens UK Supply Chain Network
The facility forms part of Aldi’s wider £1.6 billion investment programme in Britain across 2026 and 2027. The first delivery has now been completed from the site, marking the start of phased operations.
Once fully operational, the Distribution Centre will support nearly 350 stores across the UK and handle close to seven million pallets of stock annually. It will also operate as a National Replenishment Hub, providing additional support to Aldi’s existing warehouse network.
High-Tech Automation Drives Efficiency
Aldi said the Bardon site is its most technologically advanced and efficient Distribution Centre in the UK, with automation playing a central role in warehouse operations.
The retailer has worked with technology partners Dematic and Cimcorp to install automated storage systems designed to improve inventory handling and distribution processes.
The technology includes machinery capable of unloading supplier deliveries and storing product cases in high-density racking until required for store replenishment.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “The state-of-the-art technology in Bardon will significantly increase the efficiency of our warehouse network, meaning we can continue to deliver the best possible prices for our customers, every single day.
“Our ambition is to make quality groceries affordable and accessible to all, and that can only happen when everybody in Britain has an Aldi store on their doorstep.
“That’s why we’re committing significant investment in opening new stores and Distribution Centres up and down the country, taking us closer to our goal of having 1,500 stores across the UK.”
According to Aldi, the operational efficiencies delivered by the new facility will support its long-term strategy of maintaining low prices for customers.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland
Capacity Designed for Growth
At 1.3 million square feet, or more than 120,000 square metres, the Bardon facility is the largest supermarket Distribution Centre in the UK.
Planning approval for the development was granted in August 2020, with ground works beginning in April 2021. Construction of the main building was completed in 2024.
The site comprises five linked buildings, including four ambient chambers and six temperature-controlled chambers for chilled and frozen food products.
To support inbound and outbound logistics activity, the facility includes 100 HGV bays at the front of the building and a further 40 bays at the rear.
Sustainability Features Integrated into Operations
The Bardon Distribution Centre has been designed with sustainability in mind and is described by Aldi as the lowest carbon density warehouse across the Aldi South Group.
A total of 19,000 solar panels have been installed on the roof. Aldi said the system is capable, at certain times, of generating all the electricity required to operate the site.
The Distribution Centre will employ around 1,000 people once fully operational and the workforce will include employees transferring from Aldi’s existing facilities in Sawley, Derbyshire, and Atherstone, Warwickshire. Recruitment for additional positions at the site is also ongoing.
This article was produced by the editorial team at Supply Chain Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across supply chains, manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, food production, and sustainability.
Supply Chain Outlook provides ongoing coverage of organisations and developments shaping the global logistics and supply chain sector.
