Discount supermarket chain Lidl has unveiled plans to open 15 new stores across Devon as part of a wider £500 million expansion across the UK. The retailer aims to launch over 40 new stores nationwide within the next 12 months.

The company’s latest site requirements brochure highlights hundreds of potential locations for store openings, with 15 sites earmarked in Devon. These include a range of locations such as high streets, retail parks, and town centre developments.

Potential Devon locations include: Axminster, Braunton, Brixham, Cranbrook, Cullompton, Dawlish, Exeter North, Exmouth Central, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge, Newton Abbot, Plymouth Mutley/Greenbank, Seaton, Sherford, and Totnes. Major cities like Exeter and Plymouth could see additional branches, bringing the total to four in Exeter and eight in Plymouth.

Richard Taylor, Chief Real Estate Officer at Lidl GB, stated: 'This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and move toward a thousand stores, many parts of the country still lack convenient access to a Lidl store.'

He also welcomed proposed changes in the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, saying: 'They recognise the urgent need to remove barriers to development and support the kind of growth we at Lidl are working towards.'

The expansion is expected to bring significant employment opportunities, boost local economies, and create new avenues for British suppliers. Lidl’s continued growth cements its status as one of the UK’s fastest-growing supermarkets.