BREAKING: Aldi announces 30 new jobs in County Kildare

Supermarket giant Aldi has announced announces 30 new jobs in Kildare, as part of nationwide recruitment drive.

The retailer said it has increased its minimum pay rate to €13.85 for colleagues, becoming the first Irish supermarket to introduce the new Living Wage from February 1.

Aldi also pointed to a new survey it commissioned and conducted among 1,000 consumers by Bounce Insights last week, which found that 77 per cent of the population have financial worries due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Commenting on the announcement, Niall O’Connor, the group managing director of Aldi Ireland, said: "We are pleased to announce the creation of a further 360 new jobs in addition to roles currently available across the country, as we look to continue to grow the ALDI team.

"We added 450 new jobs last November, and we have seen continued strong demand in the market for the unbeatable value that ALDI offers."

He continued: "Our wider commercial plan in Ireland will see us continue to expand and develop our store network. We have plans to open six new stores this year, the first of which will be opening shortly in Adamstown.

"This store will represent the first store opening in Dublin since we announced our ambitious €73 million investment plans for the capital, which will see us build and open 11 new Aldi stores over the coming five years."

Mr O' Connor also said that the company sees an increase in demand in the market, and is forecasting strong projections for 2023.

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Referring to the survey findings, he said: "The research findings are stark, with more than three-quarters of people in Ireland having financial worries as a result of the cost-of-living crisis; it shows the extent of the impact this crisis is having on Irish consumers and the extreme measures they are taking to combat it."

"We continue to be very aware of this impact and even more committed to our customers in helping them weather this storm.

"We will continue to shield and protect them with low prices starting with even bigger discounts over the coming year.

"Our survey shows that more than three-quarters of all customers have already switched to private label goods as they look to manage their household budgets.

"We will continue to deliver unbeatable value in 2023, and our high-quality product range, means our customers will never have to choose between price, quality and healthy eating."

Mr O' Connor concluded: "Delivering value and choice convenient to customers has never been more important, as the survey findings show, and we are more committed than ever to continuing to deliver value for Ireland."