Overview
- A provisional decision published on 22 October 2026 reclassifies Aldi and Lidl as 'large grocery retailers' so they must follow the Controlled Land Order.
- The Controlled Land Order bars big supermarket groups from using land contracts, such as restrictive covenants and exclusivity agreements, to stop rivals taking nearby sites.
- Market data places Aldi and Lidl among the UK's largest chains, with Aldi at about 10.5% and Lidl about 8.6% of the grocery market, and both have plans to expand toward roughly 1,500 stores.
- Incumbent grocers including Waitrose, Morrisons and Iceland welcomed the change as levelling the playing field, while Aldi and Lidl said they will comply and continue their UK expansion programmes.
- The extension is likely to alter how retailers negotiate site deals and could make it easier for rivals to open new stores, a shift that may increase local choice and affect prices for shoppers.