Aldi has announced it will add 360 new jobs across the country and open six new stores this year ahead of the introduction of the €13.85 per hour Living Wage for its staff on minimum wage on 1 February.

The supermarket retailer has launched a recruitment campaign for the latest hiring round after hiring some 450 people in the final two months of 2022. The firm employs some 4,650 people at present.

“We are continuing to reinvest in Ireland by creating and maintaining jobs throughout the country and adopting the minimum wage for colleagues," said Niall O'Connor, group managing director of Aldi Ireland.

“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."

The new positions have been created with the expansion Aldi's store network from 155 to 161. The company said it is experiencing strong demand with rising customer numbers and strong projections for 2023.

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"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," said O'Connnor.

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

Research from the company shows 77% of the population are experiencing financial worries due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Approximately 1,000 Irish consumers were questioned for the survey, conducted by Bounce Insights, last week.

The survey found the cost-of-living crisis is making almost one in every three people (30%) ‘fearful or anxious’ about the future. 

It also showed that more than seven in ten people (72%) are conscious of the price of goods, and that almost half (47%) are seeking value for every cent they spend.

Half of consumers (50%) said they were having to cut back, or intending to do so, on spending on fruit and vegetables to better manage their budgets, while 86% have or plan to reduce spending on organic and environmentally friendly produce.

More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) have swapped to own-label and similar products, and 73% have switched to discount retailers to help cut their grocery costs.

“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," O'Connor said.

"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."

(Pic: Ken Wolter/Shutterstock)