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Lidl GB has unveiled a £500 million investment in the British berry sector, reinforcing its commitment to UK agriculture, designed to provide growers with greater certainty amid mounting industry pressure.

The supermarket’s latest pledge, announced today (9 June), represents the value of contracts with British berry suppliers over the next five years. The investment will support increased volumes of UK-grown berries across Lidl stores while enabling producers to invest confidently in their operations despite rising production costs and increasingly unpredictable weather.

The move comes as Lidl GB continues to strengthen its position within the UK grocery market, having recently become the country’s fifth largest supermarket.

The retailer said the investment reflects growing consumer demand for fresh, healthy and locally sourced products, with blueberries emerging as one of the UK’s fastest-growing fruit categories, with sales increasing by more than 200% over the last three years.

Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, said: “By building a framework providing long-term security, we enable our growers to confidently invest, innovate and scale alongside us. By investing in these partnerships, we are making fresh, healthy produce more accessible to our customers, offering the best British berries at unbeatable prices.”

For growers, the longer term commitments provide valuable stability in a sector facing ongoing challenges linked to labour availability, input costs and climate-related disruption.

Tom Busby, director at Dearnsdale Farm in Staffordshire, said: “Having a long-term agreement Lidl GB gives us the opportunity and confidence to continue investing and adapting in the ever-changing world of berry production into the next century.”

The announcement has also been welcomed by the wider industry.

Nick Marston, chair of British Berry Growers, said: “This kind of retailer investment and commitment to British berries is exactly what our growers need and as we head into another British berry season, that continued support for homegrown produce is more important than ever.”

Lidl GB’s latest berry investment builds on its broader commitment to British agriculture. The retailer has previously pledged £30 billion in sourcing from the British food and farming industry by 2030, underlining its strategy to support a resilient, ethical and sustainable domestic supply chain.