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Lidl has pledged to invest £15 billion in British food, farming and production over the next five years.

The investment will provide its suppliers with the support and ability to grow their own businesses.

Just recently, the German discounter revealed its commitment to sourcing 100 per cent of its listed fresh poultry from UK farms, and has also pledged to increasing sales of British sourced fresh meat, poultry and fresh produce by over 10 per cent across the next 12 months.

Lidl also said its new longer-term contracts give suppliers certainty and allow them to invest for the future helping them to create new jobs.

The new investment forms part of Lidl’s growth strategy.

In June, it announced a £500 million investment in London over the next five years to open new stores across the capital.

More recently, it unveiled plans to grow in Greater Manchester and Scotland and also opened its biggest warehouse yet in the latter.

Meanwhile, the discount grocer’s new Young Farmers Programme will support new talent in the farming industry.

“As our business continues to grow, it’s vital that our suppliers remain at the heart of our growth plans,” Lidl GB chief commercial officer Ryan McDonnell said.

“Our business is only ever as good as our suppliers’, so our investments and commitments are key to ensuring that they can invest and expand with us.

“Our long-term partnerships with farmers are all the more important during economic uncertainty, and with 2019 marking our 25th anniversary, we are more committed than ever to supporting our suppliers here in Britain and offering customers British-sourced products in the future.”

Lidl’s commitment builds on existing initiatives to support British food and farming businesses.

In March 2017, the discounter signed the NFU’s Back British Farming Charter, which followed its commitment to the NFU’s Fruit and Pledge, further cementing its commitment to the British farming industry.

The discounter most recently saw its market share increase to six per cent, according to Kantar Worldpanel.