Is Jersey any closer to getting an Aldi or a Lidl?

Monday 28 October 2024

A backbencher is calling for ministers to bring a low-cost supermarket – such as Aldi or Lidl – to Jersey as food prices start rising faster once again.

Deputy Philip Ozouf – a former minister – asked Environment Minister Steve Luce to commit to making an effort to find a suitable site for one of these ‘discounter’ brands.

The St Saviour Deputy said that his constituents "would love" a low-cost supermarket to help them deal with the pressures of a cost-of-living crisis.

The latest inflation figures released on Friday show that the rate at which food prices are increasing is not slowing – in fact, this rose faster in the 12 months until September than in the previous 12 months, from 2.1% to 2.8%.

Caritas has also said this week that the number of families using its St Helier foodbank has more than doubled since 2022 as families struggle to meet the high costs of a weekly food shop.

Speaking in the States Assembly, Deputy Philip Ozouf mentioned this plight that many of his St Saviour constituents find themselves in.

Pictured: Deputy Philip Ozouf was previously External Relations Minister in Deputy Kristina Moore's government.

He asked: "Does he have a view on the planning position to find a site, and will he commit to me and my constituents who want a low-cost supermarket that he will try and find one to help with cost-of-living crisis?"

Deputy Luce said that the matter mostly sat with the Economic Development Minister, saying: "It's one thing to say we must have a low-cost supermarket, we may even agree to have one. The siting would be under my remit, and I would refer to the Bridging Island Plan.

"I understand [Deputy Ozouf's] point of view, and people would be very much in favour of a low-cost supermarket, but there are very strict planning constraints about where that supermarket might go."

Last June's Groceries Market Study from the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority supported Deputy Ozouf's claim that islanders "would love" an Aldi or a Lidl.

That study found there were "mixed levels" of satisfaction with the Jersey grocery market, with consumers explicitly calling for a "discounter" to enter the market.

Chair of Jersey's Consumer Council, Carl Walker, said at the time that an Aldi or Lidl "would certainly shake things up" but that the government would need to "assist, encourage or simplify the process for one of these to move to Jersey".

Pictured: Carl Walker, chair of the JCC. (Rob Currie)

Reacting to the inflation figures last week, Mr Walker said that "while food prices may now only be climbing by 2.8%, we're still looking at something like a 40% total increase from this time two years ago".

He added: "Grocery shopping is still extremely expensive for Islanders, and Islanders will continue to struggle and find it hard doing their daily shop.

"It is great to see the RPI Index back down to normal levels of stability but it is important to remember we are already in a very unaffordable way of life and it will take a long time to recover."