Lidl is to create 700 new jobs in Ireland over the next 12 months, the supermarket chain has announced. 

The new roles will bring the company’s workforce here to 6,000 and the job advertisements will go live in May. 

Lidl will also spend €14 million on pay rises for staff - which averages as 7.5% per worker. 

“After a roller coaster few years for the Irish retail sector, we are thrilled to be able to continue to reward the hard work and dedication of our employees by investing €14 million in pay rises,” Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland Maeve McCleane said.

“To recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our team members, we have significantly increased our investment in pay rises by 30% this year to support our employees as best we can, ensuring that we are offering the most competitive and all-encompassing suite of benefits in the jobs market at present.”

DCXDH3 Lidl supermarket exterior Littlehampton

Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney welcomed the news and said it was a vote of confidence in the Irish economy. 

“Lidl’s decision to hire an additional 700 employees this year is a real vote of confidence in the company’s long-term commitment to the Irish retail sector and the Irish economy as a whole,” he said. 

“Given the current cost of living pressures that everyone is feeling, I’m delighted to see that Lidl is investing in giving their workforce a pay rise to support them.”

Lidl is due to open new stores in Kilkenny, Ballincollig, Bettystown and Limerick this year.

Main image: A Lidl store.