Aldi’s managing director has left the company in an unexpected departure as the announcement the discounter’s sales growth continues to slide was made.
Paul Foley ended a 20-year career with the German retailer “by mutual consent” yesterday amid assertions that the move did not alter Aldi’s UK expansion plans.
He will be replaced with immediate effect by Aldi executive Armin Burger, who previously ran its operations in Austria.
The announcement comes as Aldi’s sales rose by only eight per cent in the 12 weeks to July 13, compared to 20 per cent to 25 per cent during 2008.
The discounter had been profiting in the recession with consumers looking for cheaper goods, but is thought to have been losing ground as the big four improve their value line offers.
Aldi said Foley was “widely credited as challenging and changing traditional market perceptions to establish Aldi as a leading brand offering high-quality and best-value products”.
Foley, who had been managing director in the UK and Ireland since 2000, said: “I have enjoyed my 20 years with Aldi and worked with a fantastic team of directors, managers, staff and business partners.”
Foley recently indicated that Aldi intends to bring its UK store numbers up from 500 to 1,500.
