UK brings Aldi and Lidl under supermarket land-agreement restrictions

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has designated Aldi, Lidl GB and Lidl NI as Large Grocery Retailers under the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010. The decision was announced on October 22, 2026.

The rules address land agreements that can obstruct rival supermarkets from opening nearby, including restrictive covenants and exclusivity arrangements. Designated retailers cannot put prohibited restrictions into new agreements. The CMA says existing agreements can also be reviewed at the request of interested landowners, developers or competing supermarkets.

The decision extends an existing framework that has applied to other major supermarket chains since 2010. It follows an August consultation; it is not a newly proposed consultation or an Indian retail rule. The CMA expects the measure to support competition and shopper choice, rather than guaranteeing an immediate reduction in grocery prices.

Source: UK Competition and Markets Authority. © Crown copyright. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ . Adapted by KROV; no government endorsement.