Reeves's late budget may affect festive sales, says Aldi boss

The UK boss of Aldi has said the late November timing of the budget could hit consumer spending in the all-important run-up to Christmas.

- Mark Sweney

Giles Hurley, the UK chief executive of Aldi in the UK & Ireland, said that uncertainty over the measures the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, would take to address a fiscal hole in the government's finances could affect festive spending by consumers.

“There is no doubt the budget does create a bit of uncertainty,” he said. “If you ask customers across the length and breadth of the country they would say that inflationary pressures are persistent.

“[For consumers, grocery inflation] comes on top of bills elsewhere going up. Household groceries have become a bigger proportion of household income, without question.”