Discounter chain Aldi has reported sales in excess of £10bn for the first time in 2017, boosted by record Christmas trading. 

Sales increased year on year by 15% both in 2017 and in December. Aldi’s ‘specially selected’ range also helped increase revenue, with sales up 30% compared with 2016.

Mince Pies, Aberdeen Angus beef roasting joints and Irish cream liqueur were among the top selling products. Aldi also sold more than 100 million packs of vegetables and 6.8 million bottles of wine, champagne and Prosecco during the festigve period.

Aldi’s UK chief executive, Matthew Barnes, said: “This was our busiest-ever Christmas as millions of festive shoppers switched to Aldi from more expensive food retailers.

“Although we saw strong growth across all categories, the performance of our premium Specially Selected range in particular surpassed all expectations.

He added: “This is a clear sign that shoppers knew they could indulge in Christmas treats and festive essentials at Aldi for a fraction of the price they would pay elsewhere.”

Aldi currently has 762 stores in the UK and is committed to reaching 1,000 stores by 2022. The German chain is the fifth largest supermarket in the UK with a 6.9%, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Barnes said: “We see significant capacity for further growth as there are still more than 400 towns and cities across the UK without an Aldi store.

“Shoppers in these areas consistently tell us they would shop at Aldi if they could, and we are committed to meeting this demand for new Aldi stores.”