ALDI LOSSES

You know things are bad when even the supermarket discounters can’t make ends meet. Aldi, the German retailer, is blaming increased competition and the slump in consumer spending for a €66.5m loss after tax last year in the UK and Ireland, The Sunday Tribune reports.

The previous year Aldi made a profit of €84.4m but it was doom and gloom last year despite growth in turnover, stores and staff numbers.