Budget supermarket Aldi has said that it is becoming a strong competitor to the hold of the “big four” supermarkets in families’ weekly shopping after posting record annual profits.

The results, due to be released today, are expected to show that Aldi is attracting a new market of middle-class customers as it ups its expansion plans by spending £400 million on 50 new stores by 2014.

Roman Heini, joint managing director, told The Daily Telegraph: "We have always been seen as a top-up shopping destination and that has changed now. Most shoppers see us today as a weekly shopping destination."