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By Jennifer Faull, Deputy Editor

March 19, 2015 | 2 min read

Aldi has become the first official supermarket sponsor of the British Olympics team in a deal estimated to be worth £10m.

The German discounter hopes the tie-up cements its position on the British retail scene, having opened its first store 25 years ago.

To mark the announcement, Aldi created an online film (see above) showing Team GB athletes Samantha Murray, modern pentathlon, and Liam Phillips, BMX Cyclist, making their way around an Aldi store.

“We are proud of the investment Aldi has made in Britain over the last 25 years. Our passion to offer our customers access to fresh, affordable and healthy food is unrivalled,” explained Matthew Barnes, chief executive officer for Aldi UK and Ireland.

“Our continued drive to buy locally produced products and commitment to our extensive fresh food range are just some of the reasons why more and more people are choosing to shop with us.”

The sponsorship of Team GB’s athletes in the build up to and during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will push key initiatives including Get Set, the British Olympic Association’s youth engagement programme, and Home-Grown Heroes, an initiative to connect local athletes with their local community.

It is the first supermarket to officially back Team GB, with Sainsbury’s sponsoring the national Paralympics team

The move is a further sign of Aldi's growing popularity in the UK and will come as a blow to the ‘Big Four’ supermarkets which continue to battle against the low prices. Latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel show itsthe discounter's marketshare continues to increase while Asda, Morrions and Sainsbury's struggle to maintain their once dominant poisitoning.

"They are a great and growing British employer and are championing British produce and suppliers,” said Lord Coe, chairman of the British Olympic Association. “Their support is a huge boost in our efforts to get the nation inspired in the run up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Olympics Aldi Sainsbury's

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