Lidl tailoring its country-by-country retail offer will continue to improve the discounter’s position both in the UK and across Europe.

One of the joys of my job is a fair amount of overseas travel, much of which is spent in stores. Recent trips to Italy and Spain have confirmed that what we are seeing in the UK is not an isolated case: Lidl really is raising its game across Europe.

Prices are sharper, private brand is improving, stores are looking better and the chain is becoming much more localised.

Gone are the days when there was a slightly comedic Teutonic air to the business.

Lidl is fast becoming a retailer that is tailored on a country-by-country basis.

In Italy the stores were full to the brim with high-quality local produce. In Spain the stores offered a great range of fresh fish in addition to a freezer full of loose frozen seafood, really catering to local preferences.

In both countries, provenance was front and centre of in-store communication.

Stores have really benefited from the installation of bakeries and much-improved wine fixtures, and it was little surprise that Lidl shops have been among the busiest I have visited in markets as diverse as the UK, Hungary and Spain.

While economic and shopper trends are clearly working in Lidl’s favour, the retailer has embarked on a rigorous improvement programme.

Customer service and housekeeping used to be erratic at best and lamentable at worst. Provenance was very low down the list of Lidl’s priorities and produce used to be an extremely patchy affair.

It was for these reasons that my supplier clients often had a slightly ambivalent view of the retailer: sure, it offers the potential for huge volumes but it was never going to be a trusty custodian of brand equity.

Attitudes are shifting. As Lidl transitions from its hard discount roots and becomes a ‘discount supermarket’, more brands are anxious to clamber aboard its seemingly unstoppable bandwagon.

Lidl’s changing strategy is paying dividends and it is gaining traction with a broader spectrum of British shoppers. Many recent converts will not be hurrying back to their previous haunts.

  • Bryan Roberts, Director of retail insights, Kantar Retail