Lidl is a value grocer which, alongside rival Aldi, has reshaped the food retail landscape by winning share from more established rivals.
Lidl launched in the UK in 1994. Like Aldi, it is controlled by a privately owned German parent company. It opened its first branch in 1973 and operates in countries including France and, more recently, the USA.
Lidl and Aldi initially succeeded by selling a limited range of products that they were able to buy at scale and sell at keen prices. Lidl really began to make an impact in the UK during the recession and its aftermath, and its UK store count is now close to 1,000.
In recent years, Lidl has increasingly emphasised characteristics such as paying more than the National Living Wage, product provenance and sustainability, as well as low prices.
Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Lidl have all ramped up their hiring of temporary staff to help stack shelves and ease the burden on existing colleagues due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Retail Week ranks the top-performing and most improved UK retailers for gender pay equality.
The latest grocery market share figures from Kantar show grocery spend in the 12 weeks to February 23 was up 0.7% year on year as consumers stocked up on essentials amid fears over coronavirus.
Lidl has pledged to invest more than £1bn in new stores over the next two years as it ramps up expansion plans to reach its target of 1,000 stores in the UK by 2023.
The UK food and grocery market is set to grow 15% between 2019 and 2024, according to the latest research.
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