Schwarz Group-owned discounter Lidl is changing the criteria for expansion in Germany, defining higher sales targets and a larger catchment area for new stores. The new measures foresee a minimum turnover per store of E5m (£4.4m), which is higher than the estimated average of E4.9m (£4.3m) for its existing network.

To match these targets, the catchment area has been extended from 22,000 inhabitants to between 25,000 and 30,000. Although its speed of expansion has slowed in Germany, Lidl has 300 shops in the pipeline.