This is the conclusion reached by the trade research company Planet Retail in a current forecast reported by the weekly journal Wirtschaftswoche.
"In the coming years, Lidl will grow more strongly than Aldi Nord and Süd," said Boris Planer, a discount expert at Planet Retail. "But Aldi will still hold the position as global number one in the coming years."
According to the Planet Retail's data, in 2017 Aldi Nord and Süd will achieve worldwide gross sales of almost 83.3 billion euros, about 7 billion more than Lidl. However, in the coming years, the sales of the competitors will catch up. Yet, it is only in 2022 that both chains could be on the same level with a gross turnover of around 105 billion euros. Before then, it is mostly Aldi's strong position in the USA which would prevent a levelling out of the two companies.
Lidl, however, is pushing forward with its plan to join the US market. The first 20 stores will open this summer, the Aldi rival announced in February. Within a year the discounter wants to open up to 100 stores along the east coast. Originally, Lidl had announced their branching out to the US to begin in 2018.
Aldi has been in the US since 1976 and plans to expand to nearly 2,000 stores there by the end of 2018.
Source: Proplanta