Lidl has introduced a new mobile shop format in Hungary to help bring basic products to small towns without supermarkets. Running from October 17 to November 6, the initiative features a specially adapted minibus that acts as a grocery store and travels through rural areas for a few hours each day.
The vehicle offers a selection of 80 products, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, snacks, and frozen foods, all at the same prices as in traditional stores. The interior features refrigerators and freezers to maintain product freshness.
Lidl's Hungarian CEO, Zita Szlavikovics, recounts that the idea emerged after visiting a rural shop: "While traveling between two shops in the countryside, I wondered how we could serve people in smaller settlements without Lidl stores, where shopping is often challenging. This question sparked the idea, and a few weeks later, with a dedicated team of ten, we embarked on developing our mobile shop concept, Lidl on four wheels."
The project engages over 70 employees, with two or three managing the minibus during each trip. The company is considering extending the dates and routes of the initiative starting from next spring, depending on the outcomes of this initial phase.
Szlavikovics emphasized that the project is designed not just to make shopping easier but also to enhance the brand's visibility in rural regions.
Source: revistainforetail.com
