EU: Five ways Lidl is innovative
Promoting Deluxe range in Christmas adverts
Earlier this year, Lidl started its first TV brand campaign in the UK and the discounter is adopting this above-the-line marketing approach across various markets such as Italy, Spain and Poland to promote its Deluxe range.
Lidl surprises again with London pop-up restaurant
Lidl continues to surprise its British followers with a temporary pop-up restaurant in east London's fashionable Spitalfields area. Diners can book a table online to have a meal cooked by Michelin starred chef Kevin Love, however the surprise element of the night is kept until the end when it is revealed the meal is created entirely from Lidl products. Outside of the UK, Lidl has been working with celebrity chefs in Greece and Sweden, in collaborations that have seen the discounter raise its profile further on television.
Investing in France with remodelling programme
While Lidl has a clear focus on range and NPD, store development is also a priority. As a result of strong competition from supermarkets, Lidl France is making a €250m investment to remodel stores and expand its portfolio, which will see the discounter expand its store size from an average selling space of 850 sq m to 1,200 sq m. This larger format store will support new and extended ranges, a strategy that could see Lidl regain some of the market share it has recently lost in France.
Lidl opens pilot eco store as part of 'Road to Tomorrow' strategy
Earlier this year, Lidl pushed the boundaries in an unexpected way by opening its first CO2 neutral store in Ixelles, south of Brussels city centre. Referred to as 'Magasin ECO2logique', the discounter has designed the store to be as environmentally friendly as possible. While the store has the same uniform look and feel to others in the estate, it is 40% more energy efficient and includes new 'green' features such as solar panels, charging terminals for electric cars, rainwater harvesting, and more. The Belgian store is a pilot for Lidl's sustainable development strategy, named 'Road to Tomorrow', which has potential for further rollout. Lidl's eco-initiatives are a great example of how the discounter is future proofing its business by prioritising sustainability without compromising the shopping experience.
Lidl blurs channels with discountvenience stores
As Lidl looks to diversify and create stores for tomorrow, it is expanding to city centre locations, creating a hybrid 'discountvenience' offer. Lidl opened a city centre store this year in Antwerp, Belgium, in a location close to the city's central station. Due to its city centre location the store has no parking, however shoppers are treated to in-store services such as a Nespresso machine. More recently, Lidl opened a store in the heart of Belfast's city centre within the Hi Park Centre. With a prime location on the capital's Main shopping area, the store represents a new modern-looking Lidl which aims to offer an enhanced experience for city dwellers. As retail channels continue to blur and shoppers look to shop across more channels, Lidl is making a smart move to open stores in prime city locations.
Source: igd.com
