Lidl UK has posted a revenue increase of 10% in the month of December, compared to 2015, with Christmas sales of turkey, vegetables and lobster helping to boost revenue.
Retail-intelligence firm Verdict Retail said that sales encouraged by Lidl's 'Pick of the Week' fruit-and-vegetable promo went up 60%, while it also more than doubled sales of bubbly prosecco and boosted turkey sales by 40%.
Verdict Retail also said that the retailer's results have been pushed by its drive for speedy expansion, with 50 store openings planned for 2017.
The company has also invested in revamping its distribution network, opening its largest centre, in Southampton, in November and planning to open warehouses in Thurrock (in Essex), Doncaster, Exeter and Wednesbury.
Analyst Matt Walton added that the discounter is striving to promote its 'Big on Quality, Lidl on Price' campaign to change shoppers' perceptions, which may encourage Big Four customers to 'trade down'. He said that Lidl will "remain one of the big winners in grocery" this year, and that discounters appear to be leading the pack in Christmas sales.
Rival Aldi UK posted a sales increase of 15% in the month of December, compared to 2015. However, Verdict Retail noted that, like Aldi, the discounter did not give like-for-like performance figures for the December period.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
