It was one of the biggest grocery stories of last year, perhaps topped only by Amazon's takeover of Whole Foods, but there are indications that Lidl's nascent US operation isn't going to see the same level of rapid expansion as its European network has enjoyed in recent years.
Earlier this month, German business paper Handelsblatt reported that Lidl was looking to switch its focus from big-box outlets to smaller stores as it grows its store estate, with projects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia reportedly halted.
There are also question marks over whether Lidl will reach 100 stores in its first year, as the company outlined at its US launch last June.
