Lidl makes inroads in UK markets

Lidl has leapfrogged upmarket supermarket Waitrose in the UK’s competitive food retail market, industry data showed yesterday, a sign that cash-strapped UK shoppers are still having to count their pennies.

Lidl and rival German discounter Aldi have steadily cut into the market shares of the UK’s big four supermarket chains — leader Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons — with aggressive store openings fuelling their sales growth.

The two discounters started opening stores in the UK in 1994 and 1990, but their big breakthrough came when the economic crisis hit in 2008 and more British shoppers were prepared to give them a go.