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Lidl coming to Australia


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Guest The Pom Queen

One of the world's biggest retailers continues to register trademarks in Australia, despite insisting it has no plans to set up here.

German discount supermarket Lidl – which will open stores in the US next month, offering up to 50 per cent off rivals' prices – has trademarked the words LIDL TO GO and LIDL YOU.

LIDL TO GO is the chain's convenience assortment. LIDL YOU is a streaming service. 

A Lidl representative told Fairfax Media the chain had "no plans" to enter Australia. 

It's speculated Lidl is keeping open the option of launching here, once it has bedded down its aggressive US expansion.

Lidl is owned by the privately held Schwarz Group, one of the world's largest retailers, which also owns discount department store Kaufland.

Until last year, Lidl planned to open in Australia and emulate the success of its arch-rival Aldi.

But Schwarz Group chief, under executive Klaus Gehrig, decided Lidl would focus on the US and Kaufland would head Down Under to increase its international sales.

Michael Bate is the head of retail at Colliers International, which conducted research for Lidl about the Australian market.

Mr Bate said Lidl was initially excited by Australia but concluded the market was too small and too concentrated, and was now focused on the US. 

He said Lidl was "hedging its bets" by continuing to register brands here. The LIDL YOU application was lodged after Kaufland confirmed in November it was looking for land and staff in Australia.

Lidl has applied for thousands of trademarks in Australia since the year 2000, around the time Aldi set up here.

Last year it applied for trademarks covering hundreds of products, held talks with the Victorian government, and contacted suppliers.

It's understood Schwarz Group plans to launch a bespoke Kaufland in Australia, rather than use its German or Eastern European formats. It's unclear when the first Kaufland stores will open here, although it's speculated it will be several years from now.

After years of competing, Fairfax Media understands Lidl and Kaufland are now being encouraged to work together and share resources at a top level.

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I cant see what Lidl can bring thats different to Aldi. We have Lidl here in Northern Ireland but in the Republic its Aldi and its no different to Aldi in Oz or Lidl here!

Love both stores though :P Especially all the junk they sell that I buy but never need

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Guest The Pom Queen
17 hours ago, Lever40 said:

I cant see what Lidl can bring thats different to Aldi. We have Lidl here in Northern Ireland but in the Republic its Aldi and its no different to Aldi in Oz or Lidl here!

Love both stores though :P Especially all the junk they sell that I buy but never need

For us the more competition the better although to be honest even buying at Costco/ Campbell's doesn't work out much cheaper than Woollies or Coles

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/22/2017 at 05:42, Lever40 said:

I cant see what Lidl can bring thats different to Aldi. We have Lidl here in Northern Ireland but in the Republic its Aldi and its no different to Aldi in Oz or Lidl here!

Love both stores though :P Especially all the junk they sell that I buy but never need

The ROI has both but generally not in the same area.  I think they are owned by 2 brothers and they try not co compete with each other.

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Kaufland is totally different from Aldi and Lidl. It is not a discounter but a full range supermarket. They also some clothes, books, car and bike stuff, household items and other non-food items as well as a counter for fresh meat and cheese. 

I don't like to shop at Kaufland so much because of the dark narrow alleys and I always find it hard to find what I am looking for (at least over here in Germany). Anyway, it will be good to have another competitor on the market to challenge Coles and Wollworth.

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Last night's 'Today Tonight' did it's weekly hatchet job on Aldi. This week about there not being enough of the specials and it being a con just to get you into the shop. Like most enterprises here, clearly bankrolled by Coles & Woollies to toe the party line.

Edited by s713
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I'm a little disappointed to hear that Lidl have decided not to open in Australia. As the more competition we have the better is the way i see it. 

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