Lidl is marking the 50th anniversary of its first store opening in Germany, in 1973, with a series of events scheduled to take place well into the autumn, under the banner ‘50 Jahre mehr als günstig’ (‘50 years more than cheap’).
The festivities kicked off on 16 May, with a press conference and a tour of Lidl’s new head office in Bad Wimpfen, while over the next 20 weeks, the Schwarz Group-owned discounter will introduce a range of birthday offers, discounts, competitions, events and ‘retro collections’.
Lidl’s first outlet opened in Ludwigshafen-Mundenheim, near Mannheim, in 1973.
‘Discount DNA’
“We have always remained true to our discount DNA,” commented Christian Härtnagel, CEO of Lidl in Germany. “For 50 years it has been our aim, as a reliable local supplier, to offer our customers excellent quality, freshness, and a large variety of everyday products at the usual low Lidl price.
“We can only achieve this together, with committed colleagues and strong partners. Our customers, who have been loyal to us for five decades, also appreciate the daily commitment of the entire Lidl team.”
Employee Milestone
Härtnagel noted that, as it celebrates 50 years, Lidl is also breaking the 100,000-employee barrier for the first time.
The retailer has teamed up with a number of personalities to help it celebrate the milestone, including artist Helene Fischer, entertainer Barbara Schöneberger and comedy star Max Giermann.
A range of retro-themed private-label ranges, including 1970s, 1980s and 1990s editions, will also be on sale over the coming weeks.
Read More: Lidl, Kaufland Owner Increases Sales To €133.6bn In 2021
© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
