Lidl contributed €8.7 billion to Spain’s GDP in 2023, representing 0.65% of the total and a 6% increase, compared to the previous year, according to the company’s latest report.
Lidl’s 2023 Corporate Impact Report in Spain, prepared by consultancy firm PwC, was released to mark the company’s 30th anniversary in the country.
The discounter has created 180,389 direct, indirect and induced jobs, representing 0.85% of all employment in the country.
It is the equivalent of one in every 117 jobs in the country being related to the company’s activities, directly or indirectly.
Moreover, for every €1 of profit, the company generated an additional €20.50 for the Spanish economy.
The Spanish agriculture and livestock sector witnessed significant benefit from Lidl’s activities. It generated €2.5 million, equivalent to almost a third of all indirect and induced impact.
In absolute terms, the five provinces where the company saw the greatest impact on GDP from its activities include Madrid, Barcelona, Murcia, Valencia and Almería.
Lidl operates 700 stores across the country, with 13 logistics platforms and a workforce of more than 18,500 people.
‘Third-Largest Distribution Chain’
Imanol Zabala, general manager of expansion and property at Lidl España, stated, “We can proudly say that we are currently the third-largest distribution chain, in terms of market share, in addition to having also become the first choice for more and more customers, suppliers and partners, and we aspire to be that for society in general.”
Lidl España works with around 900 national suppliers and increased its expenses and investments by 9% in 2023, to reach €8.2 billion.
Around 91% of this investment can be traced back to purchases of Spanish products, which amounted to €7.4 billion in 2023.
The discounter exported more than half of its purchases to the 30 countries where it operates.
The value of exports amounted to €3.9 billion, reflecting an increase of 13%, compared to 2022.
This also accounted for 5.41% of all agri-food product exports in Spain.
Jordi Llenas, director of administration and finance of Lidl Spain, stated, “We will continue to unequivocally support the Spanish agri-food industry, praising its products and promoting its companies to project the ‘Brand Spain’ wherever we are present – all this while continuing to stimulate the economy and the labour market, generating more and more wealth and employment in a sustainable way in every corner of the country through our activity.”
