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[[Image:Lidl locations.png|thumb|234px|European countries in which Lidl is active]]
[[Image:Lidl locations.png|thumb|234px|European countries in which Lidl is active]]


'''Lidl''' (generally {{pron-en|ˈlɪdəl}} {{respell|LI|dəl}} in English-speaking countries and {{pron-en|ˈliːdl}} {{respell|LEE|dəl}} in its country of origin) is a [[Germany|German]] discount [[supermarket]] chain that operates over 7200 stores worldwide. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG. It belongs to the [[holding company]] Schwarz, which also owns the store chains Handelshof and [[Kaufland]]. Lidl is the chief competitor of the similar German discount chain [[Aldi]].
'''Lidl''' (generally {{pron-en|ˈlɪdəl}} {{respell|LI|dəl}} in English-speaking countries and {{pron-en|ˈliːdl}} {{respell|LEE|dəl}} in its country of origin) is a [[Germany|German]] discount [[supermarket]] chain that operates over 7200 stores worldwide. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG. It belongs to the [[holding company]] Schwarz, which also owns the store chains Handelshof and [[Kaufland]]. Lidl is the chief competitor of the similar German discount chain [[Aldi]]. It is best known for providing gypsies with a place to buy their groceries.


Founded in the 1930s by a member of the Schwarz family [and called at the time ''Schwarz Lebensmittel-Sortimentsgroßhandlung'' (Schwarz Assorted wholesale Foods)], Lidl has – since the opening in 1973 of the first of its stores in their present incarnation – now established itself in over 20 [[country|countries]] in Europe.
Founded in the 1930s by a member of the Schwarz family [and called at the time ''Schwarz Lebensmittel-Sortimentsgroßhandlung'' (Schwarz Assorted wholesale Foods)], Lidl has – since the opening in 1973 of the first of its stores in their present incarnation – now established itself in over 20 [[country|countries]] in Europe. However, the legacy left is debatable, in some countries, such as Germany, they say ''das ist wunderbar'' however in England, people sing songs about how people shoplift in the store.


In 1930, Josef Schwarz became a partner in Südfrüchte Großhandel Lidl & Co., a fruit wholesaler, and he developed the company into a general food wholesaler. In 1977, under his son [[Dieter Schwarz]], the Schwarz-Gruppe began to focus on discount markets, larger supermarkets, and cash and carry wholesale markets. The first Lidl discount store was opened in 1973, copying the Aldi concept. By the year 1977, the Lidl chain comprised 33 discount stores.
In 1930, Josef Schwarz became a partner in Südfrüchte Großhandel Lidl & Co., a fruit wholesaler, and he developed the company into a general food wholesaler. In 1977, under his son [[Dieter Schwarz]], the Schwarz-Gruppe began to focus on discount markets, larger supermarkets, and cash and carry wholesale markets. The first Lidl discount store was opened in 1973, copying the Aldi concept. By the year 1977, the Lidl chain comprised 33 discount stores.
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== Criticism of Lidl's treatment of its staff ==
== Criticism of Lidl's treatment of its staff ==
Trade unions in Germany and other countries have repeatedly criticised Lidl for mistreatment of workers, breach of [[European directives]] on working time and other abuses. These have been published in the ''Black Book on the Schwarz Retail Company'' published in Germany and now available in English.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lidl.verdi.de/schwarz-buch/schwarz-buch_uebersetzt/data/Order%20Black%20Book%20Lidl|title=Black Book on Lidl in English|format=pdf}}</ref> While ''The Times'' notes that Lidl managers work excessive hours, being obliged to sign out of the working time directive when starting with the company, both ''The Guardian''<ref>Helen Pidd [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/mar/14/businesscomment.supermarkets "Cheap but not so cheerful", ''The Guardian'', 14 March, 2007]</ref> and ''The Times''<ref>R. Boyes "Lidl the big brother supermarket is watching you", ''The Times'', 27 March 2008</ref> in the UK amongst other allegations have reported that Lidl spies on its workforce with cameras, makes extensive notes on employee behaviour, particularly focusing on attempting to sack female workers who might become pregnant and also forces staff at warehouses to do [[Piece work|"piece-rate" work]]. Lidl management has denied the charges. In [[Italy]], in 2003, a judge in [[Savona]] sentenced Lidl for anti-union policies, a crime in that country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.filcams.cgil.it/stampa.nsf/97b04b26541301cbc125690a005317a6/33cd7b2012094337c1256d5e004dfdde!OpenDocument|publisher=Il Magazine|title=Il tribunale di Savona condanna Lidl Italia per comportamento antisindacale|date=9 July 2003}} {{it icon}}</ref> Lidl has been criticised in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]] for not allowing workers to join unions.
Trade unions in Germany and other countries have repeatedly criticised Lidl for mistreatment of workers, breach of [[European directives]] on working time and other abuses. These have been published in the ''Black Book on the Schwarz Retail Company'' published in Germany and now available in English.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lidl.verdi.de/schwarz-buch/schwarz-buch_uebersetzt/data/Order%20Black%20Book%20Lidl|title=Black Book on Lidl in English|format=pdf}}</ref> While ''The Times'' notes that Lidl managers work excessive hours, being obliged to sign out of the working time directive when starting with the company, both ''The Guardian''<ref>Helen Pidd [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/mar/14/businesscomment.supermarkets "Cheap but not so cheerful", ''The Guardian'', 14 March, 2007]</ref> and ''The Times''<ref>R. Boyes "Lidl the big brother supermarket is watching you", ''The Times'', 27 March 2008</ref> in the UK amongst other allegations have reported that Lidl spies on its workforce with cameras, makes extensive notes on employee behaviour, particularly focusing on attempting to sack female workers who might become pregnant and also forces staff at warehouses to do [[Piece work|"piece-rate" work]]. Lidl management has denied the charges. In [[Italy]], in 2003, a judge in [[Savona]] sentenced Lidl for anti-union policies, a crime in that country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.filcams.cgil.it/stampa.nsf/97b04b26541301cbc125690a005317a6/33cd7b2012094337c1256d5e004dfdde!OpenDocument|publisher=Il Magazine|title=Il tribunale di Savona condanna Lidl Italia per comportamento antisindacale|date=9 July 2003}} {{it icon}}</ref> Lidl has been criticised in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]] for not allowing workers to join unions. Lidl, as sourced by the News of the World, apparently describe their staff in private as ''evil'' and ''out of touch with the upper classes''


In March 2008 the German news magazine ''[[Stern (magazine)|Stern]]'' released a cover story reporting systematic surveillance of Lidl workers, including the most intimate details of their private affairs.<ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/615056.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Überwachungsskandal bei Lidl (video) {{de icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/615153.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Entsetzen über Lidls Stasi-Methoden {{de icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/614776.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Zitate aus den Lidl-Protokollen {{de icon}}</ref>
In March 2008 the German news magazine ''[[Stern (magazine)|Stern]]'' released a cover story reporting systematic surveillance of Lidl workers, including the most intimate details of their private affairs. Workers were said to be devastated, one worker even lost out on a night of passion because it was revealed in a dossier that he was planning on buying something that was £1.69 due to the sexual connotations, and then show his wife the price tag, and that bitch would have been well happy. <ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/615056.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Überwachungsskandal bei Lidl (video) {{de icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/615153.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Entsetzen über Lidls Stasi-Methoden {{de icon}}</ref><ref>[http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/unternehmen/:%DCberwachungsskandal-%DCble-Zitate-Lidl-Protokollen/614776.html?eid=614772 stern.de] - Zitate aus den Lidl-Protokollen {{de icon}}</ref>


Further instances of Lidl's purported mistreatment of past and present employees are documented on a [http://franklludwig.com/lidl.html website] created by a former employee.
Further instances of Lidl's purported mistreatment of past and present employees are documented on a [http://franklludwig.com/lidl.html website] created by a former employee. They should have contacted their training manager :(


== Countries with Lidl branches ==
== Countries with Lidl branches ==

Revision as of 23:24, 12 March 2011

Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG
Company typeGerman multi-national
IndustryRetail (Grocery)
Founded1930s
HeadquartersNeckarsulm, Germany
Key people
Dieter Schwarz:
Chairman and CEO
Gunter Schwarz: CEO
Michael Dönherp: CFO
ProductsMainly own brand, with a few larger and regional brands
Revenue€ 59 billion (2008)[1]
Number of employees
178,741 (2019) Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.lidl-info.com
A Lidl store in Middlesbrough, UK
A Lidl store in Lomma, Sweden
A typical Lidl interior
A fake Lidl store in Egypt (the company does not officially trade here)
File:Lidl Southampton.jpg
A recently opened Lidl store in Southampton, UK
A Lidl store in Police, Poland
European countries in which Lidl is active

Lidl (generally Template:Pron-en LI-dəl in English-speaking countries and Template:Pron-en LEE-dəl in its country of origin) is a German discount supermarket chain that operates over 7200 stores worldwide. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG. It belongs to the holding company Schwarz, which also owns the store chains Handelshof and Kaufland. Lidl is the chief competitor of the similar German discount chain Aldi. It is best known for providing gypsies with a place to buy their groceries.

Founded in the 1930s by a member of the Schwarz family [and called at the time Schwarz Lebensmittel-Sortimentsgroßhandlung (Schwarz Assorted wholesale Foods)], Lidl has – since the opening in 1973 of the first of its stores in their present incarnation – now established itself in over 20 countries in Europe. However, the legacy left is debatable, in some countries, such as Germany, they say das ist wunderbar however in England, people sing songs about how people shoplift in the store.

In 1930, Josef Schwarz became a partner in Südfrüchte Großhandel Lidl & Co., a fruit wholesaler, and he developed the company into a general food wholesaler. In 1977, under his son Dieter Schwarz, the Schwarz-Gruppe began to focus on discount markets, larger supermarkets, and cash and carry wholesale markets. The first Lidl discount store was opened in 1973, copying the Aldi concept. By the year 1977, the Lidl chain comprised 33 discount stores.

Amongst other brands, Lidl owns the Silvercrest brand, which manufactures electronic products such as satellite and Freeview receivers.[2]

Store layout

Most Lidl stores follow the same basic layout[citation needed] flow with tins and carbonated drinks in the first aisle and alcohol in the last. The chiller always runs along the back wall of the store, with chilled convenience foods such as sandwiches, pasta salads and fruit in the first chiller bay. Older stores did not have aisle breaks (gaps in between the shelving), which ensured customers followed the flow of the store.[citation needed] This practice has been largely reduced with older stores being re-merchandised to accommodate these breaks. Fruit and vegetables are normally in the first aisle of the store, as are bread and cakes.

The UK stores, however are currently undergoing a major remerchandising programme. This is to bring all stores up to date and to follow the same merchandising policies. The major change to the store layout is that the carbonated drinks and fruit juices are moved to the centre of the store with the non-food (specially listed lines) items in this area moving to the back. This creates a more even layout of the store and creates a more open feel. The increase in the number of food specials (special offer non-permanent lines) has resulted in an enlarged area being allocated to these products above the frozen cabinets and highlighted with bright orange day-glo signage.

Other services

In late October 2009 Lidl UK launched a DVD rental service 'Lidl Movies',[3] undercutting Tesco DVD rental which had previously been the UK's cheapest online DVD rental service.

The service is powered by OutNow DVD rental.[4]

Criticism of Lidl's treatment of its staff

Trade unions in Germany and other countries have repeatedly criticised Lidl for mistreatment of workers, breach of European directives on working time and other abuses. These have been published in the Black Book on the Schwarz Retail Company published in Germany and now available in English.[5] While The Times notes that Lidl managers work excessive hours, being obliged to sign out of the working time directive when starting with the company, both The Guardian[6] and The Times[7] in the UK amongst other allegations have reported that Lidl spies on its workforce with cameras, makes extensive notes on employee behaviour, particularly focusing on attempting to sack female workers who might become pregnant and also forces staff at warehouses to do "piece-rate" work. Lidl management has denied the charges. In Italy, in 2003, a judge in Savona sentenced Lidl for anti-union policies, a crime in that country.[8] Lidl has been criticised in the United Kingdom and Ireland for not allowing workers to join unions. Lidl, as sourced by the News of the World, apparently describe their staff in private as evil and out of touch with the upper classes

In March 2008 the German news magazine Stern released a cover story reporting systematic surveillance of Lidl workers, including the most intimate details of their private affairs. Workers were said to be devastated, one worker even lost out on a night of passion because it was revealed in a dossier that he was planning on buying something that was £1.69 due to the sexual connotations, and then show his wife the price tag, and that bitch would have been well happy. [9][10][11]

Further instances of Lidl's purported mistreatment of past and present employees are documented on a website created by a former employee. They should have contacted their training manager :(

Countries with Lidl branches

Current

Country Number of Stores
 Austria 180 [12]
 Belgium ~300
 Bulgaria 27
 Croatia 70 [13]
 Czech Republic 216
 Cyprus 8
 Denmark 80
 Egypt 1*
 Finland 130
 France 1350
 Germany 3004
 Greece 200
 Hungary 123
 Ireland 106
 Italy 510
 Luxembourg 1
 Malta 12 (5 opened 7 more to open by end of 2010 including 2 stores in Gozo)
 Netherlands 400
 Norway Sold to Reitangruppen—now REMA 1000 stores.
 Poland 525 [14]
 Portugal 210
 Romania ~100 - coming soon
 Slovakia 30
 Slovenia 50 [15]
 Spain 500
 Sweden 151
  Switzerland 50
 United Kingdom 568

Planned

Country Opening Notes
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Canada [16] 2012
 Lithuania[17]
 Mexico
 Montenegro
 Serbia 2015/2020

Competitors

Store Stores Country
Aldi 8,210 Europe, USA, Australia
Netto 1,000 Europe
Biedronka 1,500 Poland
Konzum (part of Agrokor Group) >600 Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia
Netto Marken-Discount 4,000 Germany
Penny Market[18] 5,000 Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Italy
Iceland United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland
Norma >1,300 Germany, Austria, France, Czech Republic
Dia, in Portugal Minipreço, in France Ed's 2,566 Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, France
Hofer (Aldi), Eurospin Slovenia
Denner Switzerland
Maxima 430 Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria
Farmfoods 300 United Kingdom

References

  1. ^ "Aldi abgehängt?". SPIEGEL Online. 2006-01-16. Retrieved 2006-01-17. Template:De icon
  2. ^ "Silvercrest Multimedia". Silvercrest Multimedia Lidl. Retrieved 20 August 2010. Silvercrest is a brand of Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, Stiftsbergstr. 1, D-74167 Neckarsulm
  3. ^ http://www.which.co.uk/news/2009/10/lidl-supermarket-starts-cheap-dvd-rental-service-187138.jsp
  4. ^ http://www.choosedvdrental.co.uk/dvd-rental-review/lidl-movies.asp
  5. ^ "Black Book on Lidl in English" (pdf).
  6. ^ Helen Pidd "Cheap but not so cheerful", The Guardian, 14 March, 2007
  7. ^ R. Boyes "Lidl the big brother supermarket is watching you", The Times, 27 March 2008
  8. ^ "Il tribunale di Savona condanna Lidl Italia per comportamento antisindacale". Il Magazine. 9 July 2003. Template:It icon
  9. ^ stern.de - Überwachungsskandal bei Lidl (video) Template:De icon
  10. ^ stern.de - Entsetzen über Lidls Stasi-Methoden Template:De icon
  11. ^ stern.de - Zitate aus den Lidl-Protokollen Template:De icon
  12. ^ "Lidl Austria Company Profile". Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  13. ^ "Lidl opens 70th store in Croatia". Retrieved 2010-12-08.
  14. ^ "Lidl Polska Online".
  15. ^ "Lidl Online Slovenia Store List". Retrieved 2009-06-03. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Lidl will zu Aldi aufschließen". RP Online. Retrieved 2008-06-30. Template:De icon
  17. ^ [1]
  18. ^ [2]
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