USA: Lidl set to debut this summer

Lidl, the German retail chain, is set to make its debut in the USA this summer and open up to 100 stores by the end of the year, according to a Reuters report.

The move is described by Reuters as being ahead of schedule, since it was previously thought that Lidl would not open its first outlet until late 2017 or early 2018, despite being in the middle of a significant recruitment drive.

Reuters further reports Lidl as saying that the first 20 stores are to be opened in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The discount retailer first confirmed it was looking to enter the US in June 2015, when it announced the establishing of a headquarters and distribution centre.

Lidl's chief rival Aldi has been operating in the US since 1976 and now has a network of 1,600 stores in the country, according to Reuters.

Source: Reuters