LIDL CROWNED UK'S BEST VALUE RETAILER

Lidl GB has been crowned the UK’s Best Value Retailer at this year’s Retail Week Awards, after being recognised for its continued efforts to keep its prices low whilst paying attention to its wider social obligations and sustainability.

The grocer, which beat off competition from Aldi, Poundland and Matalan, was applauded for its commitment to corporate responsibility and challenging misconceptions that lean discount models were not compatible with being sustainable.

The judges commented that the retailer has “shifted up a few gears”and that “not only is it growing, but it is doing good at the same time.” One judge also commented that “Lidl delivers for customers while improving innovation and quality products.”

Since opening its first stores in 1994, Lidl GB has experienced unprecedented growth across the country, responding to the rapidly rising demand for its low-price-high-quality offering. As a result, Lidl now has 760 stores and 13 warehouses in England, Scotland and Wales, with plans to open a further 50 new stores this year.

Amidst this rapid growth, social responsibility and sustainability remain a focal point of Lidl’s daily operations. In 2015 the discounter became the first British supermarket to adopt the Living Wage, as recommended by the Living Wage Foundation, investing millions in pay rises. More recently, Lidl led the way in plastic reduction by announcing a trial to remove its 9p reusable plastic bags, after seeing that it was contributing to plastic waste. And in 2018, the grocer was one of the first retailers to publish its food waste data, whilst committing to the Sustainable Development Goal target of a 30% reduction by 2030. Its efforts have been helped by its surplus food waste redistribution programme, Feed it Back, which has connected all of its stores to local good causes, along with the industry-leading launch of its Too Good to Waste boxes, which other retailers are now beginning to adopt.

Christian Härtnagel, Lidl UK CEO, commented: “Value and quality are truly at the heart of everything we do, and this brilliant award strongly reflects our business principles, reinforcing that low prices don’t mean having to compromise on the things that our customers really care about. It’s more important now than ever that we act responsibly and contribute positively to the communities that we are a part of, so that we can continue to make good food accessible and affordable to everyone.