In a remarkable newspaper advertisement, Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize claims to be cheaper than its competitors Lidl, Carrefour, and Intermarché for a selection of competitively priced basic products. The retailer wants to correct a false price perception with this campaign.
31 products compared
“Delhaize is cheaper than you think,” states the advertisement, which refers to the more than 1,200 “Little Lions” in the range, basic private label products that are low-priced all year round. The retailer supports this claim with the publication of a price comparison for 31 food products, ranging from pizza bolognese and white farmhouse bread to paprika crisps and smoked salmon. The total for that shopping list is €46.45 at Delhaize, €46.57 at Lidl, €52.30 at Carrefour, and €48.41 at Intermarché—the latter is only mentioned in the French-language advertisement. Colruyt, Aldi, Albert Heijn, and Jumbo are not included.
The comparison is based on a “representative sample” on October 28, 2025, and did not take into account temporary discounts or promotions, according to the advertisement. Delhaize launched its Little Lions range in June 2022. Initially, the range contained 500 basic products, but that number has grown significantly since then. According to the retailer, they now account for almost 40% of the range of private label products in terms of volume.
“Customers don’t have to drive anywhere else”
“Many external independent price surveys show that Delhaize has effectively strengthened its price reality, clearly narrowing the gap with the competition and becoming more competitive than ever,” responds spokesperson Roel Dekelver. “Despite these efforts, we notice that consumers regularly associate Delhaize with a more expensive price perception, even though that image does not correspond to the reality in our stores and online. Our new campaign aims to break through this misperception and make it clear that Delhaize is very competitive with the Little Lions, even compared to other retailers. For example, our Little Lions are comparable to Lidl’s private label prices and up to 10% cheaper than Carrefour and Intermarché. So customers don’t have to drive around to find their daily groceries at the right price.”
The campaign comes at a time when more supermarket chains in Belgium are launching price promotions. At the beginning of the year, after the more expensive holiday season, consumers are generally more price-conscious. Aldi announced price reductions for more than fifty products this week to mark its fiftieth anniversary, Lidl is launching “superhero weeks,” and Jumbo is unleashing a “price storm” this month. Market leader Colruyt is taking a completely different approach, with an emotional marketing campaign that shows how the retailer supports parents in their daily family life, under the motto “Together with Colruyt.”
