Lidl tests new store concept in Belgium

In Belgium, discounter Lidl has opened a store with a warmer decoration and a completely new layout. Shoppers can discover several inspiring ‘eating worlds’. It is a test.

Efficient and pleasant shopping

In the renovated store in the city of Lokeren, Lidl changes the traditional shopping route. The supermarket is divided into different eating worlds that want to inspire the shopper. “We notice that customers have been in a hurry in recent years and don’t always feel like spending a lot of time on the necessary groceries. Still, they like to eat fresh and healthy food. With this new test concept we want to make shopping efficient, but pleasant and above all inspire our customers,” says spokesperson Isabelle Colbrandt.

Recipe ideas

After the entrance, shoppers enter the ‘dining world’ where they can quickly find everything they need for a fresh dinner or lunch. In that dining world Lidl brings together vegetables and fruit, fresh meat, poultry and the veggie and vegan products. A corner with recipes from ‘The Kitchen of Lidl’ brings inspiration. In another corner, shoppers will find a fresh orange press and a refrigerator with simple and quick salads, ultra-fresh meals and smoothies. An extensive fresh bakery and a healthy nut corner form the breakfast world. All frozen foods and non-food items are located at the back of the store near the check-outs – including six self-scan counters for quick payment of a limited number of items.

No rollout yet

The decoration of the store is also new: wooden furniture gives the branch a warm but light atmosphere. The store layout and concept are fully in line with the strategy to reduce food waste by 50% and plastic waste by 20% by 2025, says the retailer. Lidl (re)built this store, which measures 1,500 square metres, for about 6 months. “For the time being, there are no plans to further expand the concept to other stores. We want to test it first and measure the experiences of the customers and employees,” says Isabelle Colbrandt.