In a new series by Checkout magazine, we are examining the biggest news from Irish retailers across the year.
Lidl Ireland is the country’s top discounter by market share and the number-four supermarket group overall, according to monthly data from market researcher Kantar.
The German supermarket group entered the Irish market in 2000, and in that time, it has grown to a network of 223 stores across the island – including its Clondalkin store, which opened on Halloween.
In July, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland announced the appointment of Robert Ryan as the new CEO, taking over from JP Scally, as he moved to Lidl France.
Upon his departure, Scally said, “I am proud to leave behind an exceptional team of 7,000 talented colleagues across our operations. I am very lucky to have led the business in my home country for so long, and I am delighted to pass over the reins to incoming CEO Robert Ryan.”
The large team and store network that Scally left to Ryan have certainly had a busy year, and here are some of the headlines.
Stores
This year, Lidl Ireland opened two stores in Dublin that were hotly anticipated by their communities: one in Newcastle, and one in Clondalkin.
As well as these new stores, Lidl improved on some existing stores around the country, including a full revamp of its Galway store and the opening of an improved Longford store.
Lidl’s plans have shown no signs of slowing down, breaking ground on a site in Enfield in August, ahead of a new ‘concept store’, and starting construction in Ballysimon, Co. Limerick, the same month, with both stores set to open early next year.
The retailer has also announced its intention to build a store in Ballybough, Dublin, and it has sought planning permission for a new €200 million distribution centre in Cork.
Speaking about the planned distribution centre, the regional managing director for Munster at Lidl Ireland, Tara O’Connor, said, “There are many other stores in the pipeline at various stages of the planning process, so this investment in a new distribution centre is vital to meet the future needs of businesses, and to ensure we can continue to provide great value to our customers across the region.”
Initiatives
Lidl launched its sponsorship of the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) in 2016 and has continued its support, this year launching ‘Get Behind The Fight’.
The initiative called on GAA fans to attend the Lidl Ladies’ National Football League.
It was inspired by the retailer’s research, which found that some 59% of Irish people had never attended a live women’s sporting event.
Lidl’s support didn’t stop there, however – the retailer launched a campaign on TikTok over the summer to advance the campaign, and it released a new range of milk cartons, with LGFA player profile cards.
The latter aimed to get shoppers more familiar with the impressive players on the LGFA circuit.
At the time, the corporate affairs director at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Eimear O’Sullivan, said, “Our research shows that a lack of familiarity with female athletes is a significant barrier to people attending games.
“We have phenomenal female athletes competing in the LGFA Championships who deserve our recognition and support,” and support they have: Lidl has enlisted a number of impressive LGFA stars for its stores’ openings and reopenings.
In addition to its work with the LGFA, Lidl wrapped up its partnership with youth mental-health charity Jigsaw earlier this year, with €3 million in total raised during the six-year partnership.
Then, in November, it announced its partnership with Family Carers Ireland, pledging to raise €1 million for the charity over the next three years.
This new partnership builds on the retailer’s existing relationship with the organisation.
Equality
In October, Lidl became the first company in Ireland to receive gold-level menopause accreditation from the Menopause Hub Academy, setting a new standard for workplace inclusivity and support.
The accreditation recognises organisations that actively support employees coping with debilitating menopause symptoms – a significant recognition of Lidl’s gender equality work.
In March, the retailer invested €15 million in pay rises for its workforce and announced a further £3 million investment in its Northern Irish operations.
The investment saw Lidl Ireland employees receive a pay rise of approximately 6%, bringing the total increase since February 2023 to 13.5%.
Furthering its investment in colleagues, the retailer announced in September that it would maintain the 2024 Living Wage rate of €14.80, despite the recommended Living Wage falling to €14.75 for 2025.
Speaking about the decision, the chief people officer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Maeve McCleane, said, “At Lidl, we value our colleagues as one of our greatest assets and are committed to supporting them with an industry-leading package of employee compensation and benefits packages.”
McCleane added that, despite inflation easing, the cost of living remained high, and the move illustrated the retailer’s “support of our colleagues across the organisation”.
Suppliers
Lidl’s support this year was not limited to its colleagues – in 2023 alone, the retailer spent €1.6 billion on Irish suppliers.
One such Irish supplier is Golden Bake, which supplies soft-baked cookies to the retailer.
In August, Lidl announced an extended supply deal with the Dublin-based company worth €6 million, underscoring its commitment to its network of Irish producers and business partners.
It also entered a €2 million deal with Kerry Dairy Ireland to develop a brand-new infant formula under the retail’s private label.
While supporting Irish suppliers, this deal also showed Lidl’s commitment to providing affordable products to its shoppers.
Speaking at the time, the chief commercial officer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Kevin Duffy, said, “We know that cost is a significant challenge for many parents choosing to include formula with their baby’s feeding routine.
“That’s why Lidl has developed its own-brand infant formula range, to offer parents greater choice and accessibility to infant milk and follow-on milk at market-leading value.”
In addition to building on existing relationships, Lidl Ireland’s Kickstart programme saw over 100 new products on shelves nationwide, providing a unique opportunity to up-and-coming suppliers.
Sustainability
In terms of its commitment to sustainability, Lidl became the first retailer in Ireland to reach 100 million returns as part of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
This achievement came after the retailer’s €50 million investment in the scheme, installing two reverse vending machines (RVMs) in each of its 181 stores across the country.
When it reached the milestone in September, shoppers were returning, on average, 24 bottles and cans per visit at its stores, indicating high engagement with the scheme.
In October, Lidl announced its intention to reach net zero by 2050.
To date, Lidl has recorded a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 2019, as part of its commitment to reduce operational emissions by 46% by 2030.
Speaking about progress made and future targets, the head of sustainability for Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, Elaine O’Connor, said, “Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time.
“With ambitious goals and determined actions, we at Lidl are taking on this task and doing our bit to be part of the solution.”
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