The photos show what it’s like to shop at Aldi rival Lidl, from bustling aisles to private label products that look like big brands.

May 15, 2022 by Chandan

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1 German discount grocery chain Lidl is rapidly expanding in the United States. It opened its first U.S. store in 2017 and surpassed 100 stores in three years. By comparison, Aldi has more than 2,100 stores in the United States.

2 Globally, Lidl has more than 11,500 stores in approximately 30 countries. I visited the Lidl store in the UK, which has more than 800 branches. I shop at Lidl from time to time, but I’ve never been to this particular store at Limehouse in London before.

3 The store wasn’t very big, but there was quite a lot of parking.

4 Outside the shop was a shop selling gardening supplies.

5 Had to go through a separate gate for entry and exit, a bit reminiscent of airport security.

6 …and once in, you had to go through the ticket gates too. I don’t come across one of these products very often in the grocery store, and I wasn’t sure what their purpose was.

7 The rest of the store was equally chaotic. Designated as Lidl’s “pick of the week,” there were piles of crates full of discounted fresh produce on the front, but some were empty and stacked at a delightful angle.

8 This included garlic, eggplant, and orange, which varied between 28% and 46%, but eggplant was noticeably smaller.

9 Lidl does not unpack the product from the shelf, but displays the product in the box and box it was shipped to.

10 But this meant the store was full of empty boxes.

11 In some cases, they occupied the aisles.

12 Cages were scattered around the store, where employees stocked up shelves and removed empty packaging.

13 Some aisles were cleaner.

14 One of these sections was a double-sided aisle covered with orange labels that contained products such as beer, olive oil, hand cream and car air freshener. It wasn’t clear why these products were on display here, if they were on a discount, if their expiration date was approaching, or if they were simply emptying out new stock.

15 There was also space for Dutch and Belgian items. The freezer section had similar displays of Dutch and Belgian products such as waffles, fish bites and frikandelens.

16 For example, you can buy a chocolate windmill. Products were all branded “Dutch Style”, “Belgian Style” or “Original Belgian Specialties”.

17 This section also had a box full of very randomly organized items along with a 30% off sticker.

18 However, there were stacks of products at the end of the other aisles as well as the two-sided aisle, similarly labeled “if you don’t have it” with an orange label.

19 … in electronics, kitchenware and beauty products …

20 … in “Frozen” pajamas …

21 …and a leaf blower. The aisle was designated “Thursday” or “Sunday” and I thought it was time for stock to be replaced.

22 Elsewhere in the store there were two boxes full of 99p cleaning supplies.

23 Lidl sells some well-known brands, but mainly its own-label products. As with Aldi, some of their offerings appear to be based on popular brands, and most of them are right next to each other.

24 The store also declares that the huge outdoor sign facing the main road is “big on British,” and some of its packaging is dotted with union jacks.

German discount grocery chain Lidl is rapidly expanding in the United States. It opened its first U.S. store in 2017 and surpassed 100 stores in three years. By comparison, Aldi has more than 2,100 stores in the United States.

Lidl store in Poland.

Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

source: Riddle, Riddleinsider, Aldi

Globally, Lidl has more than 11,500 stores in approximately 30 countries. I visited the Lidl store in the UK, which has more than 800 branches. I shop at Lidl from time to time, but I’ve never been to this particular store at Limehouse in London before.

Lidl External Symbols — The exterior of the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

source: Riddle

The store wasn’t very big, but there was quite a lot of parking.

Riddle Appearance — The parking lot of the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Outside the shop was a shop selling gardening supplies.

Riddle Appearance — The exterior of the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

Had to go through a separate gate for entry and exit, a bit reminiscent of airport security.

Riddle Appearance — The entrance to the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

…and once in, you had to go through the ticket gates too. I don’t come across one of these products very often in the grocery store, and I wasn’t sure what their purpose was.

Riddle entrance — The entrance to the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

The rest of the store was equally chaotic. Designated as Lidl’s “pick of the week,” there were piles of crates full of discounted fresh produce on the front, but some were empty and stacked at a delightful angle.

Lidl picks in aisle mess this week — An empty box at the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

This included garlic, eggplant, and orange, which varied between 28% and 46%, but eggplant was noticeably smaller.

Messy pile of fruit and vegetable crates — Products from the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Lidl does not unpack the product from the shelf, but displays the product in the box and box it was shipped to.

Goods packaged in Lidl, passage of chips — The product aisle of the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

But this meant the store was full of empty boxes.

In the empty box — An empty box at the Riddle store in Limehouse, London.

In some cases, they occupied the aisles.

pile of — A chest in the aisle of the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Cages were scattered around the store, where employees stocked up shelves and removed empty packaging.

Lidl cage full — A chest in the aisle of the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Some aisles were cleaner.

fresh — Snack corner at the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

One of these sections was a double-sided aisle covered with orange labels that contained products such as beer, olive oil, hand cream and car air freshener. It wasn’t clear why these products were on display here, if they were on a discount, if their expiration date was approaching, or if they were simply emptying out new stock.

Lidl beer and olive oil on the shelf — A promotional display at the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

There was also space for Dutch and Belgian items. The freezer section had similar displays of Dutch and Belgian products such as waffles, fish bites and frikandelens.

Lidl Dutch and Belgian items — Promotional display of Dutch and Belgian products in the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

For example, you can buy a chocolate windmill. Products were all branded “Dutch Style”, “Belgian Style” or “Original Belgian Specialties”.

Lidl Chocolate Windmill — Promotional display of Dutch and Belgian products in the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

This section also had a box full of very randomly organized items along with a 30% off sticker.

Lidl Reduction Items — Discounted items from the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

However, there were stacks of products at the end of the other aisles as well as the two-sided aisle, similarly labeled “if you don’t have it” with an orange label.

Lidl clearance section — A promotional display at the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

… in electronics, kitchenware and beauty products …

Riddle Middle Aisle — The “middle of Lidl” aisle in the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

… in “Frozen” pajamas …

Riddle Middle Aisle — The “middle of Lidl” aisle in the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

…and a leaf blower. The aisle was designated “Thursday” or “Sunday” and I thought it was time for stock to be replaced.

Riddle Middle Aisle — The “middle of Lidl” aisle in the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Elsewhere in the store there were two boxes full of 99p cleaning supplies.

99p Lidl Box — A promotional display at the Lidl store in Limehouse, London.

Lidl sells some well-known brands, but mainly its own-label products. As with Aldi, some of their offerings appear to be based on popular brands, and most of them are right next to each other.

Riddle Butter — Butter made by Danish brand Lurpak is on display next to Lidl’s own label brand Danpak.

The store also declares that the huge outdoor sign facing the main road is “big on British,” and some of its packaging is dotted with union jacks.

Union Jack, Lidl Inside And Outside Showing Butter Pack — Lidl highlighted the British origins of some of their products.

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