The fact that Lidl has started opening separate DIY shops of its private label Parkside points to a new non-food strategy. The discounter also wants to make big moves with other non-food brands, but this does get the retailer into the territory of reputable specialists.
Non-food spearheads
With Parkside, Lidl owns a strong private label for the DIY category. It is no coincidence that the discounter manages that private label just like a full-fledged A-brand, as may be evidenced by its solid contract with Arnold Schwarzenegger. That the brand opened its own DIY stores in Hungary and Poland this summer is significant in that context.
According to calculations by the German trade magazine Lebensmittel Zeitung, Parkside is now even the European market leader in its sector, although it is not clear what data the magazine bases this on. In any case, observers say that the successful Parkside model is now the inspiration for a new non-food strategy at the discounter, which is also spearheading other private brands. Lidl wants to raise the share of non-food sales in its total to a double-digit share – today that share has fallen to some 7 %.
