Lidl takes on Primark with launch of own fashion range
Lidl is taking on the likes of Primark and Asda’s George brand with the launch of a new female fashion range that will focus on ‘current, on-trend items’ for the first time.
By Sarah Vizard
The collection, which will go on sale in all Lidl’s 600 stores on Monday (25 August), includes a leather jacket that will cost £14.99, jeans for £6.99 and shirts at £5.99. Shoes including ankle boots will cost less than £10.
“This is the first time ever that we’ve done such a high-end fashion promotion and we’re hugely excited. Not only are the jackets bang on trend for this season but they’re also £15 a pop,” says Josie Stone, Lidl’s non-food buying manager.
As with other Lidl non-food items, they will be available only while stocks last. Lidl says it has no plans to refit stores but will put them on display in existing non-food areas in shops.
Lidl also plans to launch its first menswear range in November.
The discounter does already sell clothing but only basics such as vests, t-shirts and underwear, as well as some children’s clothing. This move into a clothing collection will pit it against other value retailers, such as Primark and H&M, as well as clothing brands from the supermarkets such as Tesco’s F&F and Sainsbury’s Tu.
Supermarkets have become popular among shoppers for their clothing ranges, with Asda recently claiming to have overtaken Marks & Spencer to become the second biggest clothing retailer by volume.
A Lidl spokeswoman says: “We’ve had enormous success with our classic fashion lines in the past so made the decision to build on that by refreshing and updating the range. We keep a close eye on the market to monitor all upcoming fashion trends so this promotion was very much a natural progression for us.”
Lidl and its rival Aldi, are experiencing rapid growth in the UK, attracting shoppers with their cheap prices and value messaging. The latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel show that Lidl’s sales were up 19.5 per cent year on year in the 12 weeks to 20 July, giving it a record market share of 3.6 per cent.
The move is the latest attempt by the discounters to expand beyond groceries, with Aldi having recently launched an own-brand smartphone following the success of the tablet it released last year.
