our food shopping at discounters is widely acceptable and even a source of pride, but could doing your clothes shopping in discounters be seen in the same light? Lidl is hoping so as it prepares to launch a mainstream fashion collection in the UK.Lidl has long provided specialist fashion ranges for limited periods - from ski gear to riding gear - coupled with more regularly available essentials such as sleepwear and underwear, but now UK Lidl stores will stock what it has described as "high-end, on-trend" mainstream fashion.
The womenswear collection will launch next week and will include skinny jeans, jackets, shirts and ankle boots - all reasonably priced from £5.99 to £14.99 - and the items will be available in a range of sizes while stocks last.
The retailer also plans to launch a menswear collection in November.
This is sure to be yet another headache for the big four UK retailers, who all offer their own clothing ranges, and represents a further area where they will have to compete with Lidl to retain their market share.
This is the latest in a long line of measures by Lidl in the UK designed to compete with the larger retailers and attract new shoppers. Other measures include: improving their wine offering, opening in more affluent areas and stocking more local produce.
The venture is not without potential problems, particularly with regard to display. Lidl usually stocks its specialist and essential clothing items folded, in their original packaging and stacked in containers, however consumers may prefer to see this higher end clothing out of its packaging. Unfortunately, Lidl stores do not have extensive floor space which may mean that it will be difficult to display the new items in the manner which consumers are familiar with in other stores.
However, Lidl appears to have picked key fashion items for the collection and all are priced attractively, which would suggest that the collection will be a success no matter what way it is displayed; and as the other retailers are sure to have learned by now, never underestimate the attractiveness of Lidl.
