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On this episode of Talking Shop I’m joined by Alain Bejjani—former Group CEO of Middle East retail giant Majid Al Futtaim, and author of the definitive new book, NEXT: Leading Through the New Realities. Drawing on his childhood in war-torn Beirut, and his experience steering a $9.5bn dollar retail and lifestyle empire through a global pandemic, Alain brings an unmatched perspective on leadership under pressure. Today, we break down his crisis survival playbook for retailers operating in distress. We discuss why resilience must always outpace efficiency, the four assets a brand must protect at all costs, and how to turn macro-turmoil into a long-term direction that scales.

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Lidl has welcomed its “most successful Christmas yet” as turnover exceeded £1bn for the first time and sales rose by 7% in the four weeks to 24 December.The group welcomed more than two million more customers through its doors over the period, with 23 December marking its busiest day. 

It comes as Lidl increased its British supply base by 20% over the holiday season. Over 16 million pigs in blankets were sold, while one turkey sold every second. Shoppers also purchased 6,500 tonnes of Lidl’s Pick of the Week British vegetables, including carrots, potatoes, parsnips and Brussels sprouts during Christmas week.

Lidl’s expanded Deluxe range featured new additions sourced from British suppliers, such as Lidl Christmas Jumper Desserts, Sticky Toffee Crowns, and its Christmas Express, a Belgian chocolate train filled with chocolate mousse and salted caramel with a brownie base and marshmallow steam.

Its Partytime range also grew, with new lines including Partytime Mini Duck Bao Buns and Partytime Arancini Bites, resulting in sales jumping by 32%. Panettone and Pandoro sales increased by a quarter, with its Mini Pandoro up by 135% year on year. Lidl’s cream liqueur range delivered a 60% sales uplift across the range, while the retailer also reported a 25% spike in sales of Champagne.

Lidl’s partnership with Neighbourly saw around 1.25 million meals being donated in December, while Lidl provided £125,000 in grants to local charities. Additionally, Lidl’s nationwide Toy Bank scheme resulted in almost 100,000 toys being distributed as Christmas presents.

Ryan McDonnell, CEO at Lidl GB, said: “For three decades, Lidl has been providing households with access to unbeatable quality and value at Christmas. This year, we were thrilled to welcome more customers than ever before. That’s a strong reflection of the trust our customers place in us and the dedication of our colleagues and suppliers, who work so hard to deliver an outstanding Christmas for the communities we serve.

“In 2024, we continued to raise the bar with product innovation, especially within our Deluxe range, as well as supporting all the community initiatives that are deeply important to us. It’s all been about bringing people together and sharing the joy of Christmas.”

He added: “Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on our momentum, growing our presence across the country and continuing to deliver the highest quality at the best prices on the market.”

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