Giant European retailer Lidl has not written off taking on Aldi in the Australian market according to sources.
The group who has been talking to commercial real estate Companies and distributors in Australia with the Company now believed to be looking at several Masters locations where Woolworths is set to relinquish a lease.
ChannelNews has been told that Aldi is also interested in several Masters locations in an effort to expand their presence in Australia.
Both Aldi and Lidl sell house brand appliances and consumer electronic goods with both Companies now holding more than 11% of the European appliance market.
Recently Lidl ratcheted up its UK expansion plan by issuing almost three times as many planning applications as Aldi.
In November, Lidl said it would invest $3 Billion dollars over the next three years to ramp up its store expansion globally.
Sources have said that the Company’s is planning on launching upmarket outlets that included self-checkouts and customer toilets, which had previously been missing from its budget superstores.
Currently the German retail group is expanding their operations into the US market. In the UK Lidl has more than 630 stores in England, Scotland and Wales, and a goal to double in size and operate 1,500 stores across the UK.
Insiders are claiming that the group will not open any stores in Australia until 2018/19 which will be after the rollout of their US stores.
“What could make a difference in when they launch in Australia is whether they can secure some of the Masters locations with the Company looking at a series of Mega stores which the Masters stores would deliver said a retail source.
