German supermarket giant lidl recently announced “the biggest cheaper in the history” of the company, prompting a flurry of responses from competitors. Aldi quickly followed suit with its own price reductions, and other major chains like Rewe, Penny, Edeka, and Net are expected to join the fray, according to the Berliner Morgenpost.

Lidl intends to permanently lower prices on 500 products. The company stated that these reductions are possible “thanks to long -term fair agreements with suppliers and high purchasing quantities.”

Aldi has already permanently reduced the prices of a thousand items this year. A Rewe spokeswoman stated that “Rewe and Penny will also reduce prices in all product groups for comparable items.” Edeka plans to match Aldi’s prices on “all similar items,” particularly for private-label brands.An Edeka spokesman noted, “We will be cheaper as quickly as possible, but it may take one or two days to reduce prices in all stores.”

Examples of Discounted Products in Germany

Here are some examples of price reductions at Lidl in germany:

• 10 grilled sausages, 1 kg: €5.59 (previously €5.99, -6%)
• Chocolate Oat Drink vemondo, 1 liter: €1.15 (previously €1.25, -8%)
• Red wine Primitivo di Manduria doc, 0.75 liter: €4.99 (previously €5.99, -16%)
• Premium hand soap, 500 milliliters: €2.39 (previously €2.69,-11%)
• Baby watermelon: €1.99 per kilogram (previously €3.29, -39%)

“The announced price reduction is only a correction… Although prices are now decreasing, consumers still pay much more than a few years ago.”

The diary notes that food prices have risen sharply since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Federal statistical Office reports an increase of over 36 percent since 2020. Armin Valet from the Consumer Center in Hamburg believes that “the announced price reduction is only a correction,” adding that “even though prices are now decreasing,consumers still pay much more than a few years ago.”

Valet also pointed out that some price adjustments may be delayed and that many manufacturers have reduced package sizes in recent years. Lisa Völkel from the Federation of German Consumer Organizations cautions, “Whether the reduction will be permanent or just advertising is found only for the time when prices are monitored.”

Czech Republic Unlikely to See Similar Price Cuts

The Czech branch of Lidl will not be following the example of its German counterpart by permanently discounting 500 products.

“Lidl Czech Republic offers products for the lowest possible prices on the market for a long time. At the moment, therefore, we are not planning a similar event as in Germany,” saeid Eliška Froschová, a spokeswoman for Lidl Czech Republic.

Froschová stated that each local Lidl branch develops its strategy independently. She added that “Bill offers its customers for a long time, not only in stone shops, but also in the e-shop, products at the best prices. Every week we regularly discount hundreds of products in the special offer in our leaflets.”

A “Specific Market”

Kaufland spokeswoman Renata Maierl also suggested that they are not planning similar price cuts in the Czech Republic.

Maierl explained that “each country has its specific market,wich is adapted to the entire action and strategy of pricing. Competitive situations are very different in different countries, as well as the action and individual chain campaigns and therefore cannot be compared.”

Kaufland claims to focus on offering “the most favorable prices of products on the market” through its existing pricing strategies.

The phrase “specific Czech market” has been used by shops and companies to explain disparities in product composition and pricing compared to other countries.