LIDL to open in Slovenia at end of March

Schwarz Group-owned discounter Lidl is to open its first outlets in Slovenia on 29 March. There will be 15 stores opening for business in one go. Its rival Aldi entered the market in December 2005 and will open its 29th store next week. Furthermore, Hofer Slovenia last week permanently reduced retail prices for a range of dairy products. This is the first price cut since the introduction of the euro in January this year when Hofer rounded down all prices in order to dispel consumers' mistrust of hidden price increases. The Slovenian operations of both Aldi and Lidl are managed by their regional headquarters in neighbouring Austria.