Lidl announces new stores and 2,000 more jobs for Belgium

German supermarket chain Lidl has announced plans to open four new stores in Brussels and the periphery and renovate four more in Vilvoorde and Sint-Agatha-Berchem. The changes will create 2,000 new jobs in Belgium over five years, the company said.

The total investment in the stores is some €500 million. Lidl already has nearly 300 stores in Belgium and Luxembourg, employing 6,300 people.

The new planned for the Brussels municipality of Evere will have a surface area of more than 1,500 square metres, which will make it the largest Lidl in and around Brussels. The three other new stores will be located in Anderlecht and Molenbeek in Brussels and Machelen in Flemish Brabant.

Lidl’s last opening in Brussels was the cause of some controversy, when the store in the Marollen district was opposed by residents and business owners as inappropriate for Hoogstraat, a street dedicated to antique and vintage shops. The region’s Monuments and Landscape agency imposed conditions before granting a licence.

Lidl had to ensure that its exterior was compatible with the historic character of the area, forcing a change to the traditional appearance of its outlets. “This was the first supermarket in Belgium we’ve done that for,” said a Lidl spokesperson.

Photo courtesy storecheck.be