German Discount Chain "Lidl" arrived to Serbia

International German discount chain, "Lidl " registered its company in Serbia, in late 2010, and this, according to Assistant Minister of Commerce, Ljiljana Stankovic, probably means the announcement of the company's business activities on the local market.

Assistant Minister Stankovic has indicated that the Ministry of Commerce supports the arrival of traders from the region and beyond, and above all the discount chains that would have brought a new level and style of competition in the Serbian market, especially through prices, which could be useful to the country most in these conditions.

- If they actually began operations in Serbia, it would be really good to do it in full force, which would make the existing traders to choose to fight competitive pricing and to seek more available sources of supply, and also to think more about efficiency, so that they could bring down to consumers more affordable lower prices - said Stankovic.

Stankovic, however, pointed out "that the global economic crisis has affected the investment potential of discount companies, as well as our purchasing power, which is an obstacle to their intensive expansion".

Assistant Minister said that now many of the traders in the Serbian market were opening retail stores that are called hard discounts, discounts, etc., which tend to offer lower prices to consumers, which is commendable.

Stankovic added that the arrival of such chains in the Serbian market would mean a change of thinking among retailers, currently operating in the country, as they would have to take a position in price battle, which means restructuring their operations and complete orientation to the consumer.

This means that retailers have to take into account what they have in the range of sales and that they lower the prices of these products on daily basis, in order to maintain confidence in the nutritional value of products, although their price is lower by 30 to 40%, said Assistant Minister.