Discounter Lidl has launched a local own brand “S ljubavlju, domaće” (With love, local) in Serbia. Consisting of about 80 SKUs initially, the new private label line includes traditional homemade products such as fresh milk, natural and fruit yogurts, homemade greaves, Srem pie crust, Fruška Gora cheese, raspberries and dried meat, all sourced from local producers.
In other countries, the retailer boosts local sourcing as well. In France, domestically sourced products are labeled “Origine France” and the company says that 72% of the range comes from French suppliers. In Spain, it emphasizes the ties with regional producers from, for example, the Basque country with the slogan "Euskalduna da, ona da" (It’s Basque, it’s good) and on the Balearic Islands it uses the slogan “És Balear, ES Bo” (It’s Balearic, it’s good). In Sweden, the retailer set up a special "Fast Track" program for smaller suppliers, which accelerates the listing process. 280 items are currently certified with the "Från Sverige" (from Sweden) seal of origin.
The focus on local is part of Lidl’s commitment to shorten the supply chain in order to work more sustainably. In addition, it helps the company establish good relationships with customers and suppliers within the countries that it operates. Worldwide, Lidl has 11,200 stores in 29 countries.