German-based discounter Lidl hit French food distribution leader E.Leclerc head-on in an ad on social networks on Friday, accusing him of making “incredible comparisons” to present itself as the best-selling brand on price.
Lidl, which has benefited far less than E.Leclerc from the French’s concern about the rising cost of their groceries, showed a comparison between its cereal and its competitor’s first price range.
Leclerc “has taken a step forward”
Lidl says the less expensive, E.Leclerc cereal contains “49% less wheat and 40% less cocoa” than its own cereal. And the discounter says it is “willing to do anything to offer you the best prices but not to swallow you anything”.
On BFMTV/RMC on Thursday, Lidl France president Michel Biereau announced that E.Leclerc, who “launched these comparators, has taken a step that has never been taken before” by “comparing products of distributor brands with lower prices”. Yet they are not comparable products” from a quality point of view, according to him. For distribution sector expert Olivier Douvers, this is “a new episode in the advertising war between Lidl and Leclerc”, which “reaches a level (of aggression) never seen before”.
Reference to strong competition
It occurs in the context of strong competition among distributors, exacerbated by inflation that has reinforced consumers’ interest in lower prices, real or perceived. Independent group E.Leclerc, the sector leader with almost a quarter of the market, benefited from an impressive gain in market share in 2023.
In the arguments deployed to try to convince new customers, distributors use comparative advertising using variable methods (local or national comparison, all or part of the assortment, etc.) that allow them to show that they are cheaper than the competition.
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