Lidl has unveiled its first continent-wide brand campaign, “Lidl. More to Value”, across all 31 European markets. The initiative redefines what “value” means for the discount retailer. Rather than focusing solely on low prices, Lidl highlights the broader values that resonate with modern consumers—quality, freshness, sustainability, and fairness. The campaign underscores Lidl’s commitment to responsible sourcing, employee growth, and supporting communities, while continuing to deliver affordability.

By unifying its message across Europe, Lidl aims to strengthen its emotional connection with customers and align its image with evolving consumer expectations. The retailer positions itself not just as a place to save money, but as a brand that shares its shoppers’ principles and everyday experiences. This marks a strategic shift for Lidl as it seeks to balance its reputation as a price leader with a growing emphasis on authenticity, purpose, and long-term customer trust.

Germany’s major drugstore chains, including dm and Rossmann, are becoming increasingly influential players in the grocery and near-food sectors. Their rapid growth in these categories is outpacing traditional retail channels.

For drugstore retailers, diversification is proving crucial. While demand for traditional categories like detergents and cleaning products has plateaued, gains in food, health and nutrition are more than compensating. 

Food now accounts for around 17 per cent of total drugstore revenue, with sales up 13.8 per cent year-on-year. Organic products are a key growth engine. The drugstores’ strong organic private label ranges seem to attract consumers that previously bought at specialty retailers.

As Europe’s population ages, supporting digestive health in older consumers is becoming a focus for product innovation. Gut health is now recognised as central to overall wellbeing – influencing immunity, nutrient absorption and even mood. However, age-related changes to the microbiome mean older adults often have fewer beneficial bacteria and more harmful ones, raising the risk of inflammation and chronic disease.

For food manufacturers and retailers, this creates an opportunity to respond through formulation and positioning. Fibre and polyphenols are especially important. Fibre from beans, oats, wholegrains, and fruits like berries and bananas helps regulate digestion and nourish beneficial microbes. Polyphenols – found in cocoa, berries, nuts, olives and even red wine – offer anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, while supporting cognitive health.

Gen Z is reshaping the spirits and liqueurs market, favouring mindful drinking and meaningful experiences over excess. According to Mintel’s The Future of Spirits & Liqueurs report, this generation is not rejecting alcohol outright, but approaching it with new intent — valuing balance, flavour and function.

Young consumers are “zebra striping” their drinking, alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and embracing “slow sipping” to savour quality over quantity. Health consciousness is central: Gen Z prefers low-sugar, additive-free and gut-friendly drinks that work with their bodies. Fermented, botanical and fibre-rich ingredients – such as liquorice root, prickly pear and coconut water – are emerging as functional inclusions that enhance wellbeing rather than detract from it.

Aldi is undertaking a major US product rebrand by stamping its name on all private label products, reducing the number of own brands from approximately 90 to 26, and introducing the namesake "The Aldi Brand" for some products.

This initiative, launched in late September in response to customer feedback, aims to make Aldi's private label quality more recognizable and visible to shoppers. “The new look and feel of our products is the next step in our journey to modernize our simpler, quicker shopping experience. Now, it’s easier than ever for shoppers to instantly spot the value and quality only Aldi can deliver,” said Atty McGrath, CEO of Aldi. “After nearly 50 years of setting the standard in private label, our updated packaging will give shoppers yet another reason to reach for our products first.”

Low-cost online platform Temu started selling food in Germany. Until now, Temu is known in Europe for ultra-low prices, aggressive marketing, and wide variety of affordable goods from Asia across categories like clothing and electronics. The platform's rapid growth and high user engagement are fueled by frequent flash sales, social media campaigns, and a focus on fast delivery. 

The rapid rise of the company has also attracted regulatory scrutiny in Europe regarding consumer protection. This summer, the EU Commission preliminarily found Temu in breach of the obligation under the Digital Services Act to properly assess the risks of illegal products being disseminated on its marketplace. Other suspected breaches like potential addictive design features, the transparency of its recommendation systems, and its access to data for researchers will continue to be investigated.

International retail alliances saw significant movement in the past few months. With inflation putting pressure on margins and price competition growing fiercer, more retailers are joining forces with others to gain scale and negotiate better terms with suppliers.

EMD counts 13 members, with 56,000 stores across 16 countries. The alliance focuses on sourcing private label products and on negotiating on-top conditions with major brand manufacturers. Some long-time members include Markant, Colruyt, and Superunie, but there have been recent changes. Kaufland left the group about a year ago, while Germany’s purchasing organisation Retail Trade Group, RTG, joined. Since then, the French alliance Francap signed on, followed by Denmark’s Dagrofa. Most recently, three Polish retailers — Eurocash, Chorten and Netto — announced plans to join, and Sweden’s Axfood and Finnish S Group are expected to come on board next year.

Hybrid meat, also called blended meat, is traditional beef combined with plant-based proteins. These products seem to be gaining in popularity, although they are not new. The first such products appeared in the supermarket more than five years ago, as several chains launched new ranges. But the products were pulled shortly after launch.

Today’s consumer, however, may be more inclined to try these products again, as people are increasingly pursuing protein-rich meals and becoming more focused on personal health and wellbeing, as well as the environment.

Lidl just launched a range of hybrid burgers in Belgium. The burgers, made with 60% beef and 40% plant protein, quickly became very popular: three months after their introduction, one in four burgers sold is a hybrid. Lidl also offers hybrid minced meat, which makes up a third of its mince sales. The retailer wants to offer customers more sustainable and healthier options without sacrificing flavour. By replacing 40% of the meat with vegetable proteins, the CO₂ emissions of this product are reduced by as much as 40%. Water and land use are also significantly reduced. And yet, the taste and appearance of the meat remain the same.

Consumer demand for high-protein products continues to rise, prompting many retailers to expand their ranges—often through private-label sports nutrition lines. For example, Auchan has launched its own brand, Eat n Move, which includes products like isotonic drinks for hydration during workouts and whey protein for post-exercise recovery. Similarly, Aldi Germany has introduced its Aldi Sports line, featuring protein-enriched items such as whey powders, protein balls, snack bars, and even protein-infused coffee.

Protein remains a key growth driver across multiple FMCG categories. Once limited to dairy products, protein claims now extend into an increasingly diverse set of items, including bread, pasta, salads, cereal, meal solutions, snack bars, and even pancakes and coffee. Packaging often highlights the protein content, aligning with consumer perceptions of protein as a marker of health and an active lifestyle, particularly among Gen Z shoppers.

Retailers are clearly targeting a well-defined demographic: health-conscious, physically active consumers. To win in this space, FMCG brands and suppliers must ensure strong shelf presence, provide engaging recipe inspiration, offer sampling opportunities, and develop product ranges that include both plant-based and ready-to-drink formats.

The French plant-based sector reacted with relief to the decision of the Council of State to annul two decrees prohibiting the naming of products containing plant proteins with butcher, delicatessen and fishmonger terms like “steak”, “burger”, “lardon”, or “sausage”.

The Council of State deemed the French decrees of 2022 and 2024 to be illegal and contrary to European regulations. The fact that those decrees targeted only French producers was also considered particularly unfair and unacceptable. The case is closed now with a full victory for the plant-based advocates. The French government will pay €3,000 each to the parties that brought the case to court.