Lidl is doubling down on Romania with an expansion budget of over €285 million for the 2026 financial year (1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027), money to be used exclusively for opening more than 40 new stores nationwide.
The push marks a new acceleration phase for the discount giant, which aims to add 200 new shops by 2030 versus its 2024 baseline. Between March 2024 and February 2026, the network already grew by 41 units, reaching 392 stores at the end of the last financial year.
The new stores, including sites built via demolition and reconstruction of older units, will follow Lidl’s latest standards for energy efficiency and sustainability and will be rolled out both in major cities and in peri-urban areas and smaller towns.
The format mix will range from large stores with sales areas between 1,400 and 1,700 square meters to more compact units of around 1,100 square meters, designed to bring the chain closer to dense residential areas.
Lidl currently works with more than 500 Romanian suppliers, and its spending with local partners exceeded €2.16 billion in 2024. The company employs over 14,000 people in Romania.
