Skopje, 15 August 2024 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hrisitjan Mickoski told media Thursday that the Government expects 50 percent of the products in Lidl markets across the country to be produced by Macedonian companies and sold at affordable prices for the citizens. He vowed the Government will do everything within its power to help realize the planned investment.

Mickoski held a meeting Wednesday with Lidl’s management team, after which he wrote in a social media post that the Government “will expedite the process, and soon we will have Lidl supermarket chains”.

Asked about the meeting, the PM told journalists Thursday that the Government also expects the exports of Macedonian products to Lidl markets across Europe to increase as well.

“The company has been present in the country for several years. Based on what was presented to us, more than around EUR 100 million have already been invested. Our goal is to increase the percentage that was presented to us regarding Macedonian products in the stores so it can reach 50 percent very soon. I wouldn’t discuss what the percentage is, but it is far from what we expected as a Government. We expected a minimum of 50 percent of products to be by Macedonian companies,” Mickoski said.

The PM said he expects Macedonian producers and Lidl’s management team to work to meet the quality and norms required by the company for a price that would be acceptable for the Macedonian citizens.

In May, Lidl said over 130 companies from the country were acquainted with the opportunities for cooperation, after they launched a project for the promotion of Macedonian traditional products in Lidl Serbia and Lidl Bulgaria in October 2023.

Lidl is the largest grocery retail chain in Europe. Alongside Kaufland, it is part of the Schwarz Group, which is headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany. The chain operates in 31 countries, running approximately 12,000 stores and employing over 360,000 people.  

Photo: MIA Archive