Quick Take — Discount: worldwide growth exceeds the grocery market

According to IGD’s most recent analysis, the discount channel is confirmed as the physical food retail segment with the strongest growth globally by 2030, reinforcing a positioning that in recent years has progressively evolved from a simple price lever to a highly competitive and innovative retail model. In fact, the “Global discount trends 2026” report shows that discounters will register a compound annual growth rate of 4.8%, almost one percentage point higher than the 4.0% expected for the overall grocery market, a sign of a structural dynamic that continues to reward efficient formats, streamlined assortments and a strong value orientation.

Underlying this expansion are several converging factors, including persistent consumer demand for convenience, expanding sales networks, and a growing capacity for innovation in both product and operating models. As Dan Butler, insight partner at IGD, points out, discounters are no longer perceived as…

In this scenario, operators such as Aldi and Lidl will continue to play a dominant role, with combined sales estimated at $334 billion by the end of the decade, supported by private label investments, international expansion and advanced pricing and loyalty models. In parallel, the report points to even faster growth for so-called variety discounters, such as Action and Dollar Tree, which could reach a CAGR of 6.3% due to strong demand for low-priced non-food products and increased impulse buying…

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Quick Take — ALDI conquers Manhattan

Drafted 23 August, updated 25 August 2025

The new shop near Times Square will open next year and will be 2,500 sqm.

The discount chain has 2,500 outlets in the United States and already has outlets in the city (see photos below).

The trend of discounters replacing supermarkets in city centres is confirmed: Lidl is opening in the centre of Milan(while Aldi has it surrounded).

Confirmation on Italy can be found here.

On the other hand, the Casino discounters in Paris have been in the centre for decades.

Interesting: Aldi creates a Fan Club in the USA

Compiled 25 August, updated 1 September 2025

Quick Take — Aldi creates a Fan Club in the USA

ALDI Quarter Club” members will receive prizes such as:

  • One year of free groceries for an individual

  • An exclusive invitation to a members-only event in the retailer’s hometown

  • A personalised Quarter Club style jacket, among other merchandising items

  • A chance to be featured on ALDI’s social channels

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Conclusion: Aldi, like Lidl and other discounters, is always ‘more supermarket (and less discount)’.

Quick Take — Retail Area 1: discount stores and supermarkets win, hypermarkets and superstores fail

The total turnover of the entire region reached EUR 37.089 billion, according to the latest figures, an increase of 6.1% compared to the previous budget ofEUR 34.95 billion.

The discounters, in this scenario, confirmed their position as one of the most dynamic players: their turnover reached EUR 7.544 billion, marking anincrease of 9.2% over the previous year and gaining 2.88 percentage points in market share…

hypermarkets and superstores had a share drop of 2 points while supermarkets showed superior resilience and vitality: with EUR 12.452 billion turnover and a growth of 7.9%.

Agorà and Selex are leading this segment while Lidl but also Aldi are launching themselves on the attack in Milan.

Nielsen Area 1, which includes Piedmont, Val d’Aosta, Liguria and Lombardy, is one of the four geographical areas used by Nielsen for market data collection in Italy. Compared to the other areas (Area 2, Area 3 and Area 4), it is considered the most dynamic, a commercial reference point.