Aldi, Inc.

At a time when store closings and consolidations are dominating the headlines, understanding the underlying industry dynamics also requires paying close attention to new store openings. Brands that are expanding their footprints are providing a revealing look at how consumer shopping patterns, priorities and preferences are evolving. In turn, this shows what might be in store for the retail industry ahead.

In light of Target shares dropping 15% after their latest earnings announcement, Target CEO Brian Cornell said executives would be detailing moves for greater pricing aggressiveness and increased merchandise differentiation, both tactics that Target has been known for historically. Cornell’s pricing reference led to speculation about a price war with Walmart, which many experts surmise Target simply can’t win. Speculation aside, is a price war poised to erupt between these two mega-retailers?    

The Lone Star State and Golden State are ripe areas for grocery store expansion.    In 2016, more than 440 grocery stores opened in the United States, adding 18.8 million sq. ft. of space. And 27% of those stores opened in two states: Texas and California.   That’s according to JLL’s latest Grocery Tracker JLL’s latest Grocery explores four trends transforming the grocery shopping sector.    

Aldi is ready to introduce its brand to price-sensitive Chinese shoppers.   The German discount supermarket chain plans to start selling online in China this month, a move that will expose Chinese consumers to a selection of German wine, snacks and breakfast products, Reuters reported.    

A regional department store, a warehouse giant, a discount supermarket and an online powerhouse rank among the nation’s favorite retailers.    That's according to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which rates consumers’ satisfaction across six retail industries. The report found that satisfaction with the overall retail trade rise 4.7% in 2016 to a score of 78.3 (on a 100-point scale) an all-time high for the sector.  

Walmart turning up the heat on prices?   The nation’s largest retailer is not going to let grocery competitors, both newer and more established ones, take away its low-price dominance.   The chain is running a price-comparison test in about 1,200 U.S. stores as it looks to close a pricing gap with such rivals as Aldi and Kroger Co., according to a report by pymnts.com.

While Lidl has made clear its plans to expand to the U.S., many grocery retailers may not have expected it to make its stateside debut quite so soon. Recent reports that the chain will open its first stores on U.S. soil this summer, ahead of schedule, mean that the pressure is on for domestic grocery chains to determine how to react to their latest challenger.  

Lidl is coming out of the starting gate in the United States earlier than expected — and it isn’t going to waste any time ramping up its store base.   The discount grocer will open its first U.S. stores this summer, with plans to open up to 100 locations across the East Coast within a year, the Associated Press reported. The chain initially had said it planned to enter the U.S. market no later than 2018.