ck, your para 2 absolutely. I remember when lidl (the first?) came here and media saying rest will follow and supermarkets saying this was not a great problem at that stage but would have to take seriously blah, blah. I thought then are the supermarkets hyping up their fear just to keep OFT quiet? Well it's some years on and I think penetration by the three has been disappointing and privately they would admit it.

It's a shame that Kwik Save are in this position, as you rightly mention they were forerunners to the likes of Aldi, Netto and Lidl, and used to provide a much needed choice of "no frills" alternative for the basic products, in competition to the mainstream supermarket giants, which many lower income families needed, to help their struggling weekly budget.

The problem with another smaller chain like Kwik Save failing, is it strengthens a little further the giants monopoly share in the trade, therefore could possibly mean the day coming nearer, when the giant chains could flex their muscle and exercise their monopoly, by naming their own prices to consumers without fear of competition affecting them, therefore overall it is not in the general consumers better interests, for this to happen.

It would be nice to have seen new management stepping in who could have revived their flagging performance, before they got to this sad position of closures, as was the case in the successful revival of Marks and Spencer.

 

Its closest competitors are the bought and paid for councillors and planners who sanction out of town developments.

Kwik Save: sad decline or who cares?

 

Ailing supermarket chain Kwik Save has announced it is to close more than a third of its stores immediately as it battles to secure its future. After the closure of 79 stores, to be completed by Wednesday, 147 outlets will remain open. Usdaw, the union representing shop workers, said that "hundreds" of jobs would be lost by the move. Last week, Arla Foods stopped delivering milk to the struggling chain because of "payment problems". (BBC News May 29 2007)

For me

For me both! To use don't care but as one of the forerunners of no frills supermarkets sad. I suppose it's closest competitors are Aldi, Netto and lidl.