German discount supermarket chain Lidl has received approval from France's competition authority, Autorité de la Concurrence, to acquire 19 food retail stores operated under the Auchan Supermarché banner. 

The deal also includes eight service stations associated with some of those stores. 

The formal notification of the acquisition was made to the Autorité de la Concurrence on 20 August 2025.  

The filing detailed the company’s plan to take over the retail outlets and the associated service stations. 

In light of the competitive landscape within the food retail sector, the authority scrutinised the acquisition to ensure it would not diminish local competition in terms of pricing or consumer choice. 

Following a thorough investigation, the Autorité de la Concurrence has cleared the acquisition without imposing conditions.  

The regulator’s analysis concluded that the deal would not negatively impact the competitive environment.  

Lidl is anticipated to maintain modest market shares across all impacted areas, ensuring that consumers retain access to a variety of competitive options. 

The transaction is similarly not expected to disrupt competition within the fuel retail sector.

In July 2025, Lidl GB introduced a new self-scanning feature within its Lidl Plus loyalty app to enhance the in-store shopping experience for customers. 

From September, the feature underwent a “friends and family trial” at four stores, with a broader phased rollout planned for 2026. 

The self-scanning capability enabled customers to scan products as they shopped, keeping track of their spending and savings in real time.