Long queues formed at the opening of the first 14 supermarkets of the German supermarket chain Lidl on Thursday. Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, Labour Minister Totyo Mladenov and Regional Development Minister Rosen Plevneliev took part in the opening of one of the four stores in Sofia.

Because of the gathering of many people in the first hours after the opening of the Lidl supermarkets in Sofia, Fandakova asked for police presence around the markets. Queues of thousands of people were also reported in Montana (North Western Bulgaria).

The low prices of Lidl caused several big supermarkets in Montana to offer unexpectedly cheap products.

Nearly 30 per cent of food products in the stores will be Bulgarian, Lidl Bulgaria Chief Milena Dragiyska-Dencheva said. The company intends to open 40 stores in the country soon, aiming at a 3 per cent market quota in the following three years. At present, Lidl has invested over 100 million euro in the land lots and buildings of the supermarkets, Dragiyska said, quoted by "Regal" journal.

Additionally, the equipment of one store is worth around 300,000 euro. The expansion is financed with personal resources of Lidl, and its parent company, Schwarz Group, is applying for a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance the expansion of Kaufland and Lidl in the region.

Source: BTA