Lidl Ireland has announced opening dates for two new Dundalk stores backed by more than €20 million in combined investment. It gives retail network planners a dated, costed example of a discounter pairing a new build with a relocation in one town, with automated checkout and energy-efficient systems built in.

Lidl Ireland employs more than 6,300 people across 192 stores, a Tallaght head office, and three distribution centres and regional offices in Newbridge, Charleville and Mullingar.

The Blackrock store opens at 8am on Thursday 15 October with a 1,500 sq m sales floor, becoming Lidl's third location in Dundalk and sixth in Louth. The relocated Avenue Road store opens opposite the Marshes shopping centre on Thursday 12 November with a 1,700 sq m sales floor.

Both developments include self-checkouts, A energy ratings, rooftop solar PV panels and EV charging, alongside public plazas with built-in retail units for future vendors. Lidl said the two stores will create 30 new permanent jobs.

Louth LGFA captain Aine Breen, who will cut the ribbon in Blackrock, said: "It's fantastic to see Lidl continuing to invest heavily in its store network here in Dundalk."

Regional managing director Tom McAuliffe said the projects were designed with customer experience and environmental sustainability at their core.

Lidl said it procured €32 million of goods and services from 27 Louth suppliers and business partners in 2025, including Natures Best Ltd, which supplies fresh salads to its stores across the island of Ireland.

The investment comes as Worldpanel by Numerator data shows Lidl as Ireland's fastest-growing major grocer, with sales up 10.3 per cent over 12 weeks and a 14.8 per cent market share, behind Dunnes Stores at 24.1 per cent and Tesco at 23.8 per cent.

For the sector, refreshing store estates with automated checkout and energy-efficient systems while share competition intensifies signals that grocers see network quality, not only store count, as the lever for growth.

Source: Ireland Live / Grocery Gazette