France Hits Lidl with $50M Penalty in Intermarché Lawsuit

German supermarket giant Lidl has been ordered by a French appeals court to pay €43 million ($50 million) in damages to rival Intermarché over deceptive advertising practices.

The court found that Lidl aired over 370 misleading television ads between 2017 and 2023. These ads often featured promotional pricing for products that were not consistently available in all stores, violating consumer protection laws and constituting unfair competition.

While Intermarché had initially lost the case in 2022, the recent ruling overturned that decision. The court said Lidl’s use of fine print and brief audio disclaimers was insufficient, and the omissions misled customers about product availability and pricing consistency.

The judgment underlines the legal risks retailers face over advertising standards in the EU and marks a significant win for Intermarché, which has accused Lidl of deliberately distorting competition in the French retail market.