The company Lidl plans to open a chain of retail outlets in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by the end of next year, six of which should be in the largest city of Republika Srpska (RS).
However, this German company has so far resolved the issue of only one location in Banja Luka, while negotiations are ongoing for the others.
It has been revealed that an agreement has so far been reached only for a retail outlet in the Petricevac neighborhood.
“That store will be across from the large Centrum, on land owned by the Catholic monastery in Petricevac. A building permit for that location should be issued soon,” says one source.
Regarding the other locations, he says that the intermediaries engaged by Lidl have found several suitable locations and that business negotiations are underway.
“Negotiations are nearing completion with the owners of the former Motel Internacional in the Lazarevo neighborhood, where one retail outlet is planned, while negotiations failed with the owner of the Audi service in the Borik neighborhood about relocating that auto service so Lidl could build its outlet there,” the source added.
He adds that they are interested in a location in the Ada neighborhood near the Tropic shopping market, but official negotiations with the landowners have not yet begun.
“Lidl plans to open all outlets in BiH by the end of 2026. Although the plan is to open six shopping centers in Banja Luka, at the moment things stand so that they would be satisfied if three centers are opened within the planned deadline, and the fourth is in preparation, while locations for the remaining two would be sought later,” the source explains.
As for RS, he adds that, besides Banja Luka, agreements have so far been reached to open outlets in Laktasi, Gradiska, Prnjavor, Doboj, Zvornik, two in Bijeljina, and in Trebinje.
“That doesn’t mean Lidl won’t come to other local communities, but only that locations have already been secured in these cities,” he explains.
It should be recalled that a Lidl retail outlet is planned to be built at the entrance to Laktasi, in the immediate vicinity of the Nestro petrol gas station, eKapija writes.
