A decades-long supermarket battle in Europe is moving to the US, adding to the competitive pressure in an industry embroiled in a deflation-fueled price war. Aldi, known for low prices on its private-label items, plans to spend $3.4bn over the next five years to open 900 supermarkets, the company said on Monday. The investment comes as its European discount rival, Lidl, prepares to open its first US stores this week, with plans for as many as 100 by the summer of 2018. The US expansion by the German private-label giants could put more pressure on conventional retailers, such as Wal-Mart Stores and Kroger to lower their prices. The new competition in the low-margin industry arrives during a deflationary spiral that has seen food prices drop for 17 consecutive months, the longest such streak in more than 60 years. "There’s a tremendous amount of value at stake that will shift to Lidl and Aldi," said Kent Knudson, a Bain & Company partner. "Traditional grocers can’t afford to lose sale...
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