Discount retailer Lidl could potentially introduce click and collect for groceries in the UK, following its launch in stores across Germany later this year.

Boris Planer, chief economist for retail insights company Planet Retail, said he believed it was too early to tell if Lidl would bring in the click and collect scheme to the UK, but there was clear potential.

As reported from the Grocer, Planer said: “This is a test in Germany, but if successful, Lidl would be absolutely capable of rolling it out to the UK, where Brexit now provides a historic opportunity for Lidl to grab market share in Britain’s stressed middle class, among what will be a tough year of inflation.”

When questioned about this, a Lidl UK spokeswoman said: “From a UK perspective we continue to monitor any business activity that could be of potential interest to our customers, but do not currently have plans to introduce online shopping.”

The discounter is aiming to invest heavily to boost the German online grocery offering, which has been restricted to non-food and ambient lines. Lidl is set to trial the new service in Berlin in December this year.

In September, Lidl appointed Christian Härtnagel as the company’s new CEO. He is seeking to move the business forward.