Lidl Splits European Media Account Between Omnicom, Havas
The retailer is consolidating media planning and buying across 30 countries while it searches for a new creative agency.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Advertising
Lidl has split its estimated €1 billion European media account between Omnicom and Havas. Omnicom won the larger share, covering media planning and buying in the United Kingdom, while Havas won the remainder, covering Germany and other territories.
Why it matters
The realignment consolidates management of Lidl's national media budgets in 30 countries, previously shared among several major agency holding companies. Lidl said the move aims to improve efficiency while retaining strong local market insight.
Omnicom's estimated $780 million share and Havas's $250 million share together make up the reported European media account, which was valued at an estimated €1 billion. Lidl is consolidating national media budgets across 30 countries, but the source does not give the account's margins or the terms of the agency contracts.
The players
Lidl
Lidl is a German discount supermarket chain operating across Europe, and its media consolidation is the subject of this story.
Omnicom
Omnicom is a global advertising and marketing services holding company that won the larger share of Lidl's European media account.
Havas
Havas is a global advertising and marketing services group that won the remaining share of Lidl's European media account, including Germany.
The details
Lidl assigned Omnicom media planning and buying across the United Kingdom, and assigned Havas its home market Germany and other territories. The media business had previously been split among several major agency holding companies, and Lidl is separately reviewing its creative arrangements as it searches for a new creative agency.
Timeline
Media account split reported in an article published November 3, 2026.
Market Landscape
Retailers have increasingly moved media buying toward a small number of global holding companies to gain scale and cost efficiency. Lidl's split pairs that consolidation with locally focused agencies, a structure that balances scale against national market knowledge.
For shoppers, the change is largely behind the scenes, since media planning does not directly alter store prices or product availability. Its effect is mainly on how Lidl's promotions and advertising are planned and delivered across its European markets.
The takeaway
Large retailers are concentrating media buying with a few global groups while keeping local agencies to handle national markets. That combination is a useful model for brands weighing scale against local relevance in their own advertising.
Further reading
For more on how brands structure their campaigns, see Advertising.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Marketing Edge Magazine.
