The difference is partly thanks to lower inflation on the Continent and a higher number of hard discounters like Germany's Aldi and Lidl.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Wal-Mart also faced well-established rivals in Germany, like Metro, and hard discounters such as Aldi and Lidl, already comfortable with razor-thin profit margins.

ECONOMIST: Wal-Mart

The struggles of these companies and their brands are the fallout of the growth of private-label goods and the rise of hard discounters like Germany's Aldi and Lidl chains.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Big Box retailers, discounters, off-price retailers and department stores are working hard to capture some of the holiday decoration sales.

FORBES: Insight Into Consumers' Holiday Spending Patterns