Lidl store

Discount retailer Lidl has announced that Frank-Michael Mros has been appointed the head of its UK operations five months after he left his position as managing director of the group's German division in controversial circumstances.

Mr Mros stood down from that position in April, when the company was allegedly found to have stored data on its employees medical records – an action that led to a €36,000 fine.

However a company spokesman told local press that he had merely taken responsibility for the incident and stepped down, and had not been dismissed.

'Mr Mros is very experienced, with 14 years of experience at Lidl,' the spokesman added.

He steps into the role vacated by Marcel Oosterwijk, who has returned to the group's Dutch division as managing director.