Springtime for Wal-Mart and Germany

Low everyday prices are about to get lower in Germany. Wal-Mart (Bentonville, Ark.), faced with flagging business at its 95 German supermarkets, has announced that it will launch a round of pricing discounts starting Monday, cutting the prices of more than 300 items, from video recorders to jelly. The discounts will last for at least two months.

A similar campaign two years ago caused a price war between Wal-Mart and other German chains. Though the retailer entered the market in 1997, it has yet to gain a profitable foothold. Last year, it decided against plans to build 50 new superstores in Germany by 2003.