Discounters Lidl and Netto are celebrating their anniversaries by ramping up their promotional campaigns.

Lidl and Netto in the UK are increasingly using promotions to attract consumers, breaking away from the European discounting model, which sticks to everyday low pricing.

"The discounters are having to do more promotions because that's what the market in the UK wants, and the anniversaries are a good excuse to do this," said Kay Staniland, MD of promotions expert Assosia.

Lidl has erected large banners outside its stores to advertise its 15th birthday campaign. Its promotions include 2-litre bottles of Pepsi or 7Up for 50p, two pizzas for £1, red wine for £3 and Fox's Golden Crunch Creams for 30p.

Netto has launched a Price Bonanza campaign to mark its 18th anniversary in the UK, in which many items will be lowered to either 18p or £1.80.

It has brewed its own Golden Birthday Ale to mark the occasion and is giving customers the opportunity to win prizes, such as VW Polo cars, holidays to Euro Disney and Netto shopping vouchers.

The promotions are being run in addition to its Big Price Drop campaign, launched last month in a bid to "raise Netto's price perception".