Lidl rolls out new supermarket feature to 37 more stores — but some call it ‘awful’

Lidl is expanding the rollout of its smartphone-powered self-checkout system across Britain, after what it described as a successful initial pilot starting in late 2024.

Throughout July, a further 37 stores across Scotland, the South East and the wider South of England will get Lidl & Go, which allows customers to scan their groceries themselves as they walk around the supermarket.

Integrated into the Lidl Plus app, shoppers use the feature on their own phone, keeping track of how much they’re spending in real time before paying at the end of their shop.

As well as saving time — not to mention the stress that comes with trying to match the speedy pace of the retailer’s checkout staff — it also means no unloading everything to be scanned again.

According to the Lidl, feedback from the first seven trial stores found it was particularly popular with parents and customers on a budget.

Louise Weise, chief customer officer at Lidl GB, said: ‘The early response… has been really encouraging. Customers are telling us they value the control and visibility it gives them over their spend, and the flexibility to shop at their own pace.

‘This next wave of stores brings the feature to many more customers, and we’ll continue to take on board feedback to evolve the offering as we go.’

It’s the latest phase in the discount retailer’s digital push, which also includes Lidl Pay, personalised app coupons, Click, Reserve & Collect and its recently launched Lidl Points rewards scheme.

But while the supermarket says staffed tills and traditional payment methods will continue to be available, this move towards tech-assisted shopping hasn’t gone down well with everyone.

‘The app barely works as it is for me – wonder how it will handle this,’ wrote one customer on Reddit, with an alleged Lidl employee claiming ‘it’s going to suck’ and another adding: ‘I think it’s going to put some people off shopping in our store.’

‘They’re absolutely awful,’ wrote someone whose local supermarket had been part of the pilot. ‘Queues are worse.’

Others suggested the technology solved a problem Lidl didn’t really have or shared practical concerns around poor mobile reception, buying age-restricted items or security.

Some were more enthusiastic though, calling the feature ‘fantastic’ for smaller shops and ‘saves a lot of time’ once people get used to the change.

‘I think it’s great,’ added one happy commenter. ‘So much easier just to scan stuff and put it straight in your bags.’

A wider supermarket trend

Lidl is far from alone in investing in automated shopping.

Each of the UK’s major supermarkets have invested heavily in self-service checkouts, app-based scanning and digital payment systems in recent years — and across the industry, it’s proven similarly controversial.

Long queues caused by a lack of till staff led to a customer walkout in a Cornwall Asda store last year, with Tesco’s introduction of automatic security scales for Scan as you Shop users labelled ‘dystopian’ online.

Upmarket retailers like Waitrose and Sainsbury’s have also come under fire for their use of AI trolleys and facial recognition at checkouts, while M&S was accused of turning the big shop a ‘sterile chore’ after rolling out self-scanners.

Amid this growing anti-automation backlash, Anda Jansen started a petition for supermarkets to restore balance with more manned, cash-accepting tills, racking up over 72,000 signatures in a matter of weeks.

‘Companies call it “modernising,” but really, they’re narrowing choice and quietly excluding anyone who doesn’t fit into their digital-first model,’ she commented.

However, Lidl has stressed that its new system won’t replace traditional tills, but is instead an addition designed to ‘elevate the entire shopping journey.’

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