I work at Lidl and here’s a clever way we get you to buy more – plus more secrets from inside the store

WE’VE all been there – you pop into Lidl for a loaf of bread or a pint of milk and end up leaving with half the middle aisle. 

But now one Lidl worker has revealed that there’s actually a reason this happens to many of us. 

During Channel 5’s Inside Lidl At Christmas, which aired on Wednesday, various secrets about the store were shared. 

But there was one thing that caught the viewer’s attention – how Lidl’s wider aisles and bigger baskets have been carefully thought through to make us spend more.

Dr Gareth Harvey, a professor in Consumer Psychology at Bangor University, worked with Lidl on various ways they could encourage customers to splash the cash – and now he’s sharing his secrets.

“So normally the first thing we’re trying to do is we’re trying to slow people down, put them into a buying sense of mind.” 

It’s explained that higher ceilings and wider aisles help shoppers to feel ‘in control’ of their environment. 

This, they believe, encourages Lidl visitors to dwell and ultimately spend more. 

Gareth added: “One of the things we’ve been doing is thinking about the product packaging. 

“We know from research that people think wine that is served in heavier bottles is a higher quality. 

“We know that packaging changes our expectations. The better the quality of the print, it means people are willing to spend more money.” 

And it doesn’t stop there – even the shape and size of their baskets have been taken into account. 

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He added: “So if you look at the basket, it’s quite interesting. 

“Most people think of the little things you carry. Put a couple of pints of milk in it, some flour and some baked beans, it becomes quite heavy quite quickly. 

“But actually these baskets are much bigger. They’re substantially taller and rather than carrying it, you can pull it like a trolley. 

“So because you’re not getting tired so quickly, you’ll spend more time in-store. 

“The more time you spend, the more likely you are to purchase more.” 

During the one-off special, The Wynne family put the discount retailer to the test, to see if its Christmas offerings were better than those from supermarkets they regularly visit. 

The family of six compared various items, including Christmas puddings, champagne and the festive offerings of the middle aisle. 

At the end of the episode, dad Steve shares the family’s verdict – that they were impressed by both the quality and variety available at the supermarket chain. 

He said: “Having watched the advert, having been round the shop, having a lot of the stuff they’ve got, yeah I’d give them a go at Christmas.”