CHECK IT OUT
Lidl shoppers furious over big change to checkouts – is you local branch affected?
Read on to find out how the changes will affect you
LIDL is making huge changes to its self-checkouts including adding security measures and increasing the number of card only counters.
In the Shepherd's Bush store visited by The Sun, new security measures had been introduced, including a one-way barrier at the exit.
1
Customers must scan a barcode on their receipt at the self-checkout before they can leave the store.
Signs above the checkouts warn customers to keep their receipt to operate the exit gates.
Meanwhile, the majority of checkouts are now card only, with just six cash and card counters available.
A large sign at the entrance to the self-checkouts warns: “Self-checkouts are card only. You can still use cash at the till.”
Read more on supermarkets
The Shepherd's Bush store is not the only Lidl location to see these changes.
Enhanced security measures have also been introduced at Lidl in Shoreham, West Sussex, according to The Grocer.
There is now a one-way barrier at the entrance to the store and another at the self-checkouts, where customers also need to scan their receipt before leaving.
About five staffed checkouts had been removed, leaving four remaining staffed checkouts.
Most read in Money
In front of the six self-checkouts is the same sign as the Shepherd's Bush store, which warns that customers who want to pay with cash must use the till.
Shoppers have taken to social media website X, formerly called Twitter, to voice their frustration.
Are you being duped at the supermarket?
One said: “My local Lidl have just installed electric gates to leave! You gotta scan your receipt to open gate & exit. Nicking must be off the scale.”
Another added: “How you want me to scan my receipt to exit when one my hand is busy with a walking stick and another is holding a bag?
“And the option ‘digital receipts only’ doesn’t make sense anymore as it gets added after a while (and has never actually worked).”
Lidl replied: “High there, our team are more than happy to assist if you’re struggling with scanning your receipt in store.”
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds.
"Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
A third customer said: “Used the self service, paid, barrier stays locked as I leave, alarm goes off. Mestiza shop assistant asks me if I have a receipt, which I did.
“Turns out you now need to scan one to leave the shop… God I love living in such a low trust society now.”
A Lidl spokesperson said: "We are making some enhancements to a selection of our stores, which includes optimising our self-checkout area to improve the overall customer experience in stores where there is a preference for self-checkouts."
The news comes after shoplifting reached a record high this year.
There were more than 443,995 incidents of shop theft recorded by police in the year to March 2024 - the highest ever since records began 20 years ago.
It is likely that this number is well below the real figure as many cases go unreported.
It is estimated that there are almost 17 million instances of shop theft annually but few lead to an arrest.
Other checkout changes
Lidl is not the first supermarket to insist customers must scan their receipt in order to leave the store.
Sainsbury’s installed scan to exit barriers in select stores in December 2022.
The barriers were introduced in the self-checkout area and forced customers to scan their receipt before they were allowed to exit.
Customers who wanted to leave the store empty handed had to ask Sainsbury’s security to let them out of the shop.
Customers were furious with the move, which they said made them feel that they were “under suspicion of stealing”.
The barriers have also been introduced in other major shops and supermarkets including Primark, Morrisons and Aldi.
Last year Morrisons introduced barriers to its self-service checkouts in several stores, including its Chorlton in south Manchester branch.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The unpopular feature was criticised by customers who said it was "pointless" as shoplifting will still happen.
Ikea and Costco also require you to scan a receipt so you can leave the shop.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Topics