Anyone who’s ever shopped in a Lidl will know how truly chaotic the checkout section is.
Staff are encouraged to scan and charge customers at a rapid speed – which often means you’re left red in the face and sweating by the time you pack your last tin of baked beans away.
But now, Lidl are reinventing the way they do things, launching a new self-scanning feature integrated directly into the discounter’s loyalty app.
This scheme, of course, is not groundbreaking in any shape or form – traditional supermarkets have been offering this option for years. However, they are still a relatively new concept in discount stores.
But it does stand out as yet another example of a supermarket turning to tech to improve efficiency – something that led to a customer revolt at one Asda store recently.
Titans of the industry such as Waitrose and Sainsbury’s have also come under fire for their use of technological innovation. AI trolleys, most agree, feel a bit dystopian. And don’t get us started on facial recognition at checkouts.
In a desperate bid to keep up, Tesco even began trialling infrared machinery so that millennials can check how ripe an avocado is before purchasing. A gimmick? Maybe. But at least it could cut waste.
The new self-scanning feature will be exclusively limited to members of the retailer’s loyalty scheme – Lidl Plus.
This feature allows users to scan items with their phone as they put them in their basket, before then scanning the app at a self-checkout and paying there.
A limited ‘friends and family’ four-store trial of the feature launched in September and is expected to be rolled out in phases over the course of 2026.
Lidl just brought back 3 'out of this world' bakery items
- The Chocolate Brioche Croissant is back after being removed from shelves back in March. This delicious treat will set you back 89p and has been labelled ‘addictive’ by shoppers
- The Half and Half Cookie costs only 69p and is perfect for anyone known to be ‘notoriously indecisive.’ The delicious cookie is made up of half a milk chocolate cookie and half a double chocolate cookie – what more could you want?
- The White and Milk Chocolate Drizzle Doughnut is also thankfully back on Lidl shelves. This treat is also 69p, but if you’re a Lidl Plus member it’ll only cost you 59p – what a bargain! Lidl’s doughnuts have always been held in high esteem at Metro, with the Chocolate Iced Doughnut previously being crowned the best item in the bakery, scoring full marks and ‘no faults.’
Shyam Unarket, customer relations director at Lidl GB, said: ‘We are committed to investing in technologies that simplify the customer journey and offer greater flexibility in how people shop with us.’
‘Whether customers prefer using traditional tills or self-checkouts, we want to ensure that every shopper can choose the experience that best suits them.’
Despite tech dividing customers, Lidl seems to be getting something right.
With a record 8.3% market share, the German retailer is close to overtaking Morrisons as the fifth biggest supermarket in the UK.
Back in 2022, research discovered that Brits spend an average of eight and a half months of their lives in the supermarket.
So, with Lidl now taking the steps to make their check out process more efficient, that time will hopefully become ours again.
Would you rather just chat to a member of staff though? Let us know in the comments.