Who shops in here? When I went it was empty.
It is amazingly cheap.
But the staff are so incredibly rude.
I asked if they had a basket.
The reply was: No.
Not, so, 'sorry', or, 'I'm afraid we only have trollies'. Just "no' before the guy turned around and carried on with ripping the plastic packaging of a palette of some brand I have never heard of.
at the check out I was informed bluntly. 'no credit cards'.
I apologised, Obviously I had offended her in some way using a credit card and replaced the credit card with a debit card.
"PIN" she bluntly demanded.
Clearly I hadn't pacified her.
To say the staff were rude is probably an understatement. I know it's not the most inspiring of environments in there, but it's nice to be welcomed by a smiling face. Perhaps they are some evil masterminds henchmen cunningly incognito before some daring plot to take over the world takes place in the next Bond film?
Rather than be all doom and gloom, I think praise id due to the guy who was collecting the baskets in Somerfield last week. Incredibly happy, friendly and fun. I don't know his name but I walked out of the store with a smile on my face. I'm sure he would be a great asset to any business on the high street.
LIDL & the happy guy in Somerfield.
Couldn't agree more Lee - Lidl is truly bizarre, but wth some great stuff making it worth the experience - yoga mats, deep sea diving equipment, camping gas stoves, plug-in cooler boxes - and cheap Chablis! Some of the staff are nice though... and I'm glad to see they've finally mended the shattered glass in the front door (rather than a Bond film, perhaps a re-make of The Long Good Friday?) In contrast, many of the Somerfield staff are fantastic - and the singing security guy (who doubles as the basket-collector) is fab!
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castiron73
- Posts: 132
- Joined: 24 Oct 2006 10:05
- Location: Sydenham Thorpes
Lidl are cheap because they treat their staff so badly, even worse than 'no sick pay' Asda and Tesco.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007 ... permarkets
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007 ... permarkets
Can I ask Lee that you try Lidl again and post back now you've sussed it out? It is a different shopping experience being a "shed" type store rather than a Stepford Wives piped music slow trolley waltz.
However, their food is good in my view, the staff work like mad (probably have to and there aren't a lot of them so not too much to be joyful about working everyday in an environment with only artificial light). I've never found them rude, just busy and yes perhaps speedily matter-of-fact but never unhelpful.
Let us know now that you know that they don't take credit cards (but do take debit cards) and they don't have baskets (though do indeed have trolleys incidentally just in case anyone who didn't know that should read this).
The baskets thing I found a bit odd on my first visit as I (as others do) picked up a discarded box to collect shopping (which would be down to the customer to recycle, so a double reduction in cost) but gave a very dirty look to someone putting things into his own bag. Eeek! I didn't know that that is the plan and just tip things out again at the checkout. Probably better not to do that in Somerfield methinks...
I'm a little surprised at your comment: "...and carried on with ripping the plastic packaging of a palette of some brand I have never heard of..." as if you never shop in local shops, many of whose products won't carry an instantly recognisable label, as if an instantly recognisable label implied that it was food from this country (tee hee). I understand "brand snobbery" with some things, the learned preference coming from comparison rather than sight of a a "foreign" label though.
I shop at several supermarkets, e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury and Somerfield - and, yes, Lidl. All have respective good points in my opinion.
However, their food is good in my view, the staff work like mad (probably have to and there aren't a lot of them so not too much to be joyful about working everyday in an environment with only artificial light). I've never found them rude, just busy and yes perhaps speedily matter-of-fact but never unhelpful.
Let us know now that you know that they don't take credit cards (but do take debit cards) and they don't have baskets (though do indeed have trolleys incidentally just in case anyone who didn't know that should read this).
The baskets thing I found a bit odd on my first visit as I (as others do) picked up a discarded box to collect shopping (which would be down to the customer to recycle, so a double reduction in cost) but gave a very dirty look to someone putting things into his own bag. Eeek! I didn't know that that is the plan and just tip things out again at the checkout. Probably better not to do that in Somerfield methinks...
I'm a little surprised at your comment: "...and carried on with ripping the plastic packaging of a palette of some brand I have never heard of..." as if you never shop in local shops, many of whose products won't carry an instantly recognisable label, as if an instantly recognisable label implied that it was food from this country (tee hee). I understand "brand snobbery" with some things, the learned preference coming from comparison rather than sight of a a "foreign" label though.
I shop at several supermarkets, e.g. Tesco, Sainsbury and Somerfield - and, yes, Lidl. All have respective good points in my opinion.
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stone-penge
- Posts: 292
- Joined: 5 Nov 2004 14:40
- Location: Newlands park
I put things into my own bag whatever supermarket I'm in be it Lidil or waitrose. Whats wrong with that? Remember the formation of the contract between you and a self service shop such as a supermarket,only happens at the cashiers till as per the Court of Appeal ruling in Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists Ltd [1953]mosy wrote: but gave a very dirty look to someone putting things into his own bag. Eeek! I didn't know that that is the plan and just tip things out again at the checkout. Probably better not to do that in Somerfield methinks...
Yes, I too used to find Lidl weird to use until we started budgeting recently. Somebody told me that in Germany, Lidl is the equivalent of Sainsbury's. The reason it's low price is because thy don't spend money on shelving tickets and other POS (Point of Sale) merchandise.
I, too take my cotton bags and fill them before unpacking at the till. On my first visit, I asked if this was OK and the assistant said "yes, use your own bags or a box". Be prepared to wait in the long queues, the staff always seem very busy.
I, too take my cotton bags and fill them before unpacking at the till. On my first visit, I asked if this was OK and the assistant said "yes, use your own bags or a box". Be prepared to wait in the long queues, the staff always seem very busy.
It actually refers to a period when boots were leaving out prescription medicines and having them "approved for sale" at teh checkout - or so I seem to remember. I have a feeling Boots lost, but it enshrined the legal princple that no contract occurs until you actually hand over money at the checkout.mosy wrote:Hi stone-penge
I'm not familiar with the ruling in the Court of Appeal in Re Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists Ltd [1953], though I'd guess it refers to leaving a shop with goods without having paid before a crime of shoplifting is deemed to have been committed?
i.e. you are perfectly entitled to put stuff in your own bag, your pockets, or down your trousers providing you intend to present them at the chekout and you pay for them there. the flip side of tht is - that you are not "entitled" to buy something as soon as you put it in your basket (they do not have to sell it to you) and they are not bound to sell it to you for the price that's advertised on the label/shelf.
Many thanks bensonby. 
I'm stil not sure I'd put things in my bag in Somerfield (or elsewhere) though for this reason: If I've just shopped at Lidl and then go into Somerfield for other shopping, I have to remember, even though carrying a basket, not to put things straight into my shopping bag and potentially risk forgetting they are there. Luckily I woke up in time on the two occasions I've done that. It would be a touch embarrassing if I were to leave the shop and be escorted back in to have my purchases / payment checked ...
I have seen people in Somerfield putting things into their coats and I suspect a convenient loss of memory could well follow... How Lidl minimise theft, I've no idea. I personally prefer to shop there first if on a round robin shopping trip on foot, so that I can literally tip everything out at the checkout. That works for me as I can be quite absent minded when thinking about 99 other things.
I'm stil not sure I'd put things in my bag in Somerfield (or elsewhere) though for this reason: If I've just shopped at Lidl and then go into Somerfield for other shopping, I have to remember, even though carrying a basket, not to put things straight into my shopping bag and potentially risk forgetting they are there. Luckily I woke up in time on the two occasions I've done that. It would be a touch embarrassing if I were to leave the shop and be escorted back in to have my purchases / payment checked ...I have seen people in Somerfield putting things into their coats and I suspect a convenient loss of memory could well follow... How Lidl minimise theft, I've no idea. I personally prefer to shop there first if on a round robin shopping trip on foot, so that I can literally tip everything out at the checkout. That works for me as I can be quite absent minded when thinking about 99 other things.
The thing about Lidl is that you can only leave via the tills - so when I popped in and they didn't have what I was looking for, I couldn't actually get out of the shop. The entrance is all high-security one-way and the tills were totally blocked with bargain-hunting customers. Several moments of panic ensued as I contemplated how much of my afternoon was about to be wasted queuing to get out, until I spotted someone coming in the entrance and slipped out that way before the doors closed again. Phew.
Bamy, without wishing to be rude, it shouldn't have taken you long to work that one out. However, I can say that easily as I've seen people walk in, nick stuff and then walk straight out. As I've also seen some peeps do at the entrance to Superdrug and a couple of other shops not local. Superdrug are funny though. If I stand pondering the makeup shelves, picking things up and putting things down (as you do when choosing makeup), a shop assistant invariably finds it necessary to start re-stocking the shelves at that point... ROFL
My mum is the security camera watcher in a large non-London supermarket (similar layout to Sydenham Sainsbury's) and the encouragment of cotton bags and worse, 'trolley mates' where you hook it onto the trolley and pack/unpack has been a nightmare.
People fill these up then 'pop to the loo' then walk out. Or leave expensive items - electricals, spirits etc in the bottom and don't pay.
It's just too easy in the more open plan stores.
People fill these up then 'pop to the loo' then walk out. Or leave expensive items - electricals, spirits etc in the bottom and don't pay.
It's just too easy in the more open plan stores.
nah mummycat, lidl is not an equivalent to sainsburys in germany. they look the same over there as they do here and sell nearly the same stuff. they are a direct competitor to aldi and at the bottom of the social food chain. but middle class people have less qualms going there as these supermarkets have been around for many decades, and their cheap computer offers as well as the fact that many products are from top tier brands but with different labels has made lidl/aldi somewhat fashionable with certain crowds in germany.
the german market for supermarkets is unique, and foreign entrants have consistently failed and pulled out again (eg walmart), and conversely, while the lidl/aldi concept has worked over there - the aldi brothers are the two richest germans - i wonder why it should work abroad... these stores look like warehouses, awful marketing brochures that are the same as in germany ie they do not consider their local markets, mostly only one choice per product, and the fresh produce is not impressive. but yes, they are cheap, and the cashiers in most lidl's are fast.
the german market for supermarkets is unique, and foreign entrants have consistently failed and pulled out again (eg walmart), and conversely, while the lidl/aldi concept has worked over there - the aldi brothers are the two richest germans - i wonder why it should work abroad... these stores look like warehouses, awful marketing brochures that are the same as in germany ie they do not consider their local markets, mostly only one choice per product, and the fresh produce is not impressive. but yes, they are cheap, and the cashiers in most lidl's are fast.
Lidl and Aldi are doing well simply because food is expensive and they are cheaper. Problem is, if you pay less for food or clothing it's generally because funds are squeezed down the supply chain. Tesco or Aldi or Lidl may not say "pay your workers pittance and make them work all hours, but they do say 'I want it tomorrow, I want it for x p per unit and if you don't supply it, I'' go somewhere else.
Something has to give. What gives is ethics. That is the choice: Ethics vrs price. I don't think Aldi or Lidl will ever be 'cool'.
Something has to give. What gives is ethics. That is the choice: Ethics vrs price. I don't think Aldi or Lidl will ever be 'cool'.
I was wondering: has there been a shift away from more processed food to cooking from scratch? Are people for example shunning the ready meal cottage pie and buying more beef and potatoes (and all the other ingredients) and making it themselves? Not seen any media coverage on this but I thought that it might be one way people might adapt to rising food prices and financial constraints.