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Original poster

Is this really a fair reflection of Lidl (article in today's Observer)?

54 replies

binkythebullet · 21/09/2008 19:54

I hope not.....

Lidl article in Observer

I ompletely disagree with her on the 'Lidl' experience - a) I save far more than £10 per £50 by shopping at Lidl b) it's not that bad, I mean, what is she expecting from a discount shop - the Fortnum and Mason Food Hall experience and c) plenty of Lidl own brand stuff is really good, no really. I like Lidl.

However the comments on how they treat their staff makes me not want to shop there at all anymore. Is she spouting crap?

OP posts:

TheArmadillo · 21/09/2008 20:01

I've heard lots about the terrible way they treat their staff so that probably is true.

The rest well, why couldn't she have used a trolley? And it probably depends what you buy as regards to who much you save and I think her expectations were too high from a discount shop. They save money by not providing all the stuff that makes your shopping experience 'nice'.

Plus you can't really blame lidl for the behaviour of their customers.

BreevandercampLGJ · 21/09/2008 20:02

They do treat their staff dreadfully.

Eve · 21/09/2008 20:04

I have heard they do treat staf poorly, but on the other hand, I go to Aldi... and by picking and choosing.. get in a shop for £35 as oppsed to double that in Waitrose.

expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 20:05

typical of the poncy, wanky Guardian.

she's spouting crap, methinks. DH's best pal manages a Lidl in Edinburgh. he started working there because they pay more than any other supermarket for the same conditions. does she think people who work in Sainsbo's, Tesco, ASDA adn the like get treated better?

LOL. DH worked in ASDA for 6 years and Morrison's for 1 and Morrison's treats its employees like utter shit, or at least his did.

Hope she fucks off back to Ponceville quick and takes her annoying drivel with her. Anyone who shops in a place because they saw a waste of space like Lily Allen in there deserves what they have coming, IMO.

TsarChasm · 21/09/2008 20:05

God what terrible experience for her.

I hope she burnt her clothes and scrubbed herself with bleach after being subjected to such a downmarket shopping nightmare. Snobby cow Poor woman .

expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 20:06

they all treat their staff horribly.

tesco is vile, FWIW.

muggglewump · 21/09/2008 20:07

My ex BF is a duty manager for Lidl. They don't treat staff well at all, at least not in the shop he worked in.
I've heard most Supermarket's are pretty bad to staff though.

AnarchyAunt · 21/09/2008 20:07

Aldi treats staff very well I have heard.

Woman is obviously a snob.

jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 21/09/2008 20:08

I worked for Sainsbury's many years ago. They were nightmares (was kept waiting on the till 4 hours for the loo once). My friend lasted about 3 weeks in Tesco they were so horrible. M&S used to have a reputation for treating their staff well but I don't know if they still do.

frogs · 21/09/2008 20:09

Article is a pile o' shite. Except that she's right about Sunday being a bad time to go, mainly because they tend to run out of stock then (our local branch is the same as the one in the article).

You can absolutely go with a shopping list, once you know what they have, though if you're a brand name freak you'll be disappointed. They have trolleys like any other supermarket. A lot of the food is as good or better than Sainsbo's/Tescos, eg. their sausages, their ketchup, muesli, etc.

And I reckon it's about half the price of a Sainsbury's shop, not £10 on a £50 shop. The staff do put the items through the till at warp speed, though, but you're not meant to put it away in bags, you're meant to chuck it back in the trolley and sort it out in your own time. With experience you can arrange the bags so that you can pack as you go along, but it is a very speedy experience.

They probably are b*stards to their staff, but they're hardly going to be unique in that.

ChirpyGirl · 21/09/2008 20:10

It's only shopping, what a dreadful article!
Sounds like she's so far up her own arse she wouldn't care about the £10 saved (which is a lot less than I save at Aldi....)

weblette · 21/09/2008 20:12

There aren't any near me however use them all the time when in France. Not sure if its the same stuff as they use here but great range, excellent quality and bloomin' cheap.

singingtree · 21/09/2008 20:14

God that article wound me up. Stupid snobby woman.

sarah293 · 21/09/2008 20:16

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TheDullWitch · 21/09/2008 20:18

But it is a grim experience at our Lidyl in SE London. There were more security guards to stop you stealing stuff than people on cash tills. SO you had to queue for ages.

And food has this crazy random feel, like a UN Aid station or something, where they've just had a huge consignment of weird meat. But that week they have no butter or something staple.

lulumama · 21/09/2008 20:18

another vomiting satsumas victim..

our Lidl has trolleys ! areas to pack your shopping away from the till ! polite smiling staff ! fabulous continental food ! and interesting bargains! just like a normal supermarket

and everyone knows all supermarkets are hell on earth on a saturday.

clearly exaggerated for 'comic' effect

LazyLinePainterJane · 21/09/2008 20:20

They are all bad, I worked in Morrisons as a teen and they were shitty. I would have to be desperate to work for a supermarket again, would rather clean toilets.

janeite · 21/09/2008 20:21

Well I must be a horrible snob too because I found myself nodding in agreement with parts of the article. It IS horrible - or at least the one I tried was. The fruit and vege was vile, there was a really limited range and, other than olive oil and biscuits etc, v little that I'd actually want to eat. It seemed to be all packets of meat and plastic wrapped cheese and strange sausage type things in tins. I am a veggie and wanted to buy lovely cheese, fresh fruit and vege and good quality bread - I came out with some nuts, some chocolate, some biscuits, some icecream - and the desire to never go there again.

Original poster

binkythebullet · 21/09/2008 20:23

The trouble is who does treat their staff well and cuts costs? Not convinced that Asda is much better sadly....

I went for job interview with Lidl about ten years ago. The second round interview was at 0700h at some outpost in Central Scotland with no public transport available to get there. I made it, only to get lectured by a very scarey lady with words to the effect of 'if I joined up I would need to live to work, not work to live'. I ran for the hills

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised by the article.

OP posts:

Original poster

binkythebullet · 21/09/2008 20:23

The trouble is who does treat their staff well and cuts costs? Not convinced that Asda is much better sadly....

Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised by the article.

OP posts:

sarah293 · 21/09/2008 20:25

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Original poster

binkythebullet · 21/09/2008 20:25

Agree she is a terrible snob. The credit crunch obviously hasn't affected ol' Eva yet...

OP posts:

lulumama · 21/09/2008 20:26

lidl usually have great fruit and veg, including some organic and fair trade and do lots of half price promos.

is it even legal to be non wheelchair accesible these days?

sarah293 · 21/09/2008 20:26

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sarah293 · 21/09/2008 20:28

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