Lidl GB is accelerating the digitalisation of its stores and expanding the trial of its “Lidl & Go” self-scanning system, which will allow customers to scan products directly while shopping and monitor their cart total and savings in real time via the Lidl Plus app. After an initial trial reserved for employees, friends and family in three stores, the project is now entering a new phase involving seven additional stores in the UK.
The service will be available in stores in Airdrie, Cardiff, Epsom, Glenrothes, Kingston, Guildford, and Eastleigh and represents a further step in the German discounter's digital strategy in the UK market. Through the Lidl Plus app, customers will be able to scan items while shopping, checking their spending in real time before final payment.
The goal of the initiative is to gather data and feedback to improve the customer experience with a view to potentially expanding the project to other stores. The chain aims to make the purchasing process increasingly faster, more flexible, and more personalized, without eliminating traditional checkout lines and customer service.
"This test represents another step forward in our digital evolution, offering customers a smarter, faster, and more flexible way to shop," said Louise Weise, Chief Customer Officer at Lidl GB. "We continue to invest in Lidl Plus, maintaining a focus on a simple and convenient experience. Whether customers choose a traditional checkout, self-service, or self-scanning, our priority is to ensure maximum flexibility."
The expansion of the "Lidl & Go" project also comes just days after the launch of Lidl Plus Points, the new loyalty system that allows British consumers to accumulate points and obtain additional benefits on purchases. This innovation was introduced in response to the growing demand for more customizable and dynamic promotional offers.
For Lidl GB, investing in digital infrastructure represents a strategic lever both to improve the in-store experience and to strengthen its competitive positioning in the discount segment, which is increasingly oriented towards omnichannel technologies and integrated digital services.
The self-scanning experiment is part of a context in which discount retailers are also accelerating in-store innovation, focusing on speed, customer autonomy, and digital tools capable of building customer loyalty through apps and loyalty programs.
While introducing new purchasing methods, Lidl has specified that manned checkouts and traditional payment methods will continue to be available, so as to maintain an experience accessible to all customer groups.
With this new phase of the project, Lidl GB confirms its desire to combine convenience and technological innovation, gradually transforming the discount supermarket into an increasingly digital and customer experience-oriented environment.
