Lidl and charity donations

What a cheek! They should certainly ask, and tell you what charity they’re collecting for.

That is totally unacceptable. Did you manage to see which charity this was for? Well done for noticing. I would probably just have offered my card without even checking the total. Could you complain to the store manager?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

corporate.lidl.co.uk/media-centre/pressreleases/2025/big-change-at-the-tills-for-lidl-shoppers

Lidl has been doing this for a year, apparently.
It seems a good initiative. However, customers should be asked and the donation is 30p per transaction.

We were asked if we wanted to add the extra sum. Said no as we weren’t sure what it was about. Lidl is within walking distance for us so used regularly. Will ask next time we are in if it’s not too busy. Their charity is often involved with sport and youngsters (here and abroad I think). Again will make a point of checking.

Series of health ‘issues’ - latest is probably sciatica!

I went in my local Lidl yesterday and the checkout operator told everyone they could donate on the card machine if they wished. I’m pretty sure it was £1. I thought it must be really tedious for him but I’m certain they should not be allowed to add a donation without asking.

Our Lidl comes up with a question on the machine about donating with a Yes or No response which you have to tap before the machine accepts your payment . Seems fair to me

I don’t like this method of collecting for charity and it seems to be more prevalent than before.
I like to choose my charity and certainly want to be asked before deciding.
Having said that £1 is too much and one should decide for oneself.
It is like card payments for meals in cafes and pubs.
Just a box to tick for a percentage of the bill without a word being spoken.

Ours asks if we would like to donate. Press Green for yes, Red for no. Surprised your store is different. Would have expected the same in each one.

Greenfinch

Our Lidl comes up with a question on the machine about donating with a Yes or No response which you have to tap before the machine accepts your payment . Seems fair to me

This is how our local Lidls works

The checkout operator didn't say a word to me at any stage.

If he was doing that all through his shift, he'd have collected a fair amount for the charity. And my 'donation' was to be £1, not 30p. Barefaced cheek. If he'd asked, I may have agreed to it but I don't like the idea of him just deciding I should donate.

I wonder if he did it off his own bat or was instructed to do so. And I wonder if any other customers noticed it, as I did.

I think I'll keep the receipt - they'll know which member of staff it was - and ask to see the manager next time I go. It's hard to avoid Lidl because our local Tesco is closed - so it's either Lidl or Iceland, and Lidl has a wider range of products.

For somebody on their uppers £1 is important.

I think it’s extremely unlikely that an individual employee would have the inclination or the means to reset the technology.

Basgetti all he had to do was select 'yes' and the amount. No technology resetting involved. It would have just taken a couple of seconds. Perhaps that was what he was doing when he 'twiddled' with the card reader before each of the previous customers swiped their card.

Why on earth would he do that?

To get money for the charity, I assume.

This did happen - I'm not making it up.

I'm as puzzled as everybody else. It's very strange.

The amount designated by Lidl, if the customer agrees, is generally up to 30p but perhaps other customers wanted to donate more.
Perhaps the till operator had asked each customer and each had to add £1 before you realised.

From the link I posted earlier:

Lidl becomes the first national supermarket to introduce Pennies, a digital micro-donation system
Micro-donations could inject £1 billion into the UK charity sector if every UK cardholder contributed 35p a week, Pennies research suggests
Comes as discounter extends its partnership with the NSPCC after donating £10 million to the charity since 2017
Lidl will focus its efforts on supporting children who seek help during the night by raising an additional £5 million by 2030 for the NSPCC’s vital Childline service
A big change is coming to Lidl tills across the country next month as the supermarket announces it will become the first national retailer to introduce Pennies, a digital micro-donation system.

The move follows a successful regional trial and will allow customers to donate up to 30p per transaction at the card reader. At the end of January, Lidl will start to roll the tech out, with all its stores having it in place by mid-February right up until the middle of March. This will offer customers the chance to make these micro-donations – a quick and easy way to turn spare change into meaningful contributions. This initiative will be available in stores for the six-week duration of a fundraising campaign and complements the existing in-store cash donation tins, further encouraging customers to support the cause.

I don't understand this:

When I reached the top of the queue, the screen showing my purchases showed a figure of £34.88 but the card reader showed £35.88 and also said 'thank you for donating'. When I queried this, the operator swivelled the card reader towards him, pressed a couple of buttons and when he turned it back towards me the total was £34.88 again.

So you did not donate £1 because you did not agree to do so. Your purchases were £34.88 and that is what you paid.

Yes that's true. But before I queried the amount, the card reader showed £35.88 and said 'thank you for donating'. Which I hadn't agreed to. There was an extra £1 added on, which I hadn't agreed to - and hadn't even been asked to donate.

I might well have agreed to pay an extra £1 donation if I had been asked - but I wasn't asked.

It's not the amount that was added on that bothers me - it's the fact that the checkout operator just did it off his own bat.

Most of the shops do this now but they ask if you want to give usually 25p or 30p I always refuse I give to the charities I want to support and I don’t like this method at all It’s sneaky, even if they do ask you, because a lot of people don’t feel good saying no.

It makes the stores look caring and charitable - while their CEOs earn enormous salaries!

These figures are a bit out-of date:

www.thegrocer.co.uk/analysis-and-features/how-much-are-the-top-supermarket-bosses-paid/692052.article

No wonder they all have big, happy smiles on their faces.

I've been to Lidl five times in the past week and have chosen to donate. They were only asking for 10p each time.

So if ! it is a £1 per transaction and say you went in twice a week.
Bit of a hefty donation in the year £104.

That is of course if it is a £1 and you want to donate.

We do have a choice but should always be asked first or certainly made aware.

I shall check when I'm in next time how much the donation is. I verry rarely go in Liddle only to browse the middle isle.

I hadnt noticed it before, but i do go there a few times if i need something not stocked in Aldi, or on uk holidays- (theres always Lidl near a Butlins or Haven) is it listed at bottom of till receipt separately then? As im sure it ought to be? I will ask next time im in if they do make this charge? Bit of a cheek.

Our large Tesco self service tills sometimes but no always asks if you want to round your shopping up to the nearest pound, so it could be 9p or 1p. I’m not sure which charity they support but I think it changes regularly. I always do because I won’t miss it and hopefully it goes to good causes.