Lidl shoppers have blasted changes to the store's 'Lidl Plus' loyalty app, which means they will need to spend more to earn discounts.
Under the old system, shoppers got £10 off a future shop when they spent £200 in one month, but the changes mean that now customers have to spend an extra £50 a month and the reward is 10% off your next shop - so you'll have to spend £100 in one go next time to get the same £10 back. The new rewards scheme effectively means that shoppers will have to spend £350 each month to get the same discount as the old scheme, which started on September 1. Until now, shoppers were able to simply go in store and buy £10-worth of goods and get them for 'free' using the voucher.
Lidl said the changes - which has also introduced a free cleaning product when you spend £150 in a month - mean "more customers get more rewards, more often", but regular Lidl shoppers aren't convinced.
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@jensfromsverige slammed Lidl on Twitter, saying: "Brilliant way to support struggling families at the moment" while @Savvy_Customer said: "Introducing changes to #lidlplus whereby customers are now forced to spend £350 (up from £200) within a qualifying month to attain £10 off their next shop, a 75% increase! Disgusting behaviour by #ripofflidl in the midst of a #costoflivingcrisis."
@nicktam7079 wasn't impressed by the changes either, saying: "This is very disappointing at a time when customers need it most. The discount at the new £250 “milestone” is rubbish. Might as well not use Lidl Plus any more. Why should anyone give them their spending data for a stingy coupon at £250 most won’t even benefit from? Pls rethink!!"
Here's how the new rewards stack up compared to the old system:
£50 monthly spend
- Old reward: Free pastry
- New reward: Free pastry
£100 monthly spend
- Old reward: £2 off coupon
- New reward: £2 off coupon
£150 monthly spend
- Old reward: Nothing
- New reward: Free cleaning product
£200 monthly spend
- Old reward: £10 off coupon
- New reward: Nothing
£250 monthly spend
- Old reward: Nothing
- New reward: 10% off coupon
Lidl is the latest supermarket to revise its rewards scheme, with Sainsbury's coming under fire earlier this week for cutting its Nectar points offering to credit card customers and Tesco making changes to the way customers can spend its Clubcard points as well as being accused of 'two-tier pricing' for non-Clubcard holders.
Asda has also launched it first-ever loyalty card in its 72-year history after a successful trial in the North East.
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